Knee pain is extremely common, but it can be very debilitating. Use these 4 exercises to help ease knee pain and increase mobility.
4 Best Exercises To Ease Knee Pain
1. Lying Single Raises
Lie on the floor and straighten out your legs. Lift one leg up for about 45 degrees, hold it for a couple of seconds, and then bring it back down and repeat the movement to the opposite leg.
Lying Single Raises
Start with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position for a second or two. The intensity is light. Moreover, the purpose of this exercise is to strengthen the core, hips, and quads, which will help with knee pain.
2. Step Up
For this exercise, you can utilize a flat-side-down half foam roller.
Step one leg up, bring the other leg up, and then stop at the top position. Go back down and alternate sides. Don’t do the exercise all with the same leg — alternate it back and forth.
Step Up
Start with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end position. The intensity is light, but it will be more challenging as you increase the height of the step.
3a. Squat With Band
For this exercise, you use a resistive band like the green tube resistive band. You can find this in any department store that has a fitness center, or you can buy it online, and you may find the newest type. However, all of them are roughly the same.
Firstly, begin in an upright standing position and hold the handles of the band. Secondly, step both legs on the band underneath the arches of your feet. Thirdly, adjust your stance to a good hip-width apart. Pull the strap of the band in your hips, or you can pull it up to your shoulders, and then squat down as far as you can. Maintain a proper alignment with the upper body, and then perform a quick stop at the bottom position. Finally, go back to the start position and repeat the movement.
Squat With Band
Start with one set of 5 reps. Then, perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the bottom position. The intensity can be light to moderate depending on your strength in the knees and the resistance of the band.
The purpose of this exercise is to retrain the squatting movement and strengthen the muscles in the knees and hips. By adding resistance, it targets the hip muscles more, which will help to overcome knee pain.
3b. Lunge With Band
Firstly, begin in an upright standing position and hold the handles of the band. Secondly, step one foot to the band, and then step the foot forward. Thirdly, move into a big step stance. Then, pull the resistive band in your hips, or you can increase the intensity by pulling it at your shoulder level. Move into a lunge position, and then bring the back knee to the floor and hold to that position for a second. The front leg and back leg are in 90-degree angles with ankle, knee, and hips. Finally, go back to the start position and repeat the movement.
Lunge With Band
Start with one set of 5 reps on each side. The intensity can be moderate to light depending on the strength you have in the knee and hips and on the resistance of the tubing. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end position. The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen the muscles around the knees and in the glute areas, especially the back hip area.
4. Bridging Exercise
This exercise is one of the Best Exercises To Ease Knee Pain and targets the gluteus maximus and hamstrings. A strong hip leads to strong and pain-free knees.
Lie on your back on the floor and relax the upper body. Bend your knees and tighten the abdominal area. Push through the heels. Lift your hips up and come up to a point where your knees, hips, and shoulders are in a straight line. Hold to that position for a good second, and then bring the hips back down. Relax and repeat the movement.
Bridging Exercise
Start with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity can be light to moderate depending on your weakness in the glutes. The purpose of this exercise is to work on the core and activate the glute muscles.
Give these five best knee pain exercises a go.
If you are looking for a fast, simple, safe, and effective program to eliminate your stubborn knee pain and patellofemoral syndrome, then check out the Patellofemoral Syndrome Solution program, here!
Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS
