Having knee pain can make many everyday movements difficult, from sitting down on the couch to walking up the stairs in your home. Not only is the pain frustrating to deal with throughout the day, but it can also affect your mobility. When you’re trying to manage your knee pain, the right exercises can make a difference.
Not every exercise can help reduce the symptoms, as some may put too much pressure on damaged tissue, leading to worsening pain. A physical therapist can show you safe and effective exercises for knee pain that can help reduce your symptoms while improving the overall quality of the joint and surrounding tissue.
3 physical therapy exercises to manage knee pain
Your physical therapist can determine what exercises will be the most beneficial for your knee pain based on the cause, the severity and your overall health goals. They can also create an exercise plan that you can practice in between sessions for continued progress and after treatment is over to address knee issues.
Here are three exercises you might learn from a physical therapist for knee pain:
- Quadriceps stretch
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend your right knee so that it’s lifted behind you. Use your hands to gently pull your foot toward your buttocks as much as possible. Hold the stretch for up to 30 seconds, or as directed by your physical therapist, before returning your foot to the floor and switching to the left leg.
By stretching your quadriceps muscles, you’re increasing your knee joints’ range of motion and reducing the pressure from its surrounding tissue.
- Half squats
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and place your hands on your hips or extended in front of you. Slowly drop your hips down until you’re in a half squat position, or approximately 10 inches lower than your starting position. Take a brief pause before rising up. Repeat the exercise for two to three sets, approximately 10 repetitions each, or as directed by your physical therapist.
A half squat can help you strengthen the muscles surrounding your knee joints to decrease the pressure placed on it.
- Calf raises
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. You can place your hands on your hips, or put them on a wall or the back of a chair for additional support. Lift your heels at the same time until you’re on the balls of your feet before lowering them back down to the floor. Repeat the exercise for two to three sets, approximately 10 repetitions each, or as directed by your physical therapist.
Calf raises strengthen the muscles that provide support for your knee joints’ stability.
REPAIR SI physical therapists can guide you through therapeutic exercises that can stretch and strengthen your knees’ soft tissue to reduce pain and improve mobility. They can also use other effective treatments to address knee pain, such as manual therapy and acupuncture.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.