At-home Stretching Workouts for Knee Pain

Knee pain is an extremely common issue and can be caused by myriad things like overuse, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, bursitis, meniscus tears, sprained knee ligaments, and more. Luckily there are some simple stretches you can do on your own to help with your knee pain. We’ll walk you through some of the most effective stretching exercises you can do at home.

Exercise and knee pain

If your knee pain is caused by surgery, injury, or arthritis then these gentle stretches and strengthening exercises might be just what you need to improve range of motion and flexibility.

It may seem counterintuitive that using your knee will help relieve pain, but it actually is better for your knee than keeping it still all the time. Not moving your knee causes it to stiffen which can eventually worsen pain and make moving harder.

Stretching exercises

Before you start stretching, we recommend that you spend 5 to 10 minutes warming up. Some low-impact activities like walking or cycling on a stationary bike should work.

Once you’re warmed up, do the following three stretches, and then repeat them once you’ve completed the knee strengthening exercises. Try to do these stretches and exercises at least 4-5 times a week.

Heel and calf stretch

To do this stretch:

1. Stand facing a wall.
2. Put your hands on the wall and place one foot back as far as you comfortably can. Your toes on both feet should be facing forward, heels flat, with a slight bend in your knees.
3. Lean into the stretch and hold it for 30 seconds. You should feel this stretch in your back leg.
4. Switch legs and repeat.
5. Repeat this stretch twice for both legs.

Quadriceps stretch

To do this stretch:

• Stand next to a wall. Put your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
• Bend one knee so your foot goes up toward your glutes.
• Grab your ankle and gently pull it toward your glutes as far as you can comfortably.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Return to the starting position and change legs.
• Repeat 2 times on each side.

Hamstring stretch

To do this stretch:

• For this stretch, you can use a mat to add cushioning under your back.
• Lie down on the floor or mat and straighten both legs. Or, if it’s more comfortable, you can bend both knees with your feet flat on the floor.
• Lift one leg off the floor.
• Place your hands behind your thigh below the knee, and slowly pull your knee toward your chest until you feel a slight stretch.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Lower and change legs.
• Repeat 2 times on each side.

If your knees are bothering you or you have other questions regarding your knee pain, give us a call today at  (219) 795-3360.