The current quarantine has made it virtually impossible (other than ‘virtual’ consultations online, of course) for anyone to receive treatment for musculoskeletal pain and injury. A very small number of clinics remain open for what are considered to be ‘emergency’ cases; other than that, social distancing rules remain in place and for how long is still unknown.

This is where being well-informed on how you can self-treat can make all the difference, and where books like Brad’s come in. ‘Treat Your Own Knees’ contains step-by-step treatment plans for you to be able to rehabilitate 26 common knee injuries and conditions at home – simply, safely, and effectively.

‘Treat Your Own Knees’ begins with an illustrated section on knee anatomy, describing simply how the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons of the joint work together. Here it also lays out the basic classifications of injuries – mild, moderate, severe, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3 etc. – and instructions on specialist tests to assess the cartilage, meniscus and ligaments of the knee.

It then goes on in Part 2 to give detail on how to manage and rehabilitate knee injuries. This includes advice on first aid, the use of medication, stages of healing, R.I.C.E. protocols and addressing scar tissue, and the strength and conditioning exercises that will be of most benefit. Exercises are demonstrated in progressive stages to include balance work, weight bearing, range-of-motion and isometric exercises, static and dynamic stretching and more advanced drills. Most of these exercises need no equipment at all, some use a wall, chair, partner or resistance machine – and all are accompanied by detailed instructions so that the reader has a clear understanding of exactly what they are doing, and why they are doing it.

The final section of the book gets in to the nitty gritty detail of 26 specific knee injuries. A double page is devoted to each injury (or condition) and they’re all there – from the various ligament ruptures, runner’s knee and ITB syndrome, to Osgood-Schlatter’s disease, osteoarthritis and a quad tear. Injuries are outlined in sufficient detail to be comprehensive but easy to grasp, and expanded on under headings of: Cause of injury; Signs and symptoms; Complications; Immediate treatment; Rehabilitation and prevention; and Long-term prognosis.

As a neat, 128-page ‘one-stop-shop’ for anyone wanting to understand, manage and rehabilitate knee injuries, Brad Walker’s book is perfect. What’s more, if the insights and guidance he has compiled empower you to successfully self-manage your own knee pain, then it is indeed money well spent!‘Treat Your Own Knees: A self-help treatment plan to fully rehabilitate 26 common knee injuries and conditions’ by Brad Walker is available to buy from Amazon. Brad Walker is also the author of best-selling books ‘The Anatomy of Sports Stretching’ and ‘The Anatomy of Sports Injuries’.