Why does my knee hurt when I play badminton?

Knee pain when playing badminton may be caused by sports injuries, bad posture, knee strain or underlying diseases. Mastering scientific exercise methods, timely adjustment of status and targeted treatment can effectively relieve or prevent knee pain.

1Sports injuries leading to knee pain

Badminton is a high-intensity sport with rapid changes of direction. The knees are easily impacted when stopping suddenly, turning or jumping. If the warm-up is insufficient or the movements are too intense, it may cause damage to the soft tissue of the knee, or even ligament sprain or meniscus injury.

Suggestions:

Warm up thoroughly before exercise to get your knee joints and surrounding muscles into shape.

Wear knee pads during training to appropriately limit the range of knee bending and reduce the risk of injury.

If there is acute pain, use ice to relieve swelling and pain.

2. Improper exercise posture

Bad posture, such as sudden excessive force, twisted knees or uncoordinated lower limb movements, can easily put excessive pressure on the knee joint, causing pain or even long-term strain.

Suggestions:

Consult a professional coach to learn the correct force and movement techniques to reduce improper impact on the knees.

Make sure your feet and the ground are evenly distributed, keep your center of gravity down, and avoid putting too much pressure on your knees.

Strengthen leg muscle training, improve muscle strength and knee joint stability.

3. Knee Overstrain

Frequent exercise may cause wear of the knee cartilage or meniscus, leading to chronic pain, which is especially common in people who are overweight or who play high-intensity badminton for a long time.

Suggestions:

Control the duration and intensity of exercise, arrange exercise and rest time reasonably, and avoid excessive fatigue of the knee joints.

Regularly engage in low-impact exercise, such as swimming or cycling, to restore motion to your knee.

Consider supplementing with foods rich in collagen and calcium, such as beef bone soup, dried fish, etc., or taking joint health supplements under the advice of a doctor.

4 Potential disease factors

If the pain persists or gradually worsens, it may involve diseases such as knee arthritis, bursitis, patellar chondromalacia, etc. Elderly people are at a higher risk of knee joint diseases, and young people may also suffer from the disease due to genetics, excessive exercise, etc.

Suggestions:

See a doctor immediately and undergo imaging tests such as X-rays and MRIs to determine the cause and receive treatment.

Medical treatment includes oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or topical ointments to reduce inflammation and pain.

Special cases may require surgical repair, such as meniscal suturing or arthroscopy.

Knee health is related to sports performance and daily quality of life. Badminton players should pay attention to protecting the knee joints, develop scientific exercise habits, detect and deal with knee pain problems early, and do not force themselves to insist on high-intensity training. If the pain is not relieved for a long time, you should seek medical attention in time to eliminate the risk of disease.