If you have knee pain, whether from arthritis, an injury or even being overweight, you know how hard it can be to get around. The Mayo Clinic notes that strengthening exercises can help ease the pain, focusing on the quadriceps and hamstrings in the thighs to help stabilize the knee joint. For overweight patients, a study conducted by doctors in Nottingham, England, found that exercise, not weight loss, will help relieve knee pain.
Leg Lift
Lie down on your back, with your left leg bent at the knee and your right leg out straight. Lift your right leg a foot or so off the ground, holding it there for three to five seconds. Do several reps, depending on your ability, then switch legs. Keep your back flat against the floor. As this gets easier, you can gradually work your way to sitting up while lifting the legs; first, for example, leaning back with your upper body propped up by your elbows behind you.
Hamstring Curls
Stand with your hands holding onto the back of a chair or other object for support. Keeping your knees close together, stand on one foot while lifting the other as far as you can toward your buttocks. Be sure you don't lock the knee of the leg you're standing on. Hold your foot in place for three to five seconds, then put it back down. Switch legs. As this becomes easier for you, increase the number of reps you do.
Standing Quadriceps Exercise
Again, use a chair, counter top or other object to hold onto for support. Standing on one leg without locking that knee, tighten the quadriceps muscle of the other leg and lift the leg straight in front of you. Hold for about five seconds, then release. Do at least five repetitions, increasing them as you get stronger.
Mini-Squats
Stand with your feet apart about the width of your hips with your feet turned out slightly. Squeezing your buttocks, slowly start to squat, just a few inches. Your knees should not extend past your toes. Do at least five repetitions but no more than 30. If your knees hurt when you do this exercise, discontinue it.
Double-Chair Dips
Stand with a chair on either side of you, so you can hold onto their backs for support. Put your weight on one leg and lift the other one slightly off the ground. While shifting your weight to your heel, slowly bend your supporting knee a couple of inches, as if you were about to sit down. Again, your knee should not extend over your toes. Raise back up slowly and switch sides.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Knee Pain -- Treatments and Drugs
- PubMed: Effects of Dietary Intervention and Quadriceps Strengthening Exercises on Pain and Function in Overweight People With Knee Pain
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Knee Exercises
- Arthritis Foundation: Exercises to Help You Warm Up, Stretch and Cool Down
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