Can incorporating stretches and exercises help relieve pain and provide more support for individuals with knee pain?
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The knee is the largest joint connecting the shin and thigh bones. Its cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and nerves all play a role in maintaining the joint’s health and movement. Individuals of all ages can experience knee pain, but it is more common in those with labor-intensive jobs, arthritis, and athletes. A healthcare provider will prescribe targeted stretches and exercises for individuals with pain, inflammation, or a health disorder that affects the strength of their knees to relieve knee pain while strengthening the muscles around the joint. Knee stretches and exercises are great for those with sore knees and knee pain or stiffness, but they can also be used as preventative medicine.
Doing knee-strengthening exercises can significantly improve joint health. The benefits associated with exercises include (Zeng C. Y. et al., 2021)
Leg lifts are done by lying on the back with one leg bent and the other fully extended. To perform the exercise: (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009)
When performing the single-leg lift, there are certain things to avoid as they can lead to other issues or injuries. This includes: (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009)
To know the exercise is being performed correctly, individuals should feel it in the front of their thighs.
If a weight bench is available, doing hamstring stretches can help strengthen the knee. To perform this stretch:
This exercise helps with overall strength, stamina, and balance. (Kothawale S. Rao K. 2018) (Wang H. et al., 2016)
Avoid curving the spine to get closer to the thigh during the stretch. The key is not how far you can bend down but getting a deep stretch. Individuals not yet flexible enough to go all the way down should bend until comfortable but can still feel the stretch in their hamstrings. With practice and time, flexibility will improve. This stretch should be felt in the hamstrings.
Step exercises, or step-ups, involve using a platform at least 6 inches high. To perform the exercise:
Avoid locking the knees when stepping up on the platform. Locking the knees switches off the muscles that need strengthening (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009). Step exercises work out various areas of the leg. Individuals should feel this exercise in the thigh, hip, and buttocks.
Post-exercise stretching is vital in physical rehabilitation and strengthening. Stretching after exercise, individuals can (Afonso J. Clemente. et al., 2021)
Post-exercise stretches for knee pain and weakness can include:
This stretch targets the quad muscles located in the thighs. To perform this stretch:
There is no need to pull the heel too far into the buttocks. The goal is to feel a deep stretch. Pushing it too far can lead to injury. (Lee J. H. et al., 2021)
Toe touches will help stretch calve muscles and hamstrings. To perform this stretch:
Individuals who cannot yet touch their toes should perform the same steps and reach only as far as is comfortably possible. Over time, flexibility will improve. (Lee J. H. et al., 2021)
These are examples of exercises and stretches that a physical therapy and chiropractic team may prescribe. Each case is different and requires reviewing individual medical history and physical examination to determine the proper treatment program. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic works with primary healthcare providers and specialists to develop a personalized treatment program through an integrated approach to treating injuries and chronic pain syndromes, improving flexibility, mobility, and agility to relieve pain and help individuals return to normal activities. If other treatments are needed, Dr. Jimenez has teamed up with top surgeons, clinical specialists, medical researchers, and rehabilitation providers to provide the most effective treatments.
Zeng, C. Y., Zhang, Z. R., Tang, Z. M., & Hua, F. Z. (2021). Benefits and Mechanisms of Exercise Training for Knee Osteoarthritis. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 794062. doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.794062
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo. (2009). Knee exercises. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/knee-exercises/
Kothawale S. and Rao K. (2018). Effectiveness of positional release technique versus active release technique on hamstrings tightness. Int J Physiother Res., 6(1), 2619-2622. doi.org/https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijpr.2017.265
Wang, H., Ji, Z., Jiang, G., Liu, W., & Jiao, X. (2016). Correlation among proprioception, muscle strength, and balance. Journal of physical therapy science, 28(12), 3468–3472. doi.org/10.1589/jpts.28.3468
Afonso, J., Clemente, F. M., Nakamura, F. Y., Morouço, P., Sarmento, H., Inman, R. A., & Ramirez-Campillo, R. (2021). The Effectiveness of Post-exercise Stretching in Short-Term and Delayed Recovery of Strength, Range of Motion and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 677581. doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.677581
Lee, J. H., Jang, K. M., Kim, E., Rhim, H. C., & Kim, H. D. (2021). Effects of Static and Dynamic Stretching With Strengthening Exercises in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Who Have Inflexible Hamstrings: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Sports health, 13(1), 49–56. doi.org/10.1177/1941738120932911
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The information herein on "Boost Joint Health with Targeted Knee Strengthening" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
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