Knee pain is an ailment that affects people of all ages and activity levels and can be the result of injury, mechanical problems or medical conditions like arthritis. Knee problems can interfere with your ability to participate in the exercises and physical activities that you have come to enjoy, but do not have to mean the end of physical activity. There are plenty of workouts that can be completed with knee problems. Always consult your doctor before beginning these workouts.
Yoga
Yoga is a stretching and range of motion exercise that can be beneficial in easing stiff knee joints and reducing the risk of further injury to your knees. Yoga allows your to relax your muscles as well as strengthen the muscles surrounding your knee joints. You should engage in a minimum of 15 minutes of stretching and range of motion exercises each day to help build the foundation for more strenuous exercise, even with knee problems.
Isotonic Exercises
Isotonic exercises allow you to strengthen your muscles, and stronger knees and surrounding muscles allow your knees to better absorb shock and protect from further injury. Isotonic exercises strengthen your knee by movement of the joints. To do seated leg raises, sit in a chair with your back straight and your knees bent with feet flat on the floor. Slowly raise one leg out as far as possible and hold for a few seconds. Relax and repeat 10 times with both legs. This type of exercise will not only strengthen your leg muscles but also will help you increase mobility in your knee. You can add weights to make this exercise more difficult and increase strength.
Aquatic Exercise
Aquatic exercise is a form of low-impact cardiovascular exercise. Cardiovascular exercise can help to make your heart, lung and muscles perform more efficiently, and also can improve your endurance, strengthen your bones, improve your sleep, control your weight and improve your overall mental health. Performing exercises in a swimming pool is beneficial to your overall health without placing any stress on your knee joints. Sign up for a water aerobics class, go for a swim or walk in water that is chest high. Should you choose aquatic exercise for cardiovascular exercise, try to integrate it into your workout program three to four times each week for 30 minutes at a time.
Other Exercises
There are a wide variety of exercises that you can complete with knee problems. Consider an elliptical machine, a stationary bike or walking. Start out with five minutes of exercise and work your way up to 30 minutes, five days per week if possible. You also can engage in a wide variety of rehabilitation exercises that can help strengthen your knees as well as your entire leg. Try ankle pumps, ankle circles, straight leg raises, knee to chest stretches, hamstring stretches, toe raises and calf stretches.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Knee Pain Causes
- Arthritis Foundation: Types of Exercise
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2008
