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Exercises for Chronic Knee Pain

Persistent knee pain can cause severe discomfort and even immobility, but simple knee exercises may help to manage the pain and increase flexibility of the joint and surrounding tissue. Knee exercises help to strengthen the muscles that support the knee, so that they can support body weight and absorb shock. If you are suffering from knee pain, speak with a doctor or physical therapist before doing these exercises, as they may aggravate your condition.

  1. Quadriceps Strengthening Exercises

    • Quadriceps strengthening exercises help to decrease knee pain and manage discomfort. Although there is a wide variety of quadriceps exercises, it is important to perform only one exercise per day, so you don't exhaust the quadriceps muscles. Physical therapists often recommend leg lifts to strengthen the quadriceps. During leg lifts, Lie on your back with your left leg bent at a 45-degree angle, then raise your right leg to the height of the left knee cap and holds for three seconds. Repeat 10 times, then switch legs. Another exercise to strengthen the quadriceps is the partial squat. Stand with your back upright and knees pointing straight ahead in line with your feet and hips. Slowly lower yourself without bending your knees past a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for five seconds, then repeat 10 times.

    Hamstring Strengthening Exercises

    • Hamstring exercises also help reduce pain and strengthen the leg muscles. Again, it is essential not to perform more than one hamstring exercise each day. Contractions are among the exercises that strengthen the hamstrings. To do contractions, sit in a chair with your heels on the floor. Without moving your heels, pull your leg muscles back until there is tension in the hamstrings. Hold this position for 10 seconds, relax for three seconds and repeat 10 times. Curls also help strengthen the hamstring muscles. To perform these exercises, lie on your stomach with your left foot at the back of the right heel. Slowly pull your right heel toward your buttocks while resisting with the left leg. Hold for a count of 10, then relax for three seconds. Repeat 10 times.

    Additional Exercises

    • Exercises to strengthen the hip abductors and gluteal muscles also help reduce pain in the knees. To strengthen the hip abductors, lie on your right side with hips and shoulders stacked. Bend your right left leg 90 degrees while slowly raising the left leg a foot and a half in the air. Hold for one second, then lower leg. Repeat 10 times, then repeat on the opposite side. To strengthen the glutes, perform a backward leg swing. Start by holding onto the back of a chair for support, then swing your right leg back at a diagonal until the buttocks tighten. Tense the muscles and swing the leg back several more inches. Next, return the leg to the floor and repeat 10 times before repeating with the opposite leg.

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