Top 6 Stretches for Alleviating Knee Discomfort
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the best exercises and stretches for knee pain focus on strengthening the quadriceps muscles and stretching the external rotator muscles around the hip joint. This approach is particularly beneficial for conditions like patellofemoral arthritis.
Key Exercises for Knee Pain Relief
Quad Sets (Knee Presses)
Tightening the muscles on the front of your thigh while keeping the leg straight activates the quadriceps, enhancing knee stability.
Straight Leg Raises
Lying on your back, tighten your thigh muscle and slowly lift the leg. This builds quad strength without stressing the knee joint.
Heel Slides
Moving the knee through its range of motion to reduce stiffness and improve flexibility after injury or surgery can be beneficial.
Stretching Hip External Rotators
This stretch helps improve muscle balance around the knee by addressing hip muscle tightness.
The Benefits of Exercise and Stretching
Exercise and stretching can help improve knee pain by strengthening muscles that support the knee (quads, hamstrings, hips), acting as shock absorbers and stabilizing the joint. They also increase flexibility to reduce stiffness and improve range of motion, and enhance blood flow and joint health.
However, if any exercise causes pain, the AAOS advises stopping and consulting your doctor or physical therapist.
Focusing on Quadriceps Strengthening Exercises and Hip Stretching
In summary, the AAOS suggests focusing on quadriceps strengthening exercises (such as quad sets and straight leg raises) and hip stretching as effective strategies to relieve knee pain and improve function.
Remember, it's always advisable to check any exercises with a healthcare professional before commencing them, especially if a person has an injury or is experiencing pain. If you have persistent or worsening knee pain, it's essential to contact a doctor or physical therapist.
For knee pain due to a sports injury, healthcare professionals may recommend painkillers such as acetaminophen, NSAIDs, or the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) protocol. On the other hand, for people with knee osteoarthritis, stretching exercises can be useful, and healthcare professionals may treat osteoarthritis of the knee with medications or supplements such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, and corticosteroid injections.
Yoga may also be effective for knee pain due to osteoarthritis. Half squats, hip abduction exercises, and calf raises are other exercises that can help strengthen the muscles that support the knee, reducing stress on the knee joint.
Half squats are performed by standing with the feet shoulder-width apart, holding onto a chair if necessary, lowering the hips about 10 inches, keeping the chest lifted, and holding the squat for 5 seconds before pushing through the heels and returning to standing. Hip abduction is done by lying on the side with the injured leg on top and the other leg bent underneath, raising the top leg to 45 degrees, keeping the knee straight but not locked or rotated, holding the position for 5 seconds, and then lowering the leg and relaxing for 2 seconds before repeating. Calf raises are done by holding onto the back of a chair, standing with weight evenly distributed, lifting the other foot off the floor, and raising the heel of the affected foot as high as possible.
The AAOS advises performing these exercises 2 or 3 days per week for around 4-6 weeks, while half squats should be done 4 or 5 days each week, with 3 sets of 10 reps. Hip abduction exercises should be done 4 or 5 days per week, with 3 sets of 20 reps. For calf raises, aim for 2 sets of 10 reps, 6 or 7 days per week.
Stretching to improve flexibility can help reduce muscle soreness and stiffness. A suggests that stretching exercises can be useful in people with knee osteoarthritis. Performing calf raises involves using a chair, while half squats are exercises that should be felt at the back of the thighs and the buttocks.
A conditioning program that includes stretches can help increase knee strength and mobility. The AAOS recommends the straight leg raise, standing calf stretch, and supine hamstring stretch for strengthening the knee joints and improving flexibility. Stretches can help reduce stress on the knee joint, which may help to reduce knee pain.
In conclusion, a well-rounded knee conditioning program that includes strengthening exercises and stretches can help alleviate knee pain and improve function. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise regimen, especially if you have an injury or are experiencing pain.
- Patellofemoral arthritis, a common condition causing knee pain, can benefit from exercises that focus on strengthening the quadriceps and stretching the external rotator muscles around the hip joint.
- Quad sets, also known as knee presses, are exercises that engage the muscles on the front of the thigh and help enhance knee stability.
- Straight leg raises are beneficial for building quad strength without stressing the knee joint; they involve lying on your back and lifting the leg slowly.
- Heel slides, or moving the knee through its range of motion, can help reduce stiffness and improve flexibility after injury or surgery.
- Stretching the hip external rotators helps improve muscle balance around the knee and address hip muscle tightness.
- Exercise and stretching can help improve various conditions such as asthma, diabetes, Alzheimer's, migraine, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis by enhancing blood flow, joint health, and flexibility.
- Healthcare professionals may recommend therapies and treatments like yoga, painkillers, or the RICE protocol for knee pain due to sports injuries or osteoarthritis.
- For people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, exercise and stretching can help manage symptoms and promote overall health and wellness.
- NSCLC, or non-small cell lung cancer, may not be directly related to knee exercises, but maintaining fitness-and-exercise routines is important for overall health during treatment.
- Psoriatic arthritis, a form of arthritis that affects people with psoriasis, can be managed through a combination of therapies, treatments, and exercises like half squats, hip abduction exercises, and calf raises.
- Dry macular degeneration, an age-related eye disease, may not improve with exercises, but maintaining overall health and wellness, including regular eye examinations, plays a crucial role in preventing its progression.
- Dermatitis, such as eczema, should be managed through a combination of therapies, treatments, and lifestyle changes recommended by a healthcare professional, which may include avoiding triggers and managing stress, in addition to applying moisturizers and creams.
