Knee pain is very common and something we have probably all dealt with at some point, especially if you are active. Knee pain can be slight soreness that resolves in a day, or it can be chronic and debilitating; to the point that it changes the way you live your life.
Today I want to focus on the type of pain that would be considered less severe. Pain that: lasts for a few days, comes and goes, or is there constantly, but at a lower level.
This pain could be due to:
Muscular Tightness
Tendon Inflammation
Meniscus Irritation
Ligament Damage
Bone Bruise
Osteoarthritis
Cartilage Damage
The activities that trigger the pain are too numerous to specifically address here. However, many causes of knee pain ( Like Jumper's Knee or Runner's Knee) can be lessened or resolved through improved flexibility in your hips and legs. Below I want to outline a few easy stretches that you can try if you are suffering from knee pain.
***Fun fact you may not know: your quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles all cross your knee joint!!
This blog post is not intended to diagnose nor should it be considered a physical therapy evaluation. If you are having concerns I recommend you follow up with a physical therapist or physician for a thorough evaluation. (now that the legal stuff is done, let's move on)
Prone (Face Down) Quad Stretch
I like to do this exercise on your stomach because it helps to keep you from bending at the waist as a compensation for tightness. I also like the towel roll under the leg to "pre-stretch" the quads before you pull. This helps to improve your stretch. Pull until you feel a good stretch on the front of your thigh. Your goal should be to put your heel on your butt while also keeping both hip bones on the floor.
Supine (Face Up) Hamstring Stretch
For this exercise you actually want to keep your other leg straight out and on the ground. This will help stabilize your pelvis to decrease the extra motion through there allowing for a better stretch. You can also vary the stretch by pulling straight up, up and out away from you, or up and in towards your middle. This will stretch the muscle in different ways. You should feel this in the back of the thigh of the leg that is being pulled up.
Piriformis Stretch
Cross one ankle over the opposite knee and pull the leg up as shown. You should feel this one deep in that area where your butt and thigh meet on the leg you aren't holding. You can use your elbow to push your knee down and increase the stretch for this one. If needed, you can use a strap to pull the leg instead of your hands.
Standing Hip/TFL Stretch
This one should target tightness along the side of your hips and/or upper glutes. Use your hand on the wall for balance as needed. Cross one leg over as shown, then push your opposite hip out away. You may need to play with your positioning by bending slightly forward or leaning slightly back to target the stretch where you need it.
Standing Calf Stretch - 2-Way
You have 2 muscles in your calf complex, make sure you stretch them both. Keep both feet flat with heels down. Lean in towards the wall as though someone is pulling you by the hips. The positioning is almost the same for each stretch. In one your back knee will be straight and you will feel the stretch up higher, in the calf muscle. In the other your knee will be slightly bent and you will feel the stretch move down closer to your heel, in your Achilles Tendon.
So now you know what to do, let's talk about how to do it. Here are my preferred ways to stretch:
Make sure your leg is fully relaxed. You can't stretch a muscle you are tensing up. The more relaxed you are, the better the stretch.
Your stretch should only be mildly uncomfortable. Go until you feel a nice, moderate stretch, but make sure you aren't "fighting" the stretch (see #1). Overstretching is NOT going to get you the results you want.
Start with holding your stretch about 30 seconds. As you get more comfortable with the stretch, you can hold it longer, as long as you are remembering #1 & #2. I have some clients hold their stretches for up to 5 minutes! As long as you are relaxing into the stretch and making a change in the tissue, you can hold for an extended time if you like.
***Bonus Activity***
Patellar (Knee cap) Mobilization
When your knee cap is tracking properly, the mechanics in your knee work better. This usually results in less pain. Moving your knee cap side to side and making sure it has proper mobility can also help with knee pain. Just place your finger on the side of your knee cap and push toward the other side until a slight stretch is felt. Hold the stretch and then repeat to the other side. Do this several times. Don't worry, you won't hurt anything.
So there you have it. A few of my favorite, easy exercises to improve your flexibility and decrease your knee pain. I know there are a million different ways to stretch and different stretches to do. What are some of your favorites? Anything that has been successful for you in the past? Drop me a comment and let me know what stretches you like.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and/or leave a comment.
If you'd like more information about what we do at Hubbard Functional Wellness you can click on the link below. If you'd like recommendations on dealing with your pain, then please go to the website and send us a message.
As Always, thank you for your time! I hope you were informed and entertained!
Dr. Matt
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