Whether you're a competitive athlete, a weekend warrior, or a daily walker, dealing with knee pain can put a kink in your favorite activities.

 

Knee pain is a common issue.

In fact, 18 million people see a doctor for knee pain each year.
This includes pain caused by:
1. overuse;
2. osteoarthritis;
3. tendinitis;
4. bursitis;
5. meniscus tears;
6. sprained knee ligaments.

 

Exercise and knee pain

 

If your knee pain is due to an injury, surgery, or arthritis, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises may help ease the pain while also improving your flexibility and range of motion.
Exercising a knee that's injured or arthritic may seem counterintuitive, but in fact, exercise is better for your knee than keeping it still.
Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises can strengthen the muscles that support your knee joint.

 

Stretching exercises

Performing lower body stretching exercises may help improve the range of motion and flexibility in your knee joint.
This can make it easier to move your knee.
Before you start stretching, it's important to spend at least 5 to 10 minutes warming up.
Low impact activities like cycling on a stationary bike, walking, or using an elliptical machine are good warmup options.
Once you're warmed up, do the following three stretches, and then repeat them once you've completed the knee strengthening exercises.

 

1. Heel and calf stretch

This stretch targets the muscles in your lower leg, specifically your calf muscles.
To do this stretch:
1. Stand facing a wall;
2. Place your hands on the wall and move one foot back as far as you can comfortably;
Toes on both feet should be facing forward, heels flat, with a slight bend in your knees;
3. Lean into the stretch and hold for 30 seconds;
You should feel the stretch in your back leg
4. Change legs and repeat;
5. Do this stretch twice for both legs.

 

2. Quadriceps stretch

This stretch specifically targets your quadriceps, the muscles at the front of your thighs.
Performing this move can help improve the flexibility in your hip flexors and quadricep muscles.
To do this stretch:
1. Stand next to a wall or use a chair for support;
Your feet should be shoulder width apart;
2. Bend one knee so your foot goes up toward your glutes;
3. Grab your ankle and gently pull it toward your glutes as far as you can comfortably;
4. Hold for 30 seconds;
5. Return to the starting position and change legs;
6. Repeat 2 times on each side.

 

3. Hamstring stretch

This stretch targets your hamstrings, the muscles in the back of your thigh.
You should feel this stretch in the back of your leg and up to the base of your glutes.

To do this stretch:
1.For this stretch, you can use a mat to add cushioning under your back;
2. Lie down on the floor or mat and straighten both legs.
Or, if it's more comfortable, you can bend both knees with your feet flat on the floor;
3. Lift one leg off the floor;
4. Place your hands behind your thigh, but below the knee, and gently pull your knee toward your chest until you feel a slight stretch;
5. Hold for 30 seconds;
6. Lower and change legs;
7. Repeat 2 times on each side;

Strengthening exercises
To help strengthen your knees, focus on moves that work your hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and hip muscles.

4. Calf raises

This exercise strengthens the back of your lower legs, which includes your calf muscles.
To do this exercise:
1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Position yourself next to a wall or hold on to the back of a chair for support.
2. Lift both your heels off the ground so that you're standing on the balls of your feet.
3. Slowly lower your heels to the starting position.
Control is important with this exercise for strengthening your calf muscles.
4. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

5. Leg extensions

Using your own body weight, rather than a weighted machine, to strengthen your quadriceps helps keep added pressure off your knees.
To do this exercise:
1. Sit up tall in a chair;
2. Put your feet flat on the floor, hip width apart;
3. Look straight ahead, contract your thigh muscles, and extend one leg as high as possible without raising your buttocks off the chair;
4. Pause, then lower to the starting position;
5. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each leg.

Other types of exercise for knee pain

Once you've built up the strength in your knees, you may want to consider adding low impact exercises to your routine.

Low impact exercises typically put less stress on your joints than high impact exercises, like running or jumping.

 

Some good examples of low impact exercises include:

1. yoga;
2. tai chi;
3. swimming;
4. stationary cycling;
5. water aerobics;
6. walking;
7. elliptical machine.