fbpx
What stretches are the most Joint friendly for my knee?

What stretches are the most Joint friendly for my knee?

Painful knees are often caused by a variety of problems, including wear and tear or misalignment. It’s important to know what can be done to relieve knee pain. Stretching before and after working out is known to provide relief for some people, but not for others. This can be because stretches that are joint friendly for your knee are more effective than others. All you need to do is try several different types of stretches before deciding which one works best for you.

Knee Stretching

5 Stretches That Are Joint Friendly For Your Knee

According to many orthopedic knee surgeon, there are several muscles around the knee that can be stretched to help maintain knee health. Here are five stretches that can help keep you mobile:

  • Quadriceps stretch. Stand up straight with one hand on a wall or chair for balance. With the foot of your affected leg on the ground, grab at your ankle with your hand on that same side and pull it toward your buttocks until you feel a comfortable stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold this position for 15 seconds and repeat three times.
  • Hamstring stretch. The standing hamstring stretch is a great stretch for the back of your thighs (your hamstrings). It’s also a great stretch for your low back, especially when you lean forward.

To do this stretch, you will stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Slowly bend down and try to touch your toes. If you can reach that far, great! If not, don’t worry about it, just go as far as you comfortably can. Make sure to keep your knees straight. Don’t let them bend while stretching.

Hamstring stretch

Hold this stretch for 10-30 seconds, then slowly rise back up until you are standing tall again. Repeat 3-5 times.

  • Straight leg raise. Lie on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. Gently lift one leg off the floor about six inches, keeping your leg straight and holding for five seconds before lowering to the floor again. Repeat 10 times before switching legs and doing another 10 repetitions with the other leg. Once you are able to do this easily without pain, add ankle weights (beginning with 1 pound) to increase resistance.
  • Heel Slide. Lie on your back. Bend one knee and keep the other leg straight. Slowly slide the heel of the straight leg as close to your buttocks as possible, without lifting the hips off the floor. Hold for a count of 5 and then slowly slide that leg back out to a straight position. Repeat 10 times. Repeat with the other leg.
  • Lunging hip flexor stretch. The hip flexor muscles are the most important muscles to stretch when you have knee pain. This is because they affect how well your hips move, which has a direct effect on how much strain is placed on your knees.

To do: Lunge forward with your right leg and place both hands on the floor. Bend your left knee toward the ground and lift your right foot off the floor behind you. Lean forward and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times on each side.

Final Words

The most important thing here is to keep your balance when using the stretches. If you feel like you’re losing it, or if you feel pain from doing it without the aid of a friend, then there’s a good chance that it’s not the right stretch for you. Use the stretches sparingly or not at all if they cause pain or discomfort. Make sure that they help not hurt you; if they hurt then they’re probably doing more harm than good.