Did you hurt your knee and you have been recommended physio exercises for knee pain? Knee stretching and strengthening exercises help in stabilizing the knee joint. Exercises strengthen the muscles and ligaments, that surround the knee and help to alleviate pain in the knee. Some times knee pain can also be caused, due to sitting in the same position for an extended period of time. This often happens with people, who follow a sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, having a daily range of motion, will keep the knee in full movement and avoid knee pain. This also helps to prevent developing stiffness and the knees become less vulnerable. We will see some strength exercises for knee pain now.
Best Exercises for Knee Pain Relief
The knee pain exercises should be the kinds, which will stretch and strengthen the main muscle groups, which control the knee movement, namely the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles. At the same time, hip and gluteal exercises, will also help in knee pain relief.
Hamstring Stretch
This is one of the safe exercises for knee pain. Stand straight and place your one leg in front of you with your toes pointing upwards. Place your hands on the small of your back and gradually bend the leg behind. Now slowly bend forwards from the hips, till you can the hamstring stretch. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds, release and repeat the stretch for 5 to 7 times on both the legs. This exercise is also a knee exercise for arthritis.
Knee Flexion
This stretch can be done either by sitting in a chair or by sitting on the floor. Sit in a chair and loop a towel under a foot. Now slowly pull the towel, by bending your hands to bend the knee. Lift the foot about 6 to 8 inches off the floor. Hold in the position for a few seconds, before you release and repeat the stretch 5 to 7 times on both the legs.
Leg Lifts
To do this wonderful and good exercises for knee pain, lie flat on your back. Bend the right knee and bend it at 90 degree angle. Keep the left foot flat on the floor. Now gradually lift the left leg up straight until the left foot is the height of the right knee, but make sure left leg is straight. Hold for a few seconds, before you release. Then repeat the exercise on the other leg.
Partial Squats
This leg exercises for knee pain helps to strengthen the quadriceps. Stand closer to a wall, with your back facing the wall. Keep your back straight, and legs are placed hip width apart, with toes pointing straight ahead. Gradually lower yourself and move your buttocks backward so that they are touching the wall. Do not lower yourself, beyond the point, where the knees are bent more than 90 degree angle. If you cannot lower yourself too much, do not force it. Hold the position for a few seconds, before your come back to the starting position. This is also a knee exercise for runners.
Hamstring Curls
This knee exercise helps to strengthen the hamstring. Lie on your stomach and touch the forehead to the ground. Place the balls of the left foot on the back of the right heel. Gently pull the right heel towards the buttocks, as you resist with your left leg. This action contracts the hamstring muscles. As you try to resist with your left leg, hold for a few seconds before you release and repeat the exercise on both the legs 10 times.
Hip Adductors
This is hip exercises for knee pain. It helps to strengthen the outer thigh. Lie down on your right side, such that your shoulders and hips are aligned. Bend the right leg and place the foot on the floor. Gently lift the left leg about 12 to 14 inches off the floor, hold for a couple of seconds and slowly lower your left leg, but do not touch the ground. Repeat this exercise 12 to 15 times on both the legs.
Although it is said, that there are knee pain exercises especially for women, most of these exercises for knee pain can also be done by men as well. Before you start doing these exercises, make it a point to have a word with your physiotherapist, to check, if for your condition, you can do all these exercises.
Best Exercises for Knee Pain Relief
The knee pain exercises should be the kinds, which will stretch and strengthen the main muscle groups, which control the knee movement, namely the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles. At the same time, hip and gluteal exercises, will also help in knee pain relief.
Hamstring Stretch
This is one of the safe exercises for knee pain. Stand straight and place your one leg in front of you with your toes pointing upwards. Place your hands on the small of your back and gradually bend the leg behind. Now slowly bend forwards from the hips, till you can the hamstring stretch. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds, release and repeat the stretch for 5 to 7 times on both the legs. This exercise is also a knee exercise for arthritis.
Knee Flexion
This stretch can be done either by sitting in a chair or by sitting on the floor. Sit in a chair and loop a towel under a foot. Now slowly pull the towel, by bending your hands to bend the knee. Lift the foot about 6 to 8 inches off the floor. Hold in the position for a few seconds, before you release and repeat the stretch 5 to 7 times on both the legs.
Leg Lifts
To do this wonderful and good exercises for knee pain, lie flat on your back. Bend the right knee and bend it at 90 degree angle. Keep the left foot flat on the floor. Now gradually lift the left leg up straight until the left foot is the height of the right knee, but make sure left leg is straight. Hold for a few seconds, before you release. Then repeat the exercise on the other leg.
Partial Squats
This leg exercises for knee pain helps to strengthen the quadriceps. Stand closer to a wall, with your back facing the wall. Keep your back straight, and legs are placed hip width apart, with toes pointing straight ahead. Gradually lower yourself and move your buttocks backward so that they are touching the wall. Do not lower yourself, beyond the point, where the knees are bent more than 90 degree angle. If you cannot lower yourself too much, do not force it. Hold the position for a few seconds, before your come back to the starting position. This is also a knee exercise for runners.
Hamstring Curls
This knee exercise helps to strengthen the hamstring. Lie on your stomach and touch the forehead to the ground. Place the balls of the left foot on the back of the right heel. Gently pull the right heel towards the buttocks, as you resist with your left leg. This action contracts the hamstring muscles. As you try to resist with your left leg, hold for a few seconds before you release and repeat the exercise on both the legs 10 times.
Hip Adductors
This is hip exercises for knee pain. It helps to strengthen the outer thigh. Lie down on your right side, such that your shoulders and hips are aligned. Bend the right leg and place the foot on the floor. Gently lift the left leg about 12 to 14 inches off the floor, hold for a couple of seconds and slowly lower your left leg, but do not touch the ground. Repeat this exercise 12 to 15 times on both the legs.
Although it is said, that there are knee pain exercises especially for women, most of these exercises for knee pain can also be done by men as well. Before you start doing these exercises, make it a point to have a word with your physiotherapist, to check, if for your condition, you can do all these exercises.
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