Exercises for Knee Pain Relief and Prevention

Although every knee problem can't be prevented — especially if you're active — you can take certain steps to reduce the risk of injury or disease. While exercise may seem like a painful way to deal with knee pain, the fact is that stretching and working the muscles of the knee can have a beneficial effect in many cases. Strengthening the hamstrings with simple stretching exercises will help prevent the knee from freezing up. Since the knee depends a great deal on strong ligaments and muscles to operate properly, simple limbering exercises that are not done in excess can have a beneficial effect on knee pain. Below are a number of simple exercises which can be done at home.

Strengthening Exercise 1: Leg lift

This is an easy exercise for beginners. Sit on the edge of a chair. Place your hands on the sides of the chair. With your legs at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor, slowly lift one leg up until it's completely straight. You'll feel your thigh muscles tighten once the knee is straight. Hold this position for about 10-15 seconds. Make sure your movements are slow for the best results. Let your leg go and place your foot back on the floor. Now do the same with your other leg. Make sure that you sit far enough into the chair so that it won't tip over while you do these exercises and fall off the chair. Do this exercise in both legs at least 10 times, so 20 times in total.

Strengthening Exercise 2: Squats

Stand up straight and place your feet hip-width apart. Put your arms straight out in front of you. Very slowly bend your knees and lower your body to a 90-degree angle from your knees. If you're not able to lower yourself to a 90-degree angle, just go as low as you can without straining yourself. As your quadriceps muscles get stronger, you'll be able to go a little lower every day until you can lower yourself to a 90-degree angle. While you're lowering your body, keep your upper body completely straight. Your upper body may try to bend forward, from your waist, but do your best to keep your back and waist straight and unbent. Beginners often tire after doing as few as five squats. If this happens to you, keep going. Try to gradually build your strength until you can comfortably do 15 squats.

Strengthening Exercise 3: Lunges

Lunges are another good way to strengthen the quadriceps and also your buttocks. Stand up straight. Take a big step forward, moving one foot out from your body while keeping the other foot in place as if you were walking. Simultaneously bend both knees until the leg that is in front is lowered to a 90-degree angle from your calf. Your front foot will be firmly placed on the ground and your back heel will lift from the ground. While doing the lunge, keep the rest of your body straight. Then return the outstretched leg back to your body while you return to an upright position. Repeat this exercise 15 times for both legs.

Stretching Exercise 1: Standing Quadriceps Stretch

Pick your leg up behind you whilst standing and hold your foot with your hand. Gently pull you foot in towards your bum. As you do this you should feel a strong stretch in the front of your leg. Only go as far as the point where you feel the stretch in the middle of the muscle and not at either your knee or hip. If you feel it at the either end of your upper leg then you have gone too far and must relax and take your foot away slightly until the stretch is back in felt only the middle of your upper leg. Hold this position for about one minute and then repeat the process for the other leg. Repeat this exercise 2-3 times for both legs.

Stretching Exercise 2: Kneeling Quadriceps Stretch

Place one knee on the floor and have the other leg bent with your foot flat on the floor and the knee bent at about 90 degrees. Your other leg should be beneath your body with the knee on the ground and your lower leg out behind you. Next with one hand grab the foot that is behind you and pull it towards your bum. You will find that it gets tight much quicker than the standing one as you have already started stretching it from the hip. Importantly, you must keep your upper body completely upright with this exercise. The temptation is to lean forwards but don’t as this will completely ruin the whole point of the stretch. Hold the stretch for about 1 minute and repeat it for the other leg. Do this exercise 2-3 times for both legs.

IMPORTANT: stretching exercises should never hurt, so don't overdo it! Always take big breaths in and out while you're stretching and relax into the stretch.