In the 1990s, boy bands were all the rage. I admit I was a sucker for that Boyz II Men song “On Bended Knee.” This song’s lyrics tell the story of a man—you guessed it—on bended knee, begging his ex to come back. While I’m not sure I’ll ever experience an on-his-knees apology, it got me thinking about how uncomfortable yet totally worth it it can be to put yourself out there. Today, embrace your vulnerability and let it guide you. Ask your crush out for coffee. Tackle that climbing wall at the gym. Put your negative self-talk on the back burner for a night of absurdly terrible bowling. You may just find yourself knee-deep in some newfound confidence.
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 30 to 50 Percent
Ladies, have you ever noticed when you jog or run, your knees radiate all kinds of pain up your legs? It’s a pretty common phenomenon among female runners. In fact, Women’s Running magazine recently reported on research that shows between 30 and 50 percent of runners will incur some kind of injury in 2017, many being knee-related. A large portion of those runners will be women, as, when it comes to knee injuries, women are twice as likely as men to suffer knee problems brought on by exercise.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Stacia Pache, Founder and CEO of It Bandz
One reason women generally encounter more knee pain is due to the fact that we typically have wider hips than men. These hips don’t lie, ladies! But that shouldn’t stop you from getting out on the track, especially considering today’s Woman to Watch has come up with a fantastic remedy for activity-induced knee pain. Stacia Pache is the founder of It Bandz, the next generation of knee support for the modern woman’s active lifestyle.
Several years ago, this energetic gal started training for a sprint marathon, and discovered a love of running. Emboldened by her new passion, Stacia embarked on her first half marathon, an awesome accomplishment that also had a down side: Her knees were hurtin’ something fierce. Like any battered athlete, she turned to the athletic-product market for help, but found available knee braces uncomfortable and incorrectly sized. Feeling like these ill-fitting knee braces were made with men in mind, Stacia decided that, with her two decades of product-development experience, she could definitely do better. Thus, It Bandz was born.
It Bandz braces are adjustable, thin neoprene knee bands that securely wrap around the knee just below the knee cap and help alleviate pain from tendonitis, arthritis and other chronic knee issues. Physical-therapist-endorsed, they also help improve recovery time after injury. Stacia says by mirroring the natural support structure of the knee, this easy-to-use product provides active women with the support they need. Of course, she also notes it’s vital that athletes ice and stretch their hamstrings and side quadriceps.
Women with a variety of athletic backgrounds rave about It Bandz, including one lifelong swimmer and new triathlete who says she will use It Bandz forever, and another who swears by them for Zumba class.
Something we love about Stacia’s company is its focus on women. It Bandz is a proud sponsor of the Puget Sound Chapter of Girls on the Run, and from It Bandz product inception to creation, Stacia worked with women and heeded the feedback of active women every step of the way.
From all the active ladies out there, thanks, Stacia, for supporting women—literally—and for making it easier for us to put our best foot forward every day!
QUITE THE QUOTE
With our physical goals in mind, I’ll leave you with this inspiring quote from Olympic long-distance runner Kara Goucher. She said:
“Running allows me to set my mind free. Nothing seems impossible, nothing unattainable.”
This is Melinda Garvey signing off until next time. Remember, ladies, empowered women empower other women. Share On the Dot so more women can have a voice. Thanks for getting ready with us.
To learn more about our conversation, check us out at OnTheDotWoman.com and talk to us @OnTheDotWoman on Twitter and Instagram. We’d love to hear your voice.