Knee pain can occur from activities, exercise, general wear and tear or with hip and pelvic issues. Injury from sports and accidents, along with surgeries to repair those injuries, leaves many patients with the need to rehabilitate the knee.
Non-Weight Bearing Exercise
The initial phase of rehabilitating the knee, once cleared by a medical professional, is non-weight bearing exercise. These open chain exercises involve no compressive forces on the joint, therefore these exercises focus on muscular strength and conditioning with minimal strain to the joint itself.
Quad sets involve contracting the quadriceps muscle and holding the contraction to build back strength after an injury or surgery. Short arc quad sets are popular for strengthening the knee and quadriceps while allowing greater range of motion. The knee is slightly flexed on a pillow or roll and the patient performs small leg extensions, often with very little weight. Straight leg raises help to keep the hip strong, which is vital to knee strength. Straight leg raises also contract the muscles around the knee, further increasing strength and muscular endurance. Hamstring curls while laying on the stomach help patients to strengthen the muscles in the back of the knee. Weak hamstrings are known to contribute to knee injury, therefore strength must be built in the hamstring. Leg curls with bands or on a machine are an effective way to achieve this.
Weight Bearing Exercise
After knee pain has subsided and strength has been built back, the next phase of knee rehabilitation includes weight bearing exercises. The joint is ready to be loaded with partial or full body weight and taken from open chain exercises into closed chain exercises.
Partial or mini squats are a good way to involve all the muscles of the knee, leg and hip. The stronger the patient gets, the more depth can be added to the exercise increasing the difficulty. Step downs and step ups train the ankle, knee, leg and hip. Step exercises are considered functional since they are movements people must perform every day, integrating them into a rehabilitation program is always beneficial.
A favorite of therapists and trainers alike are balance exercises. Begin with balancing on the floor on one leg, once that is mastered progress into unstable surfaces. Pillows, rolled towels, grassy surfaces, and barefoot will challenge the knee further enhancing strength while decreasing the risk of falling, which is a common concern after knee surgery.
Advanced Exercises
Advanced knee rehabilitation exercises include movements designed to challenge the knee, hip and ankle. Lunges and split squats, which involve using both legs, are an effective way to incorporate in balance, stretch and strength into a single exercise. Single leg squats are an advanced movement that calls for maximal leg and hip contraction. This is an advanced movement that requires significant balance and a total lack of pain in the knee prior to attempting.
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