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Exercises to Reduce Knee Pain
As a follow up to last weeks blog, I thought I would give you some suggestions I found on how to reduce or prevent knee pain. Here are some exercises that can be done at home or in the gym. I advise doing three sets of 10 repetitions each. You should increase those numbers only after you can perform them easily, without pain or difficulty.
• Step-ups (thighs, hips, and buttocks). Use a sturdy platform, stair-step, or stool that's about six inches off the ground. Put one foot on the platform and let your other foot hang off loosely — hold the move for about five seconds. Lower the hanging foot slowly to the floor to repeat and then switch sides.
• Hamstring curls (backs of the thighs). Face and hold onto the back of a chair. Lift your right foot and move it up toward your backside, but don't go further than a 90-degree angle (your legs will be in the shape of the number four). Hold for three to five seconds, lower the leg, repeat, and switch sides. Be sure to keep your knees close together.
• Straight-leg lifts (front of the thighs). While lying on your back, keep one leg bent and the other one straight. Lift the straight leg a few inches off the floor while tightening your thigh muscles. Hold for about five seconds in the air, lower it slowly, and then repeat on the other side. Try to avoid jerky motions, and don't arch your back.
• Wall squats (front of the thighs). Stand up straight with your back to a wall and your feet parallel, about two feet away from the wall, spread hip-width. Slide down the wall slowly until you are just about in a sitting position. Hold that position for up to 10 seconds and then slowly slide back up. Don't allow your knees to overextend in front of your toes.
• Single-leg dips (thighs, hips, and buttocks). Hold the backs of two chairs on either side of you while lifting one leg slightly in front. Then, bend your supporting knee, lowering yourself a few inches. Make sure to push your weight on the heel of the supporting leg. Hold the move for about five seconds, straighten up, and switch sides.
After you've mastered a routine like this to help reduce knee pain, you can consider adding weights to increase the impact of your exercises and to improve overall knee strength.
Last Updated: 06/22/2009
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Posted by Dr Bill Schumacher at 11/2/2010 3:53 PM 
Categories: Health Information, Exercises
Tags: Knee exercises Knee Pain
Categories: Health Information, Exercises
Tags: Knee exercises Knee Pain
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