Exercises for Knee Pain to Get You Mobile Again

You’ll never appreciate how important your knees are until they hurt and affect your mobility. Pain in the knee can be debilitating or just mild and annoying, but it cannot be ignored.

Knee pain may come from over-training, from arthritis and normal aging, and from injury. Regardless of the cause it can bring training, fitness, and even walking to an abrupt halt. Even milder cases of knee pain can seriously limit movement and workout routines.

If you have any of this kind of joint pain, take it seriously. Depending on the circumstances you may need to see a physician for an evaluation.

But, if it’s all been checked out and you have the green light to keep working out, you can help yourself manage that pain with the right exercises for both knees and hips; a joint that shouldn’t be ignored when it comes to knee pain.

Common Causes of Knee Pain

Pain in the knee joints is pretty common, unfortunately. Most of us experience it to some degree, especially as we get older.

There are many potential causes of knee pain, and although you’re not expected to diagnose it yourself, it does help to know what could be underlying your symptoms.

Trying to understand what is causing your knee pain is important for a couple of reasons:

• You may need to see a doctor. If the pain doesn’t abate, gets worse, is severe, sudden, and acute, or is accompanied by other symptoms, you should see a doctor for a diagnosis.

• Understanding the cause of knee pain can help you correct it. If you know it’s due to injury, strength imbalances, or over-training, for instance, there are things you can do to help manage that pain.

Over-Training, Poor Form, and Strength Imbalances

Unfortunately working out and training can be the cause of knee pain. It’s great to be a go-getter when it comes to exercise, but this positive attitude can also backfire. Over-training and working the joint too hard can lead to pain.

Working out with bad form can also be damaging to the knee joint. For instance, when performing squats or lunges, muscle imbalances might cause the knee to cave inward or collapse. This puts the joint in a vulnerable position. In addition to the risk, extreme discomfort is likely to occur because the joint isn’t intended to move in this direction, especially with load.

Seeing and correcting your own form may seem simple to do, but identifying muscle or strength imbalances are much more difficult. Working with a Trainer with sound knowledge base of functional anatomy will help you identify which muscles might be tight and others which might be weak. Continuing to perform strength exercises correctly is a great place to start when attempting to avoid complications associated with muscle imbalances.

Injuries

In some cases, the cause of pain in the knee is obvious because there’s been an injury. A person who plays basketball, for example, may have twisted their knee and experienced sudden pain. You would know that’s an injury and you would then visit a doctor, or sports medicine practice, as well as modify your workouts.

Arthritis and Wear and Tear

Anyone at any age can have arthritis, but most common is osteoarthritis. This is the wearing down of joints that occurs with time and use. Eventually we all get some degree of this type of arthritis, and it often affects the knees. It causes pain, swelling, redness, and mobility limitations.

Women Are More Likely to Have Knee Pain

This doesn’t have to hold back females!  Studies have shown that when women went through guided hip strengthening exercises, they saw significant improvements in knee pain relief.

When women in these studies did only knee strengthening exercises, they experienced some pain relief. The addition of hip exercises made the real difference, which is a strategy everyone with knee pain should use, not just women.

Flexibility Exercises for Knee Pain - Rolling and Stretching

Add foam rolling and stretches to your healthy knee routines to round out your pain management strategy. Stretching the knee and the muscles and connective tissues around it can loosen up tightness in the joint, making it easier and less painful to move. Try these rolling and static stretches.

Foam Roll Calves

When the calf complex is tight, it forces the knee to flex more than it would during normal movement. Tight calves can also cause the feet to turn outward and the knees to cave in. Using a foam roller or tennis ball, position the calf on the equipment and apply pressure to tender areas, usually on the outside of the muscle.

Foam Roll Tight Hip Flexors

Today’s society has tight hip flexors, which can cause many issues for movement. Specifically, tight hip flexors can cause the knees to move inward and reduce strength in the gluteal complex. In a plank position, place the foam roll under the hip and roll the center of the quadricep. You can also roll the outer area of the quad to reduce the chance of the knee moving inward.

Calf Stretch

After foam rolling the calf complex, you can further improve muscular balance by stretching the calf. Facing a wall, step one foot back and drive the heel into the ground. Lean the upper body forward until a stretch is felt in the back of the lower leg.

Inner Thigh Stretch

When the adductor complex is too tight, it can pull the upper leg in and place the knee in a vulnerable position, causing discomfort and microtrauma. Take a wide stance, with the feet in the same line as one another. Then  lunge to the side until you feel tension in the opposing inner thigh.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

With one foot flat on the ground in front of the body, and the leg bent at 90 degrees, very gently bend and place the other knee on a padded surface on the floor. Tighten through the hamstrings and glutes until the stretch is felt in the front of the bottom leg, the rectus femoris.

Strength Exercises for Knee Pain

As long as there is no serious injury or underlying medical reason that you have knee pain, strengthening muscles in the legs and hips is helpful. Try these exercises with good form and set an appropriate schedule, like two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps for each move a few times a week.

Single-Leg Squats

Performing squats on one leg at a time will help ensure the legs are balanced from right to left. More importantly, however, you’ll engage your balance mechanisms which can help prevent injury to the knee. Also, this exercise is great to see if the knee tends to internally rotate, causing strain. By performing this exercise at a slow and controlled pace, you can focus on form and create better movement and overall strength.

Hip / Glute Bridges

Hip bridges engage both the hamstrings and the gluteal complex, which are helpful in reducing or avoiding joint discomfort at the knee. Lying on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground, lift the hips up and squeeze the glutes.

Single-Leg Deadlifts

Similar to both the single-leg squats and the hip / glute bridges, this exercise is helpful for balance, identifying and correcting imbalance, and hamstring and glute strength. With the stationary knee relaxed and foot pointed straight ahead, bend at the hips, push the glutes back, and lower the weights to mid-shin. Lift back up to the starting position.

Clamshells

Lying on your side with one leg on top of the other, bend the knees to 45 degrees. With feet together, lift up the top knee and leg and squeeze through the glute medius. It’s a small movement, but one that will help stabilize the knee during side to side movements.

Resistance Band Lateral Walk

With a resistance band around the ankles, side step to the right several times. While completing the movement, keep the knees slightly bent and remain in a hip-flexed position.

Single-Leg Plank

In basic plank position, with forearms, hands, and elbows pressed into the floor, lift one foot off the ground and hold for several seconds. This will help develop core strength evenly and with activation on one leg.

The Importance of Physical Activity and a Healthy Weight

Knee pain can drive anyone to inactivity, but for most cases being more active is better for the joints. Yes, there are times and situations that call for rest. In general, though, people who are active are more likely to have healthy, pain-free knee joints.

Another major factor in knee pain is weight. The more weight you have to carry, the more stress is placed on the joints, causing damage and pain. Regular activity not only keeps joints healthy, but it also helps you maintain a healthy weight, which reduces pressure on the joints.

REFERENCES

1. Dolak, KL, et al. (2011). Hip Strengthening Prior to Functional Reduces Pain Sooner Than Quadriceps Strengthening in Females with Patellofemoral Syndrome: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. 41(8): 560-700.