Q&A 4/29

Hi Mike,

I've just finished reading the Bulletproof Knees manual and I thought it was a fantastic read! It's definitely a resource I'll be using to help myself and anyone I know with knee problems (and hopefully prevent some people even having them!)

I do have a few questions from reading the manual I was hoping you would be able to help with:

1) On the double and single leg jump progressions, is it a good progression to go from wearing trainers to barefoot? I know there has been a shift towards doing warm ups and where possible train barefoot, I just wasn't sure whether it would be too much on the joints or not.

MR: While warm-ups and such are great choices for barefoot training, I really don't advocate taking this over into ballistic/high shock absorption movements like jumps and sprints. Most people's feet are far too weak to effectively absorb the shock, and while their knees might feel great they'll end up with some sort of lower extremity injury. Not good!

2) You mention that if someone suffers from compression or tracking issues they shouldn't wear the knee sleeves. Could you expand on why this is? If someone does suffer, are there any alternatives to wearing knee sleeves?

MR: People that have compression/tracking issues generally like the warmth a knee sleeve provides, but if they're too tight they only create more compression/tracking issues at the patello-femoral joint.

It's not so much that it's contraindicated, but I would definitely make sure they are loose and not furthering altering the normal biomechanics of the knee.

3) I like the idea of using the credit card to remove fluid, when you are scraping the card up the leg, do you just go around the whole knee or if you have a specific area that aches, just scrape over that area?

MR: I will actually start at the lower exremity, work my way up to the knee, and the all the way up into the thigh. If your leg is elevated and straight so that your foot is above your hip, think about working from the upper most to lower most portions.

4) Final question :-). I don't currently have any bands to be able to do the band stomps. I am currently looking to get some ironwoody ones, do you think they would be ok to do the band stomps with?

Thank you very much for your help!

Regards,

Jon

MR: I don't have any experience with the Iron Woody bands; every band I've ever purchased has been of the Topper(?) variety which can be purchased at Elite Fitness Systems (www.elitefts.com).

Thanks for the questions and good luck!

MR