How to protect your knees while playing sports—stick to these 3 key tips for knee health!
Since badminton involves frequent starts and stops, along with sudden halts and quick restarts, knee pain is a common issue for regular players.
Knee pain is no small issue—whether it mildly disrupts your movement during a game or, in severe cases, forces you to stop playing altogether, it could even impact your daily life later on. So, for those of you who love playing badminton, how can you protect your knees? Let’s dive into some expert tips today!
The shuttle step is a fundamental and distinctive movement in badminton, used extensively throughout a match. Since the shuttle step puts significant stress on the knees, it’s crucial to remember never to let your knees extend past your toes during this action.
Tips for the stride movement:1. Drive forward with a powerful stepping motion during the initial stride; 2. Lower your center of gravity—avoid lifting your hips; 3. Land on your heel first, ensuring your toes are slightly turned outward; 4. Follow through by bringing your trailing leg forward, dragging the inside of your back foot along the ground; 5. Maintain an angle of at least 90 degrees between your lower calf and upper thigh (making sure your knee doesn’t extend past your toes).
Pay close attention to the movement in the image: the heel of the front foot lands first, while the inner side of the back foot drags slightly as it follows. That’s why you often see professional badminton players with worn-down areas on the front of their shoes—caused precisely by this dragging motion.
Some players love to hit the ball aggressively right from the start, but this can take a serious toll on their bodies. Many players skip warming up because they’re worried about what others might think—afraid people will label them as show-offs or try to act overly professional. That’s why it’s crucial to warm up before stepping onto the court. If you really don’t feel like warming up, at least gently practice a few high clears at the beginning, instead of diving straight into intense play.
For players who often experience knee weakness or mild pain after playing, it’s a good idea to choose knee protection gear that suits you. Common options include knee pads, patellar straps, and wrap-around knee tape.
For us tennis players, the best knee protection is not needing to wear knee pads in the first place. Don’t wait until your knees start causing trouble—start protecting them now. While resting on the sidelines during matches, you can practice static squats; if you’re unsure how, just watch how Boss Bao and Captain Cai do it.
Static squat method:Stand tall with your chest lifted and head held high, feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward. Slowly lower yourself into a squat until you feel a mild ache and tension in your knee joints—then pause. Hold this position until your legs start to tremble noticeably from the accumulated fatigue. After standing up, take a slow, leisurely walk to relax, and then move on to practice the second set.
If your body is weak and your thigh muscles are underdeveloped, you can start with a slight bend in both knees—ideally maintaining a 135-degree angle between the back of your legs. However, the exact angle should be adjusted based on your individual comfort level. As you continue exercising and your thigh strength improves over time, feel free to gradually increase the knee-bend angle for an even greater stretch.
If your physical condition is good and your thigh muscles are strong, you should be able to achieve a 90-degree knee bend during squats.
Please note two key points: 1) When performing the squat, make sure your knees do not extend past your toes; 2) Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and avoid letting your knees cave inward.
Guys, if you notice your joints feeling slightly stiff after sitting for long periods or when you first wake up in the morning, experience occasional pain while going up and down stairs, or feel some soreness and tightness after walking more than usual or exercising, it’s a sign that your knees are gradually being damaged and worn out—so pay close attention!
Osteoarthritis lesions also progress through four distinct stages—so if you can identify them early...Pre-release phaseAndInitial stageReceiving timely attention and treatment significantly increases the chances of recovery while keeping costs low and risks minimal. However, by the time the condition progresses to a more advanced stage, cartilage damage has already become severe, and accompanying inflammation further complicates treatment. In these advanced stages, surgery often becomes the only viable option for effective intervention.
▲ The Four Stages of Osteoarthritis Lesions
Many fellow players often get overlooked by us because their knee pain isn’t severe enough—or frequent enough—leading them to miss the golden window for timely treatment!
Today, the editor recommends a glucosamine chondroitin that I’ve personally tried and found effective—Curarti Guli Anti-Eggshell Membrane Glucosamine Weiguo LiIt started showing results after about 5 days of use.
Curarti is the flagship product of Plameca, Spain's largest specialized pharmaceutical company. It ranks as Spain's No. 1 osteoarthritis health care brand and is also the official supplier to the Spanish Royal Family. Curarti enjoys an exceptionally high market share across Europe and in Spain itself—so much so that it can be found in nearly every brick-and-mortar pharmacy chain throughout the country.
Curarti is also the joint repair and care brand specifically chosen by many European athletes. Fernando Berastegui, a 16-time world champion in paddle tennis, is a long-term user and spokesperson for Curarti.
Video highlights: 16-time world champion in plate tennis, Fernando, shares that he’s consistently relied on Curarti’s musculoskeletal product line.
16-time world champion in plate tennis, Fernando
Many athletes are using the Curarti product line.
Curarti becomes the official naming sponsor of Barcelona's local disability support initiative.
Unlike ordinary glucosamine-chondroitin products on the market, Curarti GuliTi’s Eggshell Membrane Glucosamine ViGoli features a unique triple-action formula combining eggshell membrane extract, bone collagen, and a proprietary blend of curcumin—delivering superior results in both joint repair and pain relief compared to conventional glucosamine-chondroitin supplements.
Eggshell membrane protein throughA patentable breakthrough in Ovomet® technologyExtracted from eggshells, it contains a naturally balanced blend of active ingredients—including glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and more—each working synergistically for optimal benefits. This unique formulation boasts an absorption rate over five times higher than traditional glucosamine-chondroitin supplements.Curarti Guli Anti-Eggshell Membrane Glucosamine ViGoli is ideal for athletes, as it offers anti-inflammatory and regenerative benefits for all joints, tendons, and ligaments.
Suitable for: People with degenerative osteoarthritis (joint stiffness, pain, soreness, and weakness), meniscus injuries, synovitis, patellofemoral pain syndrome, as well as those seeking maintenance and recovery after regular physical activity.
Gu Li introduces eggshell membrane glucosamine,Just take 1 capsule daily—super convenient—and see quick results after 3 to 5 days of consistent use.
Many badminton players, to varying degrees, experience knee pain. That’s why, for our fans who follow badminton lessons, we’re definitely going to secure some great deals for you!
Originally priced at 328 yuan, Curarti Guli Ti Eggshell Membrane Glucosamine Vi-Goli
Badminton coaching fans, get it for just 228 yuan!
Save 100 yuan—limited to 3 boxes per person
How to redeem the coupon: Enter via the Taokouling link below, then contact customer service and mention the code word: "Badminton Tutorial."
Customer service will send you a 100-yuan voucher—limited to 3 vouchers per person.
Purchase channel👇👇👇
₤QEH7co8wzXH₤
(Copy the entire Taobao promo code, then open the Taobao app on your phone.)
(If the Taobao promo code doesn’t redirect, you can paste it directly into the Taobao search bar.)
Friendly reminder: Before placing your order, be sure to contact customer service first to claim a 100 yuan voucher. The voucher code is: Badminton Instruction.
More article recommendations:
It's getting cold—this warm-up will help you get into the right mindset faster.
Have you ever seriously considered what’s truly holding back your progress in the game?
Why is your smash weak? Many people fail because they don’t execute the final step properly.
Related Articles
5 Common Bad Habits in Shuttlecock Netting—Correct Them Early, and You’ll Become a Pro Faster
It's getting cold—this warm-up will help you get into the right mindset faster.
