Knee stiffness and pain can be debilitating, affecting your daily activities and quality of life. However, incorporating targeted exercises into your routine can help alleviate discomfort and improve mobility in the affected joint. Here are some effective exercises that can help relieve knee stiffness and pain:
But if it’s too uncomfortable, try adjusting the position of your feet – turn them a bit outwards/inwards or closer/further to the wall. Although it looks simple, this exercise is an effective way to strengthen your quads and promote stability. If it’s uncomfortable on your knees, try kneeling on a pillow to reduce the pressure. To increase difficulty, try it while standing on one foot.
Some knee pain will go away on its own within a few weeks with a reduction in activity level, Stewart says. Treatments will depend on the cause of the pain, but most knee pain will respond well to physical therapy and a home exercise program, he says. Most people experience knee pain at some time in their life, says Bruce Stewart, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with Shoreline Orthopaedics in Holland, Michigan. Common causes include injuries and osteoarthritis (inflammation of the joint) as well as meniscal tears. These are ruptures in part of the knee resulting from a twisting motion.
While knee tightness is a common problem, you can take steps to heal it and prevent it from recurring. Commit to a plan of action that brings you positive results. Take the time to rest, ice, and elevate your leg until your knee is completely healed. Start a stretching and exercise program and be consistent in your practice. Maintaining flexible muscles around your knee that are strong enough to support your body may help to alleviate or prevent tightness in the knee area. Strong legs, hips, and buttocks are thought to reduce knee tightness.
1. Quadricep Sets
Quadricep sets involve tightening the muscles on the front of your thigh to help stabilize and support the knee joint. This exercise can be done while sitting or lying down.
How to do it:
Both types of arthritis can lead to limited function and range of motion, deformity, and tightness. Although these stretches don’t require much effort, they will provide a well-rounded routine. A physical therapist can demonstrate how to best stretch the muscles around the knees and provide any modifications you need for your health conditions. This can help you prevent injury and maintain full functional mobility of the knee. Whether you run marathons or simply want to get out of your car without pain, stretching for knee flexibility remains crucial to living a healthy, active life. As one of the strongest and most essential joints in the human body, the knees include tendons, muscles, and ligaments that need to work in harmony to allow you to properly bend and move side to side.
- Start by sitting or lying down with your legs extended.
- Tighten the muscles on the front of your thigh by pressing the back of your knee against the floor or a cushion.
- Hold for 5-10 seconds, then relax.
- Repeat 10-15 times, gradually increasing the hold time as your muscles strengthen.
Take time to build up the strength, stability, and flexibility of your knee by doing rehabilitation exercises. It may be a few weeks before you can return to your normal activities. It can take three to six months before you can return to physical work and activities. You should aim to stretch once a day, especially after a workout when your muscles are warm.
Rehabilitative therapy can also help alleviate knee pain. Overall, research suggests that peripheral mechanisms play a large role in the generation of knee OA pain and that exercise can inhibit these mechanisms to reduce pain. This information should be used for additional human studies aimed at designing specific exercise protocols to inhibit peripheral pain pathways. You should do this several times a day to strengthen your muscle. Knees become swollen when excess fluid builds up inside the knee due to an injury, overuse, or medical condition. Swelling may be subtle, so you may not always notice it unless it’s a severe injury.
2. Straight Leg Raises
Straight leg raises target the quadriceps and hip flexors, helping to improve strength and flexibility in the knee joint.
How to do it:
- Lie flat on your back with one leg bent and the other straight.
- Slowly lift your straight leg to the height of your bent knee, keeping your core engaged.
- Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down.
- Repeat 10-15 times on each leg.
Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine can help reduce knee stiffness and pain over time. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have existing knee issues or injuries.
