The cause of knee pain partly determines the proper workout. Knee pain may be experienced with arthritis, a sprain or alignment abnormalities. For severe pain that increases with movement, consult a physician. For those suffering more moderate knee pain, workouts may include low-impact exercises that target endurance, strength, flexibility and stabilization. Furthermore, assistance from a personal trainer or physical therapist may help develop the most appropriate workout and reduce the risk of further injury or pain.
Causes
Knee pain that has a very gradual onset may be due to arthritis, patellofemoral pain syndrome, tendonitis and alignment abnormalities. A BMJ 2009 research article found that exercise reduced pain in patellofemoral pain syndrome sufferers. Therefore, chronic knee pain may be reduced with a proper exercise routine. Acute knee pain may be a symptom of a sprain, bursitis or meniscus tear. Knee pain associated with an acute injury may require rest and physical therapy prior to starting an independent exercise routine.
Low-Impact
Low-impact exercises place less stress on the knee joints. Reducing the stress, but continuing to move the knee joint may help alleviate some pain. Low-impact cardio exercises include walking, biking, swimming and water walking or aqua jogging. Perform low-impact cardio exercises at least three times a week for up to 30 minutes at a time.
Stretching & Strengthening
Muscle imbalances are caused when some muscles are stronger or more flexible than the opposing muscles. For example, the hamstrings may be weaker than the quads or thigh muscles. These muscle imbalances may cause alignment and tracking abnormalities with the knee cap, causing knee pain. Some strengthening exercises to improve knee function and manage pain are bridges, hamstring curls, straight leg raises, clams and mini squats. Common stretches are the lying hamstring stretch and the kneeling hip flexor stretch. Perform up to 15 repetitions of two to three sets of strengthening exercises, two times a week. Hold static stretches for 15 to 20 seconds for two to three sets at least three times a week.
Stabilizaiton
Joint instability may increase the risk of knee injuries, cause wear and tear on the joint as well as contribute to knee pain. On the other hand, pain and injuries may cause the joint to become unstable. Therefore stabilization exercises may be a beneficial to include in an exercise routine. Examples of stabilization exercises are standing on uneven surfaces like a wobble board, or single leg balance. Perform stabilization exercises one to three times for 30 to 90 seconds. Stabilization exercise may be performed as little as two days a week and up to everyday.
Additional Information
Include a five minute warm-up and cool-down with workouts. Static stretching is recommended after muscles are warm or following exercise. Apply heat prior to exercise and ice after to further manage pain and decrease inflammation. Lastly, over-the-counter pain medication may be useful in managing knee pain while beginning or returning to an exercise routine.
