Move With Us Through Alleviating Knee Pain
Welcome back to our Move With Us series! Today we’re going to be doing a series that targets knee pain.
This series is great for anyone experiencing any knee pain that isn’t related to a specific injury. Knee pain in the absence of an injury is quite often due to tight muscles around the knee adding extra stress to the joint. Today’s stretches target the major muscle groups that attach around the knee joint and contribute to knee pain. We will show you modifications to try if you are limited by your knee range of motion.
Come join us on your mat or floor and let’s get moving!
Calf Stretch
Stand near a hard surface or wall with one foot in front of the other, front knee slightly bent.
Keep your heel on the ground and place your toes against the wall, and lean toward the wall.
Feel a stretch all along the calf of your front foot.
Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds repeat 3 times, swapping legs
Standing and Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Our aim is to open up through the front of your hips and into the groin, you also may feel a stretch through your quads
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, step back with one leg into a lunge position
Tuck your pelvis underneath and gentle push your hips forwards
Feel the stretch down the front of the back leg
Hold for 15 - 20 seconds and repeat on the other side
If you feel comfortable kneeling on the mat, drop your back knee down to the mat
Again tuck your pelvis underneath and gentle push your hips forwards
Hold for 15 - 20 seconds and repeat on the other side
Standing and Kneeling Hamstring Stretch
This stretch targets the hamstring muscles at the back of our legs
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, place one leg in front of you and bend into your opposite knee slightly.
Gently lean forward, keep your back straight to avoid hunching over your leg. Lift the toes of your front foot towards you, and feel the stretch through the back of the front leg
Hold this stretch for 15 - 20 seconds, repeat on the other side
If you feel comfortable kneeling on one knee, extended you other leg out in front.
Lift the toes of your front foot towards you, lean your body forward and feel the stretch through the back of the front leg
Hold this stretch for 15 - 20 seconds, repeat on the other side
Adductor Stretch
This stretch targets our inner thighs and encourages more movement through our hips
Kneeling with your knees width apart and your hips over your knees
Extend one leg out to the side and feel a stretch into the inner thigh of your extended leg
Draw that leg back in and swap sides
Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds repeat 3 times, swapping legs
Side Lying Quad Stretch
This stretch targets the quad muscles at the front of our legs
Lie on your side and extend your bottom arm out for support
Hold onto your top foot with your hand. Keep the bottom leg extended straight out.
Pull the top foot back so both knees are in line with each other, feel the stretch through the front of your top leg.
Hold for 20-30 seconds. Release then swap sides and repeat.
We hope you found this helpful! Feel free to repeat this series multiple times through out the week and keep Moving With Us. If you have any questions or need any advice on any of these exercises, please don't hesitate to reach out and chat to us.
Remember that you shouldn’t feel pain during any of these exercises. If they are painful for you, consider avoiding that exercise or decreasing the intensity. We are always here to help if needed.
If you’re after some more advice or are in need of some hands on help, we’d love to see you at Collective Motion! Collective Motion offers Osteopathy, Myotherapy, Dietetics and Pilates and is conveniently located to service our Bentleigh community as well as its surrounding suburbs including Bentleigh East, McKinnon, Ormond, Glenhuntly, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Oakleigh, Gardenvale, Brighton East and Hampton East. Click below to book an appointment and let us help you get moving again.
