How to Help Your Sister's Knee โข ใๅงใใใฎ่ใๅฉใใใซใฏ
May 20, 2025
ใไปฅไธๆฅๆฌ่ชใ
This Daily offers some background advice on how to manage knee problems that result from poor postural optimisation.
ไปๅใฎใใคใชใผใงใฏใๅงฟๅขใฎๅน็ๅ๏ผใใใใฎใใใใคใ๏ผ**ใฎไนฑใใใใใ่ใฎๅ้กใซใใฉใๅใๅใใฐใใใใจใใ่ๆฏ็ใชใขใใใคในใใๅฑใใใพใใ
***
Have knee problems?
I have a sister who is knee-suffering on her mountain treks in Peru, which prompted me to note down the things I know about knees that play up - including my own occasionally.
There’s the obvious advice—pack your knee, rest it, build strength—but my (sometimes) Daily is about none of those things. Alexander work is about your behaviour, attitude, and thinking as it applies to postural optimisation. It involves deploying intelligence rather than a heat pack.
THE PROBLEM (in many cases)
Imagine a piston in a car – see the pic above. It goes down and up at an exact angle, so tight that the space underneath is locked from the air above. What do you imagine would happen if the piston changed its downward angle by just 1 degree? It would scrape and allow air to escape – it could probably still work, but would slowly become dysfunctional and ineffective.
This is what happens to your knee!
While walking, your knees are designed to bend in the exact direction that your foot is pointing. As your knee passes over your foot, it should follow a forward-pointing line that passes over the inside of your big toe. When your knee deviates slightly from this line, it is like the piston going one degree off.
How can you see if this is happening to you?
SELF-DIAGNOSIS (for some)
While standing, look at the direction your two feet are pointing in: is one pointing out more than the other? You have to “catch” yourself doing this - rather than plan to look - because the idea that you want to look at your feet will change their automatic behaviour.
If you have knee problems, 90% of the time while standing, your two feet will be pointing in slightly different directions. Usually, the troublesome knee will have your foot pointing further outwards than the other foot – it is the “1 degree” off! – but inwards is possible too.
MY ADVICE (for everyone)
My advice assumes you are walking and falls into three areas:
1. Stay normal
2. Pain is friendly
3. It’s about all of you
This being Japan, I will start with 3.
***
3. It’s About All of You
HEAD/SPINE/HIP --> KNEE/FOOT
Consider the whole of you, not just your sore knee.
This being Alexander, postural optimisation starts by considering your head/spinal relationship: when you are walking, how often do you look down?
Don’t. (unless it’s necessary, which it usually isn’t)
Instead – look ahead. Why?
Your head can weigh between 4.5 and 5.5 kg (10 and 12 lbs), which is a lot if you imagine 5kg of rice or a bag of two-dozen oranges. When you look down, most people rock the neck forward from the cow joint (the 7th cervical vertebra of the neck), which throws all that head weight forward. To balance that, most people then convex the ribcage (curves outward), which consequently causes your hips to go forward into extension, even as you are walking.
With the hips now centring in a more extended relationship, your knee is being given a constant pressure to go into hyperextension, i.e. to lock backwards. As far as balancing goes it is perfect, but the unfortunate result is that more muscular effort is required to bend your knee while walking, so the pressure on your knee dramatically increases.
This does not help your knee, so look ahead baby!
KNEE | FOOT
While walking, both your knee and ankle function as single hinge joints* i.e. they can only flex and extend. Remember the piston? Deviating off this sagittal or ‘wheel’ plane introduces rotational torque on the knee, which over time, will start to hurt.
Bend your knee forward towards the direction that your foot is pointing!
Now 2.
***
2. Pain is friendly – nudge into it.
Pain is not what is wrong with you – pain is what is right about you.
Without pain, how would you know anything is wrong? Don’t shoot the messenger. However, avoiding pain is a powerful need when your knee is screaming blue murder – what can you do?
One of the findings in the academia of pain research is that it is better to nudge into pain, rather than back off from it. The strategy of avoiding pain can lead to immobility and invites long-term chronic pain - which is a whole new beast. Nature works best when you slightly extend your range rather than reduce it. Of course don’t go crazy – pain is there to tone down excessive movement, respect that. But nudge a little into the edge of your pain as you walk, bearing in mind my final advice…
1. Stay the same, avoid new patterns.
Another method of pain avoidance involves lessening pressure on your knee by devising alternative ways to walk: be careful. Unless you are a super well-trained Alexander teacher, you won’t know what your new patterns involve and they can quickly become habituated, continuing long after the need for them has passed. This can invoke a new set of long-term problems that you want to avoid.
Instead, walk consciously and carefully while maintaining your normal gait. Use walking sticks if necessary, go slower, but maintain your gait as though your knee was normal.
Finally, go see an Alexander teacher (even if you are one). We are the experts of postural optimisation, and knee problems are yet another symptom of misaligned postural optimisation.
***
*Your knee can also rotate when sitting, but not during walking. Try this: whilst sitting in a chair, watch how you can point your foot inwards and outwards. However, once your leg becomes fully extended, this knee rotation is no longer available – rotation happens in the hip instead. Through prolonged sitting, you may have “taught” your knee/foot to be in a rotational relationship to each other, which could confuse your walking. Who knows? Your Alexander teacher most likely.
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*** JAPANESE ***
ใๅงใใใฎ่ใๅฉใใใซใฏ
่ใซๆฉใฟใๆฑใใฆใใพใใ๏ผ
็งใฎๅงใฏไปใใใซใผใฎๅฑฑ้ใๆญฉใใฆใใฆ่ใ็ใใฆใใพใใใใฎใใจใใใฃใใใงใ็ง่ช่บซใฎ็ต้จใๅซใใ่ใซ่ตทใใใใกใชๅ้กใซใคใใฆใใใใคใๆธใ็ใใฆใใใใจๆใใพใใใ
ใใใใใขใใใคในใจใใฆใฏใ่ใๅทใใใใไผใพใใใใ็ญๅใใคใใใใชใฉใใใใพใใใ็งใฎ๏ผๆใ ๏ผๆธใใใใคใชใผใใฏใใใใใฃใๅ ๅฎนใงใฏใใใพใใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏใ็ฆ็นใๅฝใฆใใฎใฏใ**ๅงฟๅขใฎๅน็ๅ๏ผใใใใฎใใใใคใ๏ผ**ใซ้ขไฟใใใ่ชๅใฎ่กๅใปๆ ๅบฆใป่ใๆนใชใฎใงใใใคใพใใๆธฉ็ฑใใใฏใงใฏใชใ“็ฅๆง”ใไฝฟใใฎใงใใ
ใใใใใๅ้กใ
่ปใฎใในใใณใๆณๅใใฆใฟใฆใใ ใใ๏ผไธใฎ็ปๅๅ็ ง๏ผใใในใใณใฏๆฑบใพใฃใ่งๅบฆใงไธไธใซๅใใพใใ้้ใชใใใฟใใจๅฏ้ใใใ็ฉบๆฐใๆผใใพใใใใงใฏใใใฎใในใใณใใใฃใ1ๅบฆ่งๅบฆใๅคใใใใฉใใชใใงใใใ๏ผ ใใใใใใซใชใใ็ฉบๆฐใๆผใๅงใใพใใใใใซใฏๅฃใใพใใใใใใใใใจๆฉ่ฝไธๅ จใซๅใใใพใใ
ใใใจๅใใใจใใใใชใใฎ่ใซใ่ตทใใฆใใใใใใใพใใ๏ผ
ๆญฉใใจใใ่ใฏ่ถณใฎๅใใซๆฒฟใฃใฆๆญฃ็ขบใซๆฒใใใใ่จญ่จใใใฆใใพใใ่ใ่ถณใฎไธใ้้ใใใจใใใใใฏ่ถณใฎ่ฆชๆใฎๅ ๅดใ้ใๅๆนใฎใฉใคใณใซๅพใในใใชใฎใงใใใใฎใฉใคใณใใใใใใซ้ธใใใจใใใใฏใพใใซใในใใณใ1ๅบฆใบใฌใ็ถๆ ใ
ใงใฏใ่ชๅใใใใใใฆใใใใฉใใใใฉใใใฃใฆ็ขบ่ชใใใฎใงใใใ๏ผ
ใใปใซใใใงใใฏใ๏ผไธ้จใฎไบบใซ๏ผ
็ซใฃใฆใใใจใใซใ่ชๅใฎไธก่ถณใใฉใกใใๅใใฆใใใ่ฆใฆใฟใพใใใใ็ๆนใฎ่ถณใใใใไธๆนใใๅคๅดใๅใใฆใใพใใใ๏ผ
ใใฎ็ขบ่ชใฏใๆๅณ็ใซ่ฆใใใฎใงใฏใชใใใใตใจใใ็ฌ้ใซๆฐใฅใใใใจใๅคงๅใงใใใ่ฆใใใใจๆใฃใๆ็นใงใ่ชๅ็ใช่ถณใฎไฝ็ฝฎใๅคใใฃใฆใใพใใใใงใใ
่ใซๅ้กใใใไบบใฎ90%ใฏใ็ซใฃใฆใใใจใใซไธก่ถณใฎๅใใๅฐใใบใฌใฆใใพใใๅคใใฎๅ ดๅใ็ใฟใฎใใ่ใฎ่ถณใฎๆนใๅคๅดใๅใใฆใใพใ๏ผใพใใซ“1ๅบฆใฎใบใฌ”๏ผใใใ ใใๅ ๅดใซใบใฌใฆใใๅ ดๅใใใใพใใ
ใใขใใใคในใ๏ผๅ จๅกใซ๏ผ
ๆญฉใใฆใใใจไปฎๅฎใใฆใใขใใใคในใฏไปฅไธใฎ3ใคใซๅใใใพใ๏ผ
1. ๆฎ้ใฎใพใพใงใใ
2. ็ใฟใฏๅณๆน
3. ๅ
จไฝใง่ใใ
ใใใฏๆฅๆฌใชใฎใงใใพใ3็ชใใๅงใใพใใใใ
3. ๅ จไฝใง่ใใ
้ ญใป่้ชจใป้ชจ็ค → ่ใป่ถณ
็ใ่ใ ใใ่ฆใใฎใงใฏใชใใใ่ชๅๅ จไฝใใ่ใใพใใใใ
ใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏใซใใใฆใ**ๅงฟๅขใฎๅน็ๅ๏ผใใใใฎใใใใคใ๏ผ**ใฏใ้ ญใจ่ๆคใฎ้ขไฟๆงใใๅงใพใใพใใๆญฉใใฆใใใจใใใฉใใใใใฎ้ ปๅบฆใงไธใ่ฆใพใใ๏ผ
่ฆใชใใงใใ ใใใ๏ผๅฟ ่ฆใชใจใไปฅๅคใฏใใใใฆใๅฟ ่ฆใใใพใใ๏ผ
ไปฃใใใซใๅๆนใ่ฆใฆใใ ใใใใชใใ๏ผ
ไบบใฎ้ ญใฏ4.5ใ5.5kg๏ผ10ใ12ใใณใ๏ผใใใใพใใ5kgใฎ็ฑณ่ขใใฟใใไธ็ฎฑใๆใๆตฎใในใฆใใ ใใใไธใๅใใจใๅคใใฎไบบใฏ็ฌฌ7้ ธๆค๏ผ้ฆใฎๆไธ้จ๏ผใใๅใซ้ฆใๅพใใฆใใพใใใใฎ้ ญใฎ้ใฟใๅๆนใซ่ฝใกใพใใใใใใใฉใณในใใใใจใใฆใไปๅบฆใฏ่ธ้ญใๅคๅดใซๅใใใ้ชจ็คใๅพใใธๅผใใฆใใพใใฎใงใใ
ใใฎ็ตๆใ้ชจ็คใฏใใไผธๅฑใใ้ขไฟใซๅใพใใ่ใฏๅธธใซ้ไผธๅฑ๏ผๅพใใซใญใใฏใใใ๏ผๆนๅใธใจๅงๅใๅใใใใจใซใชใใพใใใใฉใณใน็ใซใฏๅฎ็งใงใใ่ใๆฒใใใฎใซไฝๅใช็ญๅใๅฟ ่ฆใจใชใใ่ใธใฎ่ฒ ๆ ใๅคงใใใชใฃใฆใใพใใฎใงใใ
ใใใฏ่ใซๅชใใใใใพใใใใ ใใใๅใ่ฆใฆๆญฉใใพใใใ๏ผ
่ใป่ถณ
ๆญฉใใจใใ่ใจ่ถณ้ฆใฏใฉใกใใใๅ่ปธใฎ่ถ็ช้ข็ฏใใจใใฆๆฉ่ฝใใพใใใคใพใใๆฒใไผธใฐใใฎใฟใๅบๆฌๅไฝใงใ๏ผโป๏ผใใในใใณใฎไพใๆใๅบใใฆใใ ใใใใใฎ“่ป่ผช”้ข๏ผ็ข็ถ้ข๏ผใใใบใฌใใจใ่ใซๅๆใใซใฏใใใใใใใใ็ใฟใฎๅๅ ใซใชใใพใใ
่ใฏใ่ถณใๅใใฆใใๆนๅใซๅใใฃใฆๆฒใใพใใใ๏ผ
2. ็ใฟใฏๅณๆน — ๅฐใ่ธใฟ่พผใ
็ใฟใฏใใใชใใฎไธญใงไฝใใ้้ใฃใฆใใใใตใคใณใงใฏใชใใใใกใใใจๅใใฆใใใใตใคใณใงใใ
็ใฟใใชใใใฐใไฝใๅ้กใชใฎใๅใใใพใใใ็ใฟใฏใกใใปใณใธใฃใผใๆใใชใใงใใใฆใใ ใใใใจใฏใใใ่ใๆฟ็ใงๆฒ้ณดใใใใฆใใใจใใซ้ฟใใใใชใใฎใๅฝ็ถใงใใใใใงใฉใใใใ๏ผ
็ใฟ็ ็ฉถใฎๅญฆ่กๅ้ใงใฏใใ็ใฟใ้ฟใใใใใๅฐใ่ธใฟ่พผใใ ใปใใใใใใจใใใฆใใพใใๅฎๅ จใซ้ฟใใๆฆ็ฅใฏๅฏๅๅใฎ็ธฎๅฐใๆใใ้ทๆ็ใชๆ ขๆง็ใจใใ“ๅฅใฎ็ฃ”ใๅผใณๅฏใใฆใใพใๅฏ่ฝๆงใใใใพใใ่ช็ถใฏใๅฐใไผธใฐใใใปใใๅพๆใชใฎใงใใ
ใใกใใ็ก็ใฏ็ฆ็ฉใ็ใฟใฏ้ๅฐใชๅใใๆใใใใใฎไฟกๅทใงใใใใพใใใใใฏๅฐ้ใใพใใใใใใ ใใ็ใฟใฎ็ธใๅฐใ่ธใฟ่พผใฟใชใใๆญฉใใจใใในใฟใณในใๆๅนใงใใใใใฆๆๅพใฎใขใใใคในใๅฟใใใซ…
1. ๅใใพใพใงใใใๆฐใใใใฟใผใณใไฝใใชใ
่ใฎ็ใฟใ้ฟใใใใจใใใจใๅคใใฎไบบใๆญฉใๆนใๅทฅๅคซใใใใจใใพใใใงใใใใใใฏ่ฆๆณจๆใงใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผๆๅธซใจใใฆใฎ้ซๅบฆใช่จ็ทดใใชใ้ใใใๆฐใใๅใใฎใใฟใผใณใใใฉใฎใใใชใใฎใใ่ช่ฆใงใใใใใใ็ฟๆ ฃๅใใฆใใพใใใกใงใใใใใฆใใฎใใฟใผใณใฏใ็ใฟใๆถใใๅพใๆฎใใๆฐใใชๅ้กใๅผใ่ตทใใใใจใใใใพใใ
ใใใใ้ๅธธใฎๆญฉใๆนใๆ่ญ็ใซใไธๅฏงใซ่กใฃใฆใใ ใใใๆใไฝฟใฃใฆใใใใใใใฃใใๆญฉใใฆใใใพใใพใใใใงใใ่ใ“ๆฎ้”ใ ใฃใใจใใฎๆญฉใๆนใใใงใใ้ใ็ถญๆใใฆใใ ใใใ
***
ๆๅพใซใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผๆๅธซใซไผใใซ่กใฃใฆใใ ใใ๏ผใใจใใใชใ่ช่บซใๆๅธซใงใใฃใฆใ๏ผใ็งใใกใฏๅงฟๅขใฎๅน็ๅ๏ผใใใใฎใใใใคใ๏ผใฎๅฐ้ๅฎถใงใใใ่ใฎๅ้กใฏๅงฟๅขใฎๅน็ๅใไธๅๅใงใใใใจใฎใใฒใจใคใฎ็พใใซใใใพใใใ
ใใๆฑไบฌใๅคง้ชใซใใใชใใใใฒ็งใฎPILANDES๏ผใใฉใณใใน๏ผใฏใฉในใซใๅๅ ใใ ใใใ็งใฎ“ใฟใใ”ใ้ใใฆใใใใซๆธใใใฆใใใใจใๅฎ้ใซไฝ้จใใฆใใใ ใใพใใ
https://www.bodymindspiritresearchlab.com/workshops/917
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(โป) ่ฃ่ถณ๏ผ่้ข็ฏใฏๅบงใฃใฆใใใจใใซๅๆๅฏ่ฝใงใใใๆญฉ่กไธญใฏใใใงใฏใใใพใใใ่ฉฆใใซๆค ๅญใซๅบงใฃใฆใ่ถณใๅ ๅคใซๅใใฆใฟใฆใใ ใใใๅใใพใใญ๏ผ ใงใ่ถณใๅฎๅ จใซไผธใฐใใใจใใใใใฎๅๆใฏใงใใชใใชใใๅๆใฏ่ก้ข็ฏใซ็งปใใพใใ้ทๆ้ใฎๅบงใๆนใซใใฃใฆใ่ใจ่ถณใ“ใญใใใ้ขไฟ”ใซใชใใใ่บซไฝใซ่ฆใใใใฆใใพใฃใๅฏ่ฝๆงใใใใพใใใใใๆญฉ่กใฎๆททไนฑใซใคใชใใฃใฆใใใใใใใพใใใ…็ญใใฏ๏ผใใใใใใชใใฎใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผๆๅธซใ็ฅใฃใฆใใใงใใใใ
PILANDES ใฏใผใฏใทใงใใ 2025ๅนด๏ผhttps://www.bodymindspiritresearchlab.com/workshops/917
็งใฎ๏ผๆใ
๏ผใใคใชใผใ่ณผ่ชญใใ: https://www.alexandertechnique.co.jp/mailmagazine?cid=65a7bed0-bbe4-4875-869a-ab9ff602f174
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