Good knee stretches are ones that lengthen the muscles around the knee to prevent overuse injuries and knee pain. Tight muscles are more likely to become injured and also to pull the knee out of ideal alignment. . If an injury does occur, stretching relieves this muscle tension that is likely causing the pain you feel in the knee. Consult a physician to diagnose the exact cause of pain.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Stretching the hamstrings on the back of the thigh is an effective method to relieve or prevent knee pain due to several conditions, including quadriceps tendinitis, patellar tendinitis, iliotibial band pain, bursitis and anterior knee pain, according to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois. To perform a standing hamstring stretch, stand facing a bar or chair and place the back of your right heel on the object with both legs straight. Hinge forward at the waist but do not try to touch your toes. Keep your back straight.
Stork Stretch
The McKinley Health Center recommends the stork stretch for patellar tendinitis, quadriceps tendinitis, bursitis and anterior knee pain. The stork stretch targets the front of the thighs. It requires the use of a chair or table so that the stretching leg can relax during the exercise. To perform this stretch, stand with your back to a chair and place the top of your right foot on the seat with your knee bent. While maintaining an upright posture, squeeze your glutes and move your hips forward until you feel a stretch in your right thigh. Repeat on the left side.
Calf Stretch
The McKinley Health Center recommends the calf stretch for quadriceps tendinitis, patellar tendinitis, iliotibial band pain, bursitis and anterior knee pain. This stretch targets the lower leg. The calf stretch requires a wall for balance and proper form. To perform this stretch, place your hands flat on a wall with your arms straight and step your right leg back as far as you can and still press your heel flat to the floor without bending your arms. Bend your left knee until you feel the stretch in your right calf. Repeat on the left side. Keeping your arms straight against the wall prevents your torso from leaning forward out of ideal stretching position.
Duration of Stretches
Stretches not held long enough won't get results. Thirty to 60 seconds is generally long enough to hold static stretches. Hold each of these knee stretches for 30 seconds each and perform two to three repetitions. An alternative is to perform 10-second long stretches for five reps or one rep for 60 seconds.
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