Check out this video if you’re looking for some of the best knee pain stretches to try today. Take care and enjoy watching.
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
I had Jenna to demonstrate the exercises.
1. Wall Calf Stretch
Start by bringing one foot against the wall and bend through the ankle. Straighten your other leg and put your hands up on the wall. Lean forward to get more stretch in the calf muscle.
Wall Calf Stretch
Start with one set of 2 reps, alternating back and forth on each side. Perform this exercise with a good hold of 20 seconds. The intensity is light.
This is a stretch exercise and works on the elongation of the calf muscle. Often, the tension in the whole lower body leads to muscle shortening that causes the pulling on the knee, resulting in knee pain.
2. Calf Smash With a Ball
For this exercise, you can use a hockey ball, softball, baseball or lacrosse ball.
Begin by sitting down on the floor. Put the ball behind one knee. Bring your heel toward your seat, and then push the ball into the calf muscle. Work on self-massaging your calf and try to target its different hot spots.
If you can’t bend your knee and it bothers you too much, you can straight your leg, and then push your calf into the ball and look around for its tight spots.
This exercise works well because you can put your weight into the ball and press into the calf sensitive tight areas.
Calf Smash With a Ball
Alternative Exercise: Calf Smash With a Ball in a Straight Leg
Calf Smash With a Ball in a Straight Leg
Start with one set of 3 to 5 reps. Repetition is when you find a spot with the ball and press it in the calf for a couple of seconds, then move into another spot and press the ball again into the calf. Push the ball for about 2 to 3 seconds. The intensity can be light to moderate, depending on how tight you are in the calf.
3. Figure 8 Stretch
Lie on your back on the floor. Bend the knees and cross one leg over the opposite knee. Put your hands on the back of your thigh and pull the knee toward your chest looking for a stretch in the glute area.
Figure 8 Stretch
Start with 1 set of 2 reps on each side, alternating back and forth. Perform this exercise for a 20 seconds hold. The intensity is light. This exercise is a static stretch. You are looking for a light stretch in the muscle and not to rip it apart.
This exercise targets the performance of the muscle in the hips specifically. Often, these muscles are tight, and we want to address the tightness and stiffness to help alleviate knee pain.
4. Inner Thigh Stretch
Begin in an upright standing position. Step to the side with one leg, then shift your weight onto it. Focus on the knee bend with the foot and look for a stretch in the other leg. Go to the start position and repeat the movement to the opposite side.
Inner Thigh Stretch
Start with one set of 2 reps alternating back and forth. Perform this exercise for a hold of 20 seconds. The intensity is light for a static stretch. This exercise stretches out the inner thigh and loosens up the muscle tightness of knee pain sufferers to decrease the pull on the knee and lessen knee discomfort.
Give these four knee pain stretches a go.
If you want to get rid of your knee pain once and for all, then check out the Fix Your Knee Pain program, here!
Take care.
Rick Kaselj, MS