A strained knee is not only bothersome but painful. The first step to rehabilitating a strained knee is to consult a doctor to ensure your knee didn't receive serious damage. Next you can begin strengthening the muscles that stabilize the joint. Strong quadriceps and hamstring muscles reduce the strain on your knee joint, enable knee rehabilitation and help prevent further injury, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
Biking
Using a stationary bike is a great way to warm up your muscles before beginning the knee rehabilitation exercises. Pedaling offers an effective means of bringing more blood to the muscles as well as to the injury site. By utilizing the quadriceps and the hamstrings, it also provokes an improvement in muscular strength and endurance in these muscles, thereby developing the stability of the knee. Begin each exercise session with five to ten minutes of biking at a slow steady pace.
Lying Hamstring Curl
The lying hamstring curl specifically targets the hamstrings. Begin by lying on your stomach with your hands clasped under your forehead and your legs straight out behind you. Slowly raise the heel of your injured leg and bring it as close to your buttocks as possible without causing pain. Hold the position for a count of one and then lower your leg back to the floor. Complete a total of two to three sets of 5 to 10 repetitions. As your knee begins to heal and improve, you can perform this exercise standing up and balancing against a wall or use an ankle weight for added resistance.
Leg Extension
The leg extension exercise recruits the muscles of the quadriceps. Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and place a rolled up towel under your injured leg. The towel should be placed two to three inches above the back of the knee and be large enough to elevate the thigh three to four inches off of the ground. Slowly contract the quadriceps muscle to raise your heel off of the ground. Hold the contraction for one count, then slowly lower your foot back down. Complete two to three sets of 5 to 10 repetitions. As your knee improves, you can perform this exercise by allowing your legs to dangle off of a chair or table and then extending your leg. Eventually, an ankle weight could be employed for this exercise.
Leg Dip
The leg dip works both the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles. Stand between two sturdy chairs and grasp their backs for support. Shift a little more than half of your weight to your injured leg while keeping your healthy leg firmly planted on the ground. Slowly bend your injured knee so that you are able to dip down one to two inches, then straighten your leg to return to standing. Until your knee is strong enough, it is important not to overload it while performing this exercise. This could result in severe pain and even further injure your knee. Perform two to three sets of 5 to 10 repetitions.
Quad Stretch
Stand next to a wall or sturdy chair for balance. Raise the heel of your injured leg and grab it with your hand. Slowly and gently pull it toward your buttocks until you feel a light stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. Do not pull so hard that you cause pain in your knee and don't arch or twist your back during the stretch. Complete two to three sets of this stretch.
Hamstring Stretch
Sit up tall with your legs fully extended in front of you. Without rounding your back, lean forward at the hips until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds before releasing it. Perform two to three sets of this stretch.
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