Exercises for Knee Pain 

Early stage of rehab

Swimming is often recommended for knee pain as it is a low-impact form of exercise that can help improve joint range of motion, flexibility, and strengthen the muscles around the knee without putting excessive stress on the joint. The buoyancy of the water reduces weight bearing on the knee, allowing for a comfortable and pain-free workout.

Strengthening

1. Glute Bridge: Laying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, tighten your glutes and lift your hips towards the ceiling. Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down. Repeat for several repetitions.
2. Sitting Knee Extension: Sitting in a chair with your legs extended, lift one leg up while keeping the other foot flat on the ground. Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down. Repeat for several repetitions on each leg.
3. Unweighted Flexion: Stand behind a chair, using the back of the chair for balance. Flex one leg up to about a ninety-degree angle, hold for ten seconds, then go back to starting position. Switch legs and do ten repetitions with each leg.
4. Heel and Calf Raises: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Raise up on the balls of your feet, then lower back down. Repeat for several repetitions. To make the exercise more challenging, try doing calf raises on just one foot at a time.

Stretching/ Mobility

1. Ankle Stretch: Stand facing a wall and place one foot behind the other. Keep your front knee slightly bent and press your heel into the ground. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch to the other foot.
2. Single Hamstring Stretch: Sit on the ground with one leg straight in front of you and the other leg bent with the foot flat on the ground. Reach forward and hold onto your straight leg, keeping your back straight. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch to the other leg.
3. IT Band Stretch: Lie on your side with the affected leg on top. Bend the knee of the top leg and use your hand to gently pull it toward your chest. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.
4. Quadriceps Stretch: Stand facing a wall and place your hand on it for balance. Bend your knee and bring your heel towards your buttock. Hold onto your ankle and hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch to the other leg.

Progression

Warming up before doing exercises for the knee is important to prevent injury and to improve performance. Warming up increases blood flow to the knee, which can help to reduce stiffness, improve range of motion, and reduce the risk of injury. This can also help to prepare the muscles, tendons, and ligaments for the workout ahead, reducing the risk of strains or tears. Warming up can include simple exercises like walking or light jogging, or dynamic stretching to help increase flexibility and range of motion in the knee.

Strengthening

1. Squats/Single Leg Squat: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body down as if you are sitting back into a chair, keeping your weight in your heels. Push back up to the starting position. For a single leg squat, lift one foot off the ground and perform the squat on just one leg.
2. Lunges: Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward with your right foot, bending both knees to 90 degrees. Your back knee should come close to the ground, and your front knee should be directly over your ankle. Push back up to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.
3. Side Leg Raises: Start by lying on your side with your legs extended. Keeping your legs straight, lift your top leg up as high as you can, then lower it back down. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
4. Single Leg Deadlifts: Start by standing on one leg with a slight bend in the knee. Reach forward with your other leg while keeping your back straight. Keep reaching forward until your other leg is parallel to the ground. Push back up to the starting position.
5. Step Up: Stand in front of a step or bench and place your right foot on the step. Push down through your right foot to lift yourself up onto the step, keeping your left foot off the ground. Step down with your left foot and repeat with the other leg.
6. Crab Walk with Elastic Band: Start by sitting on the floor with your legs bent and your feet flat on the ground. Loop an elastic band around your legs, just above your knees. Keeping your feet on the ground,

Obvioucly knee pain can come in many forms for many reasons and one size doesn’t fit all. At livewell we like to understand you the person and how this knee pain has happened before designing rehabilitation programes. If you would like to have a consultation with one of our sports therapists or physiotherapists to understand the reasons for your pain and ways in which you can treat your pain, whether through exercise, stretching, massage or any one of the services we offer then please contact us via email or tel on 07939 212 739

Steven Hartill Clinica Lead Therapist and Managing Director

Steve started in the sports therapy industry in 2012. From there he studied soft tissue specialisms at Oxford University where he qualified as a level 5 soft tissue specialist. As part of his qualifications he is an expert in Soft Tissue related issues and injuries and provides services such as Massage Therapy, Sports Massage and Sports Therapy, Rehabilitation Programs and Advice, Nutrition Plans and Advice, Medical Acupuncture, Spinal Manipulation, Cupping Therapy and more.

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Health Wellbeing Massage Therapy Anatomy and Physiology Musculoskeletal Issues