January 4, 2026: "My Knee Pain Came Out of Nowhere" (No, It Didn't)
Hi friends,
A runner comes in to see me for knee pain that "came out of nowhere this past week." They have no idea what happened.
I hear this all the time, and a typical culprit is a neglected yet crucial aspect of injury prevention and rehab: stability.
There are numerous definitions for stability, but I particularly like the engineering one: "The ability of a structure or system to return to its original equilibrium state after being disturbed by external forces, loads, or perturbations."
Stability is the foundation upon which strength and mobility are built. Without it, both are compromised.
Think of a well-designed suspension bridge—it's flexible enough to move with the wind but stable enough not to collapse. Our bodies work the same way.
When someone has poor single-leg stability, it can lead to compensatory movement patterns that cause injury and pain.
For example, if that runner I mentioned lacks single-leg stability, they're prone to compensations that can injure their ankle, knee, hip, or lower back.
So many daily activities rely on solid single-leg stability—walking, navigating stairs, and running, to name a few.
One of the most important areas for stability is the core and hips. Think of it as proximal stability leading to distal mobility—you need a stable core and hips to generate power in both your legs and arms.
How to Test Your Leg Stability
First, try standing on one leg. You should be able to hold this position for at least 30 seconds with minimal shaking or wobbling.
If that's easy, try a single-leg squat and ask yourself:
Can you keep your hip bones level?
Can you keep your knee tracking over your second toe?
Your hip, knee, and ankle should be stacked in a straight line like the photo above.
If not, you'd likely benefit from working specifically on single-leg stability.
The easiest way to improve it is to perform common exercises on one leg—squats, deadlifts, and step-ups. If these are too difficult, simply practice standing on one leg. If you need help, lightly touch a counter with your fingertips for assistance.
Stability isn't flashy, but it's foundational.
If you want to avoid injury, recover fully, or perform optimally, stability deserves your attention. Just a few minutes each day can make a meaningful difference.
Until next week,
Kevin
✍️ Quote I’m reflecting upon
“Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they are finished.”
❤️ Things I’m enjoying
App - Waking Up. I’ve been using this app for a few years now, and it’s dramatically changed my life and inner monologue for the better. “How one uses one’s attention, moment to moment, largely determines what kind of person one becomes.”
Wine - Bonarda from Colonia Las Liebres. A nice medium-bodied red wine. Nothing fancy, but a great everyday table wine.
Podcast - “Naval Ravikant - 44 Harsh Truths About Human Nature” on the Modern Wisdom podcast. Naval’s ability to answer life’s most important questions succinctly is unmatched. This is one of my all-time favorite podcast episodes.