6 Exercises to Help Relieve Your Knee Pain
Knee pain is very common and can happen to anyone at any age.
Your knee pain can stem from a variety of reasons, such as a sudden knee injury.
Or maybe, your knee pain started because of a chronic condition like knee osteoarthritis
Whatever the exact cause may be, your knee pain can feel very uncomfortable and limit the activities that you do in your daily life.
Fortunately, there IS something that you can do about it.
In fact, there are exercises that you can do from the comfort of your home which can help ALLEVIATE your knee pain and get you back on track.
Although knee strengthening exercises do not strengthen the knee joint directly, they help to strengthen muscles around the knee.
When your leg muscles are strong, there is more support for your knee which can
- decrease pain
- reduce load on your knee joint
- prevent future injuries.
An important point to note before starting knee exercises is that if you currently experience severe knee pain or if you encounter pain while doing these exercises, do not proceed and consult with your physician or physiotherapist for guidance.
Also, remember that it’s best to warm up your body before starting any exercise.
Some examples of good warm up exercises include walking, cycling, light yoga, and dynamic stretching.
Warming up your body will result in increased blood flow to your working muscles which will allow them to move better.
Without further ado, here’s a list of exercises that you can do to RELIEVE your knee pain.
6 Exercises to Help Relieve Your Knee Pain
1. Straight Leg Raise
This is a beginner exercise that strengthens the muscles at the front of your hips and thighs.
Step 1: Begin lying flat on your back with your arms relaxed at your sides. The knee you are exercising is to remain straight. Bend your other knee so that your foot is flat on the ground for support.
Step 2: Bend one knee and keep that foot on the floor while keeping your other leg straight.
Step 3: Think about squeezing the thigh muscle of your straight leg, then slowly raise this leg up 6-12 inches off the floor.
Step 4: Pause at the top for 3 seconds, then slowly lower this straight leg back to its starting position on the floor.
Step 5: Repeat this exercise ten times, then switch legs. Do this 3 times through on each leg.
2. Leg Extension
This is a variation of the straight leg raise that works the knee muscles in a different position.
Step 1: Sit up tall in a chair with your gaze facing forward.
Step 2: Make sure that both your feet are flat on the floor. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
Step 3: Extend one leg up so that your leg is straight. Try to do this without leaning your body back into the chair.
Step 4: Hold this leg straight for 3 seconds, then slowly lower it back to the floor.
Step 5: Lift and lower this leg ten times, then switch legs. Repeat this 3 times on each leg.
3. Standing Hamstring Curl
Now that we’ve gone through two exercises that work the front of your thighs, let’s talk about a great exercise that works the back of your thighs.
Step 1: Stand up nice and tall with your legs almost touching. You can hold onto a wall, countertop, or chair for support.
Step 2: Now, slowly bend one knee behind your body. Think about bringing your heel to your buttocks while keeping your knee in line with your thigh and lower leg. Aim for at least a 90-degree bend in your knee.
Step 3: Hold the leg in this position for 3 seconds. Then, slowly lower it back onto the floor.
Step 4: Lift and lower this leg 5 times, then switch legs. Repeat this 3 times on each leg.
4. Wall Squat Hold
This exercise is a great way to strengthen your leg muscles in a position that doesn’t require much aggravating movement to your knees.
Step 1: Stand with your back on a wall. Walk your feet out so that your feet are planted about 3 footsteps away from the wall and shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Squat down as low as you can without pain.
Step 3: Hold this position for 10 seconds and then come up.
Step 4: Repeat this 3 times through. You can progress this exercise by holding the squat position for a longer period of time or doing more repetitions of this movement.
5. Half Squat
A squat is a functional movement that we do on a regular basis. You perform a squat every time you get up off a chair or even off the toilet. Training your squat can allow you to strengthen your leg muscles and help reduce any pain during this movement.
Step 1: Begin by standing nice and tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. You can place your hands on your hips or straight out in front of you for balance. If you’re still struggling with balance, you can place your hands on a chair or countertop in front of you.
Step 2: Slowly squat down like you’re about to sit in a chair. Go down and bend your knees as far as you can in a pain-free range. Your knees should be in line with your 2nd or 3rd toe and your knees should never progress forward in front of your toes. You should truly feel as though you are sitting back into a chair.
Step 3: If you can, hold this squat position for 3 seconds. Stand up by pushing through your heels. Your knees should be facing forward or slightly out (not in!) during this entire movement.
Step 4: Do this exercise for 8 repetitions and repeat this 3 times.
6. Side Leg Raise
Strong and properly functioning glutes can help your knees be more aligned, which can reduce your knee pain.
Step 1: Start by lying on one side with your legs stacked on top of each other. Your entire body from your shoulders, hips, knees, and feet should be in one straight line. You can place one hand on the floor in front of you and rest your head on the other hand.
Step 2: Then, raise your top leg up. Go as high as you comfortably can without rotating your body backwards.
Step 3: Hold your leg up for 3 seconds, then slowly lower it.
Step 4: Lift and lower this leg ten times, then switch sides so the other leg is on top. Repeat this 3 times on each leg.
What Else Can I Do to Manage My Knee Pain?
Doing these exercises can provide you with some relief from your knee pain.
However, it’s likely that these exercises won’t completely cure your knee pain.
Therefore, it’s important for you to get your knee pain checked out by a health professional.
A health professional, like a physiotherapist, can assess your knee, diagnose your knee condition, and create a customized treatment plan to HEAL your knee pain for the long term.
See a Physiotherapist and Heal Your Knee Pain Today!
Beat your knee pain and return to doing the activities that you love to do.
Book your first appointment now to get your knee pain examined and treated by a certified physiotherapist.
You can also try a 20 MINUTE COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION to talk about your knee pain and hear honest advice about your treatment options from one of our clinic team members.
PhysioPlus Health Group also offers a special Hip and Knee Program for Arthritis that can help you be more active with less pain!
Don’t suffer from knee pain any longer.
You deserve to live an active and pain-free life, and we can help you get there.
This blog was written by Anna Zheng, a Physiotherapy student at the University of Toronto
FAQ
Can knee pain cause hip pain?
Knee pain can cause hip pain in some instances. This is because some conditions, like osteoarthritis, can affect multiple joints in the bodies like your knees and hips. In other cases, your knee pain can cause you to walk and move differently to compensate for this pain. This can cause your hip joint to work overtime to compensate for your knees, which can cause an overuse injury to your hip.
Will a knee brace help with knee pain?
A knee brace can be one tool to help manage some kinds of knee conditions. Knee braces work by providing some compression, stability, and support to your knee. It’s important to remember that the wrong type of knee brace for you can give you further discomfort and actually make things worse. A physiotherapist can assess and diagnose your knee condition, as well as, recommend a knee brace that’s appropriate for your specific knee condition.
Can knee pain be cured by exercise?
In most cases, strengthening, range of motion, and stretching exercises help reduce knee pain caused by strain, overload, and arthritis. Exercise has benefits of improving flexibility, increasing strength and improving joint mobility. Seeking out a trained physiotherapist ensures that you are performing the correct exercises tailored to you and your knee condition.