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Knee joint pain is one of the most common injuries faced by regular gym goers. The knee is one of the body's largest and most complicated joints. This joint is a synovial hinge joint that allows for flexion and extension (and a small degree of medial and lateral rotation).
Bones, meniscus, ligaments, and tendons make up the knee joint. The joint consists of three bones, namely the thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella).
The primary knee joint is formed when the thigh bone (femur) joins the huge shin bone (tibia). There are two compartments in this joint: an inner (medial) and an exterior (lateral). Patella (kneecap) joins the femur to form the Patellofemoral joint, a third joint. The front of the knee joint is protected by the patella.
Must do stretching exercises to avoid knee joint pain
Knee joint pain after working out is very prevalent. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 18 million Americans visit a doctor each year for knee discomfort.
This involves discomfort brought on by:
- Sprained knee ligaments
- Osteoarthritis
- Tendinitis
- Bursitis
- Meniscus Tears
The good news is that you can avoid knee joint pain in a variety of methods, including self-care stretching, strengthening activities, and following do's and don'ts of exercising with knee pain.
Check out this list of stretching exercises to avoid knee joint pain:
1) Straight leg raises
Start with a simple quadriceps strengthening exercise to avoid knee joint pain. The knee is seldom strained in this maneuver. Follow these steps to do the single straight leg raise properly:
- Lie on your back on the floor or another flat surface.
- Place one foot flat on the floor while bending one knee.
- Raise the second leg to the height of the opposite knee while keeping the other leg straight.
- Repeat for three sets of 10-15 repetitions.
2) Hamstring curls
You can also practice this exercise while standing and lifting one leg at a time while holding on to a chair. Leg curls are one of the best exercises to avoid knee joint pain.
Follow the below given steps to do the hamstring curls properly:
- Lie completely flat on your stomach.
- Bring your heels as close to your buttocks as possible and retain that position.
- Do three sets of 15 reps.
3) Leg extensions
Stretching out your quadriceps using your own body weight rather than a weighted machine keeps the pressure off your knees. This makes leg extensions a great inclusion in the list of exercises to avoid knee joint pain.
Here are the steps to follow to do the leg extensions correctly:
- In a chair, sit tall.
- Place your feet hip-width apart on the floor.
- Look straight ahead, tighten your thigh muscles, and extend one leg as high as you can without getting out of the chair.
- Lower to the starting position after a brief pause.
- For each leg, do 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
4) Prone leg raises
Both your hamstrings and glute muscles will benefit from this workout. Prone leg raises help in warding off knee discomfort. This is why it is a great addition to the list of exercises to avoid knee joint pain.
Follow the below given steps to perform the prone leg raises properly:
- Lie down on your stomach and legs straight.
- Lift upwards by tightening the muscles in your bottom and hamstring of one leg.
- Hold for 3-5 seconds before lowering and repeating.
- Switch sides after 10-15 lifts.
5) Single leg dip
Quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles are worked upon in this exercise. You should include a single leg dip in the list of exercises to avoid knee joint pain as it helps in releasing stress from your knees.
Here are the steps to follow to perform the single leg dip properly:
- Place two high-backed, stable seats on either side of the body, the backs of the chairs adjacent to the arms. For balance, place one hand on the back of each chair.
- Raise your right leg 12 inches off the ground. The left leg should bear all of the weight.
- Bend down a few inches and place your weight on the heel of the supporting leg.
- Hold the position for 3–5 seconds.
- Straighten slowly.
- Rep on the other side.
6) Wall sits
This is a bit of an advanced move. Remember not to bend too deeply. Wall squats are a great addition to the list of exercises to avoid knee joint pain.
Follow these steps to do the wall sits correctly:
- Face a wall with your head, shoulders, back, and hips flat.
- Step out about 24 inches from the wall with both feet, keeping your back and shoulders against it. Keep your feet at least hip width apart.
- Slowly slide your back down the wall until you're just above a typical sitting position.
- Slide back up after 5 seconds of holding.
- Repeat.
7) Toe touches
Traditional toe touching is one method to strengthen your knees. This can be included in your daily exercises to avoid knee joint pain.
Here are the steps to follow to perform the toe touches correctly:
- Slowly bend over at the hips and extend your arms downward with your feet close together. Straighten your legs but don't lock your knees.
- Reach the tops of the toes with with your fingertips and hold for 30 seconds.
- It may be difficult to reach the toes at first. In this situation, get your fingers as close to your toes as possible without causing pain.
