3 Exercises to Relieve Knee Pain
Our knees carry the weight of our bodies and everything else we have with us through every day. Unfortunately, our knees aren’t easily relied upon for many people, and a day of a specific activity may lead to a day of sore aches and pain. For other people, just getting up in the morning is enough to make their knees crack, ache, and burn. People want to stay active, and we crave the mobility that can be harder with joint pain! There’s no reason sore joints should make us put our lives on pause.
Here are three exercises to help relieve knee pain while giving you extra flexibility and mobility!
Heel And Calf Stretch
For this exercise, all you will need is a wall and the ability to stand. If you’re familiar with lunges, it takes a similar approach to stretch out ligaments and muscles and fight top of knee pain.
Bend your right knee forward, and place your hands flat on the wall ahead of you at shoulder height and distance. Stretch your left leg back into a lunge position just far enough back that you can keep both of your feet flat on the ground. Lean into the stretch slowly before straightening your legs and leaning back towards the wall with your right knee again.
Repeat this five times, and then repeat with your other knee. This will stretch you out from ankles to hamstrings and will release some tension.
Small Calf Raises
This exercise is more straightforward and better for stretching out the calf and lower knee. You don’t need anything for this stretch, but it’s preferred that you do this near a surface you can reach out to for support if you stumble.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and, in unison, roll up onto the balls of your feet. Take this slowly, feel the stretch, and then release it so that you’re back on flat feet. It’s an easy and simple exercise you can sneak into your day while waiting at the bank or cooking dinner. You can do several reps of this, but if it starts leaving you sore, take a break for a day or two and go back to it with less intensity.
Leg Extensions
For this stretch, you only need a chair where your feet can touch the ground with your legs at a ninety-degree angle. Stretch your legs out one at a time so that they end up parallel with the ground. Hold that pose for a count of five, and then repeat with your other leg. This exercise targets your hamstrings and pelvis and allows you to practice your balance.
Although each of these exercises may seem simple, those who have severe pain that won’t allow them to complete these should try them in water. Whether it’s a pond or a public pool, you can stretch and move and exercise without the impact of gravity working against you. Take your time, do exercises that work with your body, and you’ll be on the road to being pain-free!