The knee is a weight-bearing hinge joint composed of several bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Physiotherapy exercises will strengthen the muscles and ligaments that support the knee joint and rehabilitate the knee after injury, inflammation or surgery. The knee is commonly affected by injuries, falls, overuse and aging. Knee pain might also be caused by osteoarthritis because of wear and tear, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis and damage to the knee cap or ligaments. A study conducted by the British Medical Journal confirmed that physiotherapy exercises improve knee pain and function, at least for the short term. Consult your physician or physiotherapist before beginning exercises for knee pain.
Quadriceps Tensing
This simple exercise from ThePhysiotherapySite.co.uk helps to stabilize the knee joint by strengthening the quadriceps muscles, which sits on the front of the thigh and wraps around the knee. The quadriceps and the muscles of the buttocks are critical in movement, particularly in standing and climbing stairs. To perform this exercise, lie on your back on a floor mat with your legs extended. Tense your thigh muscles so you knee is pushed down and your heel is raised. You should be able to see the upper thigh muscles tense and your knee cap lower slightly. Hold this position for a few seconds, relax and repeat 15 to 20 times.
Straight Leg Raise
This exercise is also recommended to strengthen and stretch the quadriceps muscles for improved knee support. To begin, lie on your back on a floor mat with a round pillow or a rolled-up towel beneath your knees. Next, raise your heels off the mat while keeping the back of your knee touching the pillow or rolled towel. You should feel the muscles in your upper thigh tensing as you do this. Hold this position for a count of three to five, relax and repeat with each leg. If you find this exercise difficult, begin with a larger pillow or towel to make it easier.
Prone Knee Bends
The bending motion of the knee is important in everyday life. Normal walking requires the knee to bend 70 degrees. This exercise helps to keep the knee joint flexible for stability during bending and straightening. Lie flat on your stomach on floor mat with your legs extended on the mat. Raise one leg and bend your knee as much as possible while keeping the other leg flat. Hold this position for five to 10 seconds, relax and repeat with each knee.
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