I received a great question from one of the Exercises for Injuries Secret Facebook Group members about Best Exercises to do After Knee Surgery. Before I filmed some videos today, I asked people in the group if they had any specific video requests. This was one of the questions that I received:
“I just had a knee procedure, what are some exercises that I can do to help my knee recover fast?
This is an excellent question and a really common one. I will go through three exercises and the three important concepts that each exercise addresses regardingovery process.
3 BEST Exercises to do After Knee Surgery
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
1. Knee Range of Motion
The first exercise is working on the range of motion in the knee. Sit so that you can use your hands to pull your knee up. Try to bend your knee as far as possible and straighten it out.
Knee Range of Motion
Bring your heel down and then straighten it out. You can lift your heel, bend your knee, bring that heel back down, and straighten it out. Try to work on the range of motion in the knee and get that range of motion back as much as you can.
After knee procedures, it is common to avoid the full range of motion, the full straightening, and the bending of the knee. Try to stay in pain-free ranges of motion. As you work on those ranges that are pain-free, your range of motion will keep on increasing. You must work hard to get that range of motion back in the knee.
2. Strengthen the Knee Isometrically
The second exercise is strengthening the knee isometrically at different ranges of motion. Isometrics are very safe contractions. In an isometric contraction, the muscles around the joint activate, but the joint is not moving. This contraction is preferred when it comes to rehabilitating an injury.
I had Donnalee demonstrate this with the Bodyweight Deadlift at different knee ranges of motion. In doing this, you will need to pick a range of motion.
Bodyweight Deadlift focuses on Hip movement.
Focus on the movement in the hip, bending down and coming back up. Do a couple of repetitions at that range of the knee.
Bodyweight Deadlift with Knees slightly bent
Next, pick a different range of motion. This time bend your knees a little bit more. Try not to bend your knees forward. Go through the deadlift movement at this different range of motion. You are working on the muscles around the knee, but the knees are in the same position. Also, you are working on the hip, especially the glutes.
If we can strengthen those glutes by working on the other extension joints like hip extension, it will help the knee. Try to lean back and go through the bodyweight deadlift movement. You can go through different positions even deeper but not lean forward.
3. Single Leg Tubing Leg Press
You can use a loop or handle tubing through the Single Leg Tubing Leg Press.
Single Leg Tubing Leg Press
In a seated position, go through the leg press movement. Straighten your leg out, and then return. Try to work your knee throughout as much range of motion as you can that is pain-free.
You have to determine the discomfort and painful range for you. Stay in that pain-free range, and then keep building up as you do more movements.
With the resistive tubing, it allows us to go through the other contractions of the muscle:
- Concentric contraction – the muscles are shortening, and the joint is moving.
- Eccentric contraction – the muscles contract but elongate, and the joint moves.
There you go. If you want to recover from your knee injury quickly, incorporate those three exercises. First, work on the range of motion, which is super important. Second, work on the knee isometrically, which we did with the bodyweight deadlift with the knee at different ranges of motion. Thirdly, work on the Single Leg Tubing Leg Press.
Thank you very much for the question in the Exercises For Injuries Secret Facebook group. The Facebook Secret Group is for anyone who has purchased one of my products. They are invited into this Facebook Secret Group page, where I check in daily and answer people’s questions about the program they are doing or any questions they have outside of the program. I photo see you on the Facebook Secret Group page.
Final Word
Enter in your injury or pain. There’s a good chance I have an article, an interview, or a video to help you overcome your injury or pain. Make sure to swing by ExercisesForInjuries.com.
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Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS
If you are suffering from a nagging injury caused by knee pain or soreness, then it’s time to take charge of your Knee Pain and eliminate it safely. Click here to grab your copy of the Knee Pain Solved program.
