Knee Rehab

The knee joint is important for gait and mobility. Quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles are important for knee health but also gluteal flexibilty and strength play a big role in overall knee health.

The knee joint is important for gait and mobility. Quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles are important for knee health but also gluteal flexibilty and strength play a big role in overall knee health.

Stretching Exercises

Strengthening Exercises

Stretching Exercises

  1. Stand upright and grab your ankle behind you with one hand.

  2. Pull your heel towards your glutes, keeping your knees together.

  3. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

  4. Switch legs.

  1. Stand upright and grab your ankle behind you with one hand.

  2. Pull your heel towards your glutes, keeping your knees together.

  3. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

  4. Switch legs.

How to:

Goal: relieve tension in the front of the thigh, reducing pressure on the knee

Goal: relieve tension in the front of the thigh, reducing pressure on the knee

Quadriceps Strech

How to:

Goal: reduces tightness in the back of the thigh

Goal: reduces tightness in the back of the thigh

Hamstring Stretch

  1. Lay on your back and wrap towel around affected leg

  2. Pull towel towards chest, raising leg up towards the ceiling

  3. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

  4. Switch legs.

  1. Lay on your back and wrap towel around affected leg

  2. Pull towel towards chest, raising leg up towards the ceiling

  3. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

  4. Switch legs.

  1. Stand facing a wall with your hands against it.

  2. Step one foot back, keeping it straight with the heel on the floor.

  3. Bend your front knee slightly to stretch the back leg’s calf.

  4. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

  5. Switch legs.

How to

How to:

How to:

Goal: flexibility supports knee stability

Goal: flexibility supports knee stability

Calf Stretch

  1. Stand facing a wall with your hands against it.

  2. Step one foot back, keeping it straight with the heel on the floor.

  3. Bend your front knee slightly to stretch the back leg’s calf.

  4. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

  5. Switch legs.

  1. Stand facing a wall with your hands against it.

  2. Step one foot back, keeping it straight with the heel on the floor.

  3. Bend your front knee slightly to stretch the back leg’s calf.

  4. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

  5. Switch legs.

  1. Stand with your feet together.

  2. Cross the leg that is bothering you behind the other leg.

  3. Lean to the opposite side with your arm overhead.

  4. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

How to

How to:

Goal: targets the iliotibial band, which can contribute to knee pain

IT Band Stretch

  1. Stand with your feet together.

  2. Cross the leg that is bothering you behind the other leg.

  3. Lean to the opposite side with your arm overhead.

  4. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Need more exercises, check out Hep2Go.com for more resources

Need more exercises, check out Hep2Go.com for more resources

Strengthening Exercises

  1. Start in a seated position with knee bent at 90 degrees

  2. Straighten leg, lifting ankle to full extension of leg

  3. Hold for 20 seconds then lower back to bent position

  4. Repeat 10 times then switch legs

How to:

Muscles: Quadricepts

Long Arc Quadriceps Extension

  1. While standing, bend you knee from full extension to flexion with ankle moving towards buttock

  2. Hold for 20 seconds then lower back to full extension

  3. Repeat 10 times then switch legs

How to:

Muscles: Hamstrings

Standing Hamstring Curls

  1. While standing, lean your back against a wall or slick surface with feet shoulder width apart

  2. Bend your knees to 90 degrees as you slide your body downward

  3. Hold for 10 seconds then return to standing position by sliding body upward

  4. Repeat 10 times

How to:

Muscles: Quadriceps, Hamstrings and Gluteus muscles

Wall Squats

  1. While standing next to a chair, start with feet planted to the ground shoulder width apart

  2. Raise up on to toes and hold for 10 seconds then return heels to floor

  3. Repeat 10 times. Ok to preform while balancing on one foot

How to:

Muscles: Gastrocnemius and Soleus

Calf Raises

Need more exercises, check out Hep2Go.com for more resources

Need more exercises, check out Hep2Go.com for more resources