7 Knee Exercises for Pain to Unlock Superior Mobility

Knee pain can be very severe, but conservative treatment can be provided at home. When given the right knee exercises for pain to unlock superior mobility, you will likely begin to feel better in just a few days.  

At times, knee exercises for pain, may not be appropriate and you may need to contact your primary care provider. If pain is severe enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room, you need to see a doctor. They will do their best to identify the best course of action, especially if you're having difficulty putting weight on your knee.

These medical professionals have your best interest at heart and want to see their patients get past this excruciating pain in their knee joints.  

You should set up an appointment to see your physical therapist or doctor, should you experience any of the following symptoms: 

• Your knee pain lasts for weeks on end with no signs of it going away. 
• Your knee locks or gives way at unexpected times. 
• The pain is just too bad to deal with any longer. 

Unlock Superior Mobility with Gentle Knee Exercises 

When your pain a nearly constant, deep bone aching it is most likely related to arthritis. In this case, getting your joints moving as well as stretching and strengthening is the best way to use knee exercises for pain. The gentle exercises for your knees listed below will help you be more active and boost your overall mobility.

As with any new activity, starting slowly and building your confidence over time is important. Consistency is much more important than intensity for increasing activity and decreasing pain related to arthritis. Bear in mind the importance of striking the right balance between exercise and rest and incrementally increase activity. Pay attention to your body, you will likely have some increased soreness during activity, but you will find that movement throughout the day will begin to become easier with less intense pain. If you have a sharp increase in your pain, reduce your activity and progress more slowly. You may want to start by walking or engage in gentle pedaling on a stationary bicycle, then gradually increase your exercise time as you progress.

Here is an invitation to you to dive into 7 of the best knee exercises for pain. 

Knee Strengthening Exercises for Seniors 

Before you embark on any form of knee exercise, you should warm up first. As mentioned already, you can either take a 2-minute walk or ride a stationary bicycle for 5-minutes. Doing so will prepare you for exercises to strengthen muscles around your knee joints and minimize the risk of injury. 

Below are the long-awaited knee exercises mentioned above.  

1 - Leg raises to strengthen your knees 

• Sit up straight in your favorite chair. 
• Straighten the left or right leg until it is entirely straight or you feel tightness in the back of  your leg. 
• Hold for a count of 10 while focusing on tightening the muscle on the top of the thigh.
• Gradually lower the leg. 
• Do this 3 sets of 10 on each leg.  
• To increase the difficulty and build more strength, wear a heavier pair of shoes or add an ankle weight.

2 - Sit to Stands 

• Sit on the front half of a firm chair.  
• Cross you hands over your chest. 
• Stand up and then sit down again.  
• Make sure every movement is controlled and slow.  
• Try to complete 15 repetitions. If you are unable, stop and rest at the point of failure.
• Use your arms to help you stand once you have completed this exercise. Your legs may be quite fatigued.

3 - Leg Crosses 

• Sit on the side of your bed, the edge of a chair or table and cross your ankles 
• Push the front leg towards the back and bring your back leg forward at the same time against each other.
• This will produce an isometric contraction of one quadriceps and the other hamstring.
• Hold this for a count of 10.
• Alternate the front and back legs until you have completed 3 repetitions on each side.

4 - Step Ups 

You need something to step onto with this exercise. A small but sturdy step stool or the first step of a staircase would work nicely.  

• Step up with your left foot 
• Step down with the right foot. 
• Complete 10 repetitions and switch feet.
• You may need to hold onto a rail or banister to balance yourself. 
• Complete 3 sets on each side. Rest as needed between sets.

5 - Quads exercise with roll 

• Sit on the floor, couch or bed, with your legs extended straight before you.  
• Place a towel that is rolled up under your knee.  
• Push down on the towel as if you are making your knee straight.  
• Pull your foot and toes towards you until you notice a tightness in your calf muscles. 
• Raise your heel off the floor while pushing the back of you knee down into the towel roll.
• Hold this position for 5 seconds before you let go. 
• Complete 3 sets of 10 each and switch legs. 

6 - Mini Squats 

• Hold on to a counter or sturdy chair for support.  
• Squat as if beginning to sit on a chair right behind you.
• Your hips should move back while your knees remain over your ankles.
• Avoid your knees moving forward over your toes, as this will put too much stress on your knees.
• Count to 5, then return to a regular standing position.  
• Try to complete 3 sets of 10. Rest as needed. Proper form is more important that amount of repetitions. 
• As you progress, try to squat a little further, but this should not be a large sitting motion.

7 - Hamstring stretch 

• Sitting on a firm chair, keep one foot flat on the ground and stretch the the other leg out in front of you with your heel on the ground and toes pointed up.
• Lean forward, reaching towards your out stretched toes until you feel a significant stretch behind your thigh.
• Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. After about 30 seconds you should feel the tension ease and be able to stretch a little more.
• Switch the positions of your legs.
• Repeat three times on each side.

Wrapping it Up 

Knee pain is one of the most common orthopedic conditions. Individuals often experience pain around or behind their knee cap and this is particularly noticeable with climbing stairs, squatting, walking or running.  

Using these recommended knee exercises for pain to unlock mobility can potentially enable people with this problem to participate in all their favorite activities once again.  

That's all for today.

Take care, keep mom safe and have a great day!

Winn

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