The capability to move easily and comfortably is a wonderful and priceless gift, but people often do not appreciate it, until they lose it. Knee pain is a common complaint that often restricts your ability to participate in your favorite activities like sports or dance. However, exercises can strengthen the knee joint and surrounding muscles that can help to cope with regular activities and reduce knee pain even. Let us look at some effective leg workouts for painful knee.
By taking out some time every day to strengthen the muscles surrounding their knees, you can avoid many of the small aches and pains which can develop over time. This allows you to enjoy the daily activities which you love to do, without having any discomfort or pain. To self-evaluate the integrity of your knees, you need to consider two key points.
First is the flexibility of the knees, i.e. whether your knees can be flexed and straightened easily without pain or discomfort.
Second, being their strength to support their body on each leg while extending or flexing the knees.
Depending on your strength and ability, you can practice leg workouts for painful knee. These exercises concentrate on strengthening the main muscle groups which improve the knee movement. Strengthening the quadriceps and hamstrings should be seen as a joint effort instead of separate individual movements. A few easy and simple exercises if practiced everyday can help to ensure that the performer has the flexibility and strength necessary to move freely without pain.
4 Easy Leg Workouts For Painful Knee are:
Standing Hip Hinge
An individual’s ability to bend at their waist, and engage their hamstrings and glutes to pull their body back up plays a huge role in the way energy passes through their knee. Strengthening these muscles can help to protect the knee joint. Standing hip hinges works the hamstrings, glutes and core and is one of the best leg workouts for painful knee. To do this exercise one needs to first stand upright with their feet placed parallel, at hip-width distance apart, and their hands set on their hips. Then with a soft bend behind their knees, they needs to hinge slowly over from the waist. The weight in the feet should be shifted back to the heels as the individual reaches back with their rear end. Once they reach a point which stretches their hamstrings without fully bending over at the waist, they should stop and return to the top. The glutes and hamstrings should be squeezed until reaching the top. 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions should be performed.
Ones who find completing the standard hip hinge to be easy should try doing this exercise on one leg. This too is very amongst the leg workouts for painful knee but is one level above, hence performed only if comfortable. They should stand on one leg with their hands on their hips. Then they need to hinge forward on one leg with a soft bend behind the knee, and the opposite leg extended backward behind them. This should be done until a full stretch in the hamstring, of the leg on which they are standing, is felt. With the hips level to the floor, the single leg glute and hamstring should be used to stand upright. 2 to 3 sets, each consisting of 8 to 12 reps on either leg, should be done without touching the floor.
Seated Leg Extension
The last few degrees required for full leg extension come from a muscle in the quads known the vastus medialis. Seated leg extensions help to strengthen the quadriceps and is one of the simplest yet effective leg workouts for painful knee. This exercise should be started by sitting on a chair in an upright position, with the back kept flat. 1 leg should be extended forward until it is completely straight and parallel to the ground, with the ankles flexed up towards the knee, but not locked out. Then the foot should be gradually lowered down to the floor and the move should be repeated. 2 to 3 sets, each consisting of 8 to 12 repetitions on either leg, should be done. 1 to 3 lbs ankle weight can be used to increase the intensity of this exercise.
Wall Facing Chair Squats
This exercise engages each and every muscle of the lower body. To ensure that the right form is maintained and the correct muscles are used while doing this exercise, wall facing chair squats should be started by facing an open door or wall. The performer should stand 1 foot away from the wall which they are facing. They should place a chair just behind them, and then while facing forward and their feet parallel at hip-width distance apart, they should slowly lower themselves down to sit in the chair. This movement should be done without turning the face, head, hands, or knees to the wall. The core should be braced throughout the movement. Then, the performer should drive down into the floor through their legs and stand all the way back up. They should lock their hips at the top with good posture. 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions each should be completed.
Ones, who can easily sit down on the chair, need to step up and complete some rounds on one leg. This too is one of the level-up leg workouts for painful knee. They should stand on one leg, with the opposite leg lifted off the ground and the hands kept to the outside of the hips for balance. In this position, they should slowly start sitting down on to the chair, while keeping the opposite foot off the ground, without using the hands or losing balance. The core should be braced to stand up. 2 to 3 sets, each of 5 to 8 repetitions on either leg, should be completed.
Low Plank Hold With Knee Flex
Walking, jogging, and many other exercises need the body to engage the quads of one leg while employing the hamstrings of the other leg. Low plank hold with knee flex helps to work the quadriceps, core, and both the hamstrings. Low plan hold with knee flex is one of the best leg workouts for painful knee. To perform this exercise, one needs to lie on the ground in a low plank position and hold the position on their elbows. One leg should be lifted slightly off the floor and the knee should be flexed to bring the heel up towards the glutes while contracting the hamstring. The leg should be extended out without dropping the leg or the hips. 2 to 3 sets, each of 8 to 12 repetitions on either leg, should be done.
Take Away
Regardless of their physical ability or age, everyone should be able to move around without pain in the knees. These exercises are ideal for working out in the comfort of the home, during a short break at the office, or at the gym. However, these leg workouts for painful knee do need some level of fitness, which can be gained with some basic knee strengthening exercises. These can be safely performed under the guidance of a physical therapist or a fitness trainer. Those doing these exercises should be aware of how they feel while practicing these movements. If their discomfort or knee pain persists or aggravates, they should contact the doctor without delay.
source:
https://www.epainassist.com/fitness-and-exercise/easy-leg-workouts-for-painful-knee
