If you are trying to rehabilitate a muscle or joint, swimming is one exercise that can help you get moving without increasing the strain on the injured area as it is low impact and nonweight bearing. Try these pool exercises for hip and knee rehabbing. Your body will thank you for it.
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1. Vertical Kicking
Water Exercises for Hip and Knee Rehabilitation: Get into the water and move beside the wall, placing one hand on to the wall deck for support and balance. Place the pool buoy underneath your opposite armpit for extra buoyancy. Engage your core and kick your leg vertically, alternating quickly with your opposite leg. Repeat the movement.
Vertical Kicking
2. Long Strides
Water Exercises for Hip and Knee Rehabilitation: Get into the water and move beside the wall, placing one hand on to the wall deck for balance. Place the pool buoy underneath your opposite armpit for extra buoyancy. Engage your core and kick your leg as far as you can vertically, alternating quickly with your opposite leg. Repeat the movement.
To make the exercise more challenging, you can move away from the pool deck and place the flutter board underneath each armpit.
Long Strides
3. Straight Kicks
Hold on to the pool deck with both hands and bring your body to be parallel with the water. Engage your core and kick one leg into the water and up, alternating quickly with your opposite leg. Repeat the movement.
To make the exercise more challenging, increase the speed or the duration of your kicks.
Straight Kicks
Start with five to six sets for 30 seconds on each side.
4. Knee Raise to Kick Back
Move by the pool deck and hold on to the handrail with one hand. Engage your core and lift one knee up toward your chest, ideally to a 90-degree angle. Straighten the same leg out front and then kick back like in a swooping motion. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Knee Raise to Kick Back
5. Stretching
Move-in front of the pool deck, holding the handrails with both hands. Climb your feet up against the wall, bringing your bent knees out to the sides at chest height. Looking for a stretch on your hamstrings and back, engage your core and straighten both legs, keeping your head, shoulders and hips in proper alignment. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Stretching
6. Egg Beaters
Move away from the pool deck and place the pool buoy underneath each armpit. Engage your core and move your legs in a circular motion. Repeat the movement in the opposite direction.
Egg Beaters
Make sure you try out these pool exercises to help rehabilitate your hips and knees. For more help with eliminating knee pain, make sure to check out Knee Pain Solved, here!
