I can’t say that knee pain is the worst, but it’s right up there. When your knees hurt, every movement on your feet reminds you that something’s wrong. Everything you like to do while standing hurts: walking, running, playing tennis or golf, or climbing stairs.
Knee pain afflicts millions of people every day, affecting approximately 25% of adults. Knee pain affects young and old. Knee pain may start suddenly, often after an injury or exercise. Knee pain also may begin as mild discomfort, then slowly get worse.
Excessive weight, overuse, arthritis, and injury can all lead to knee pain. The good news is that you can strengthen the muscles that attach to the knee. Exercises that strengthen the hip muscles also help, since the hips control the position of your knees when you are walking, running, or jumping.
Try these five exercises to support your knees.
Calf raises
Starting position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with toes pointing forward. Squeeze your glute muscles together, draw in your navel, roll your shoulders back, and look forward.
Raise your heels slowly, keeping your knees straight, but not locked.
When you're standing fully on the balls of your feet, pause for one second.
Slowly lower your heels back to the ground, returning to the starting position.
Go for 10-30 reps.
If you find it hard to keep your balance while doing calf raises, then hold on to the back of a chair.
Once you can do calf raises without holding on to a chair, increase the range of motion by doing the movement on a step or stair. Stand with the balls of your feet on the step or stair, raise your heels up as far as you can, then lower them slowly until your heels are just below the top of the step or stair. Once you feel a good stretch in your calf muscles (stretch, not pain), return to the starting position.
To take it to the next level, use dumbbells, kettlebells, or even gallons of water to add weight to your raises. Hold the weights at your side during this movement with your arms straight down.
Side-Lying Hip Abductions
Side-lying hip abductions work the outside hip muscles. Studies find that doing hip abductor exercises for just three weeks helps reduce knee pain.
Starting position: Lie on your right side with legs straight and feet stacked one on top of the other. Don’t lean forward or back. Bend your right elbow and place that arm underneath your head, allowing the full weight of your head to rest on your forearm so that it’s in line with your spine. Squeeze your glute muscles together, draw in your navel, and roll your shoulders back. Keep your feet in a neutral position, perpendicular to your legs. The top arm rests on the outside of the left thigh.
Slowly raise your left leg to just above your hip joint, exhaling as you go. Once you feel your hips and back start to tense, stop and hold the position for two seconds.
Slowly lower your leg to its starting position as you inhale. Keep the leg straight and stacked directly above the lower leg.
After completing ten reps on the right side, flip over to your left side and repeat the process with your right leg.
Once you've mastered the side-lying hip abduction, add resistance bands or ankle weights. Start with lighter resistance bands or weights and increase the tension or weight as you get stronger.
Side-Lying adductions
This exercise works the inside of your thighs.
Starting Position: Lie on your right side with your legs straight, feet together in neutral position pointing away from your body (at 90 degrees to your shinbone). Keep your right arm bent and positioned under your head for support while the left arm rests on your upper hip. Your hips and shoulder should be aligned vertically to the floor. Your head should be aligned with your spine. Slowly move your left leg forward until it lies in front of your right leg. Rest both feet on the floor and keep both legs extended with feet in neutral position.
Upward Phase: Exhale and gently raise the right leg off the floor while keeping the leg straight and the foot in a neutral position. The hips should remain vertical to the floor (the knee of the raised leg should not rotate upward towards the ceiling or downward towards the floor). Continue raising the leg until your hips begin to tilt sideways or until you feel tension develop in your low back or oblique muscles. The leg only needs to rise a few inches off the mat/floor.
Downward Phase: Gently inhale and slowly return the right leg to the starting position in a controlled manner. After completing ten repetitions, roll over and repeat with the left leg.
Bridges
Bridges work your gluteal muscles.
Starting position: Lie on your back, rest your hands at your sides, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor, beneath your knees. Squeeze your glute muscles, draw in your naval, and bring your shoulder blades together.
Slowly raise your hips to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Feel your glutes working.
Slowly lower your hips to the floor. Complete ten repetitions.
Step ups
Step-ups target the quadriceps and hamstrings, which attach to the knees, as well as the gluteal muscles.
Starting position. Squeeze your glutes together, draw in your navel, roll your shoulders back, and look straight ahead.
Place your right foot onto the step or stool and push up through your heel to lift yourself up, making sure your foot is planted entirely on the step, then bring your right foot onto the step.
Step back down with your left foot, concentrating on flexing the hip and knee of your left leg.
Repeat on the other side. That’s one repetition. Complete 10 repetitions.
There you have it. You can complete these exercises in less than ten minutes. Do these three times a week to get the support your knees deserve.