This month we are focusing on knee pain so make sure to check out previous blogs and videos on knee anatomy and other useful tips to prevent your knees from stopping you doing what you love.
So here are my top 3 exercises for knees:
1. Knee Bends
What does it do:
This is a simple yet highly underutilised little exercise for getting the knee moving. The purpose of this exercise is not to build muscle but keep the knee moving at times when it is most static for example on the plane, driving or in the rehabilitation of big injuries like an ACL.
How to perform:
Bend the knee into the bottom then as straight as possible, it's as simple as that! The more often and the more reps the better just keep it moving. This can be completed in sitting, standing, lying, even in the pool!
2. Squats
What does it do:
This exercise helps to build up muscle in the legs predominately the quadriceps and glutes. However, this exercise is also brilliant to practice getting up and down from a low chair or into the car.
How to perform:
Please check out the video attached to the blog for more guidance but here are the key steps below.
Step 1- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
Step 2- As you squat down push through your heels and keep your chest tall and upright
Step 3- Make sure you have equal weight through your legs and that your heels do not come off the floor.
Step 4- Make sure your kneecaps are in line with your big toe, it’s okay for the knee to pass over the toe. Then drive through your heels as you push back up.
Step 5- This exercise can be made harder but using either a barbell or dumbbells and increasing the number of reps.
3. Single Leg Dips
What does it do:
This exercise is also about building strength (you may have noticed a common theme with Physiotherapists by now). This exercise is best performed on a step, but you can do it on the flat.
How to perform:
Step 1- Stand on the leg to be exercises with the other leg off the step and the toes flexed up
Step 2- Slowly bend the knee to brush the heel on the floor then slowly return by straightening the knee.
Step 3- Make sure your knee is always in good straight alignment and not crossing your body and the hip does not come out
If you’re having any problems with these, please do book a free call with me from our website or book a half price discovery session to see how I can design a programme specific for your knees and your life.
Keep moving,
George Stacey-Stevens
Owner and Physiotherapist at Cirencester Physiotherapy Centre