Stretches for Knees
- Thread starter Gobias
- Start date
Lady Vol Fan
Cathlete
Gobias
what I do to care for my knees are hips, hamstring, calf, ankle and foot work.
If that sounds like what you're interested in then I will post some things I think work great.
what I do to care for my knees are hips, hamstring, calf, ankle and foot work.
If that sounds like what you're interested in then I will post some things I think work great.
I am very interested in this!
If your concern is knee pain, my doc recommended stretching quads and calves, which I do every day. She said that it is the tension between these two muscle groups that causes stress on the knee and thus pain. After I added long stretches for both quads and calves to the end of every workout,y knee pain was gone. I need to be diligent about stretching both, but when I keep it up, my knee pain is completely at bay.
Lady Vol Fan
Cathlete
Gobias
I am assuming you're wanting to strengthen knees and reduce discomfort. The leg works together so I do mobility (stretch and strengthen) of all hips, knees, ankles together. So sorry if this seems like too much (oops but you did ask! )
but I'm giving you all and you choose what works for you!
couple of things that I couldn't do without..lacrosse ball and foam roller!
Hopefully, links work but here is my pattern before lower body work start standing, end up on floor doing knee strengthening before lower body work.
in between sets of lower body work
I do various moves depending how I'm feeling and may only be one or two: hip circles, hip airplanes, windmills, unweighted good mornings, figure 4 stretch, ankle mobility lunges, etc.
then after lower body work, do hip circles, knee flops, figure four stretch and I foam roll calves, while rotating ankles and lacrosse ball feet.
Cathe also has some great hip openers in her perfect mobility DVD which I use on the floor
Knee strengthening:
Jessica Valant To work inner quad muscle for knee help
Knee strengthening 4 corner drill scott sonnon
Knee flops... couldn't find video but basically you stand on one foot, raise one leg and bend loosely over hand of same leg. Then gently raise and lower your leg slightly, supporting weight of leg with hand and let that lower leg flop over that hand a few times.
Ankle rotations
If you are sitting on floor, legs in front, rotate ankles so the toes touch on Pinky side, them rotate inward so arch is touching is floor so your hips get to turn inward. Relaxes the whole joint!
Ankle lunges for calves and ankles
Like a raised runners lunge. Place your foot on step or chair and lean forward on bent knee as close as you can get your belly in line with thigh to feel in back of ankle but go back and forth (not holding this) and concentrate on keeping knee straight in line with foot ..not bowing out or in.
Hip circles
Windmills unweighted but I bend the front knee slightly and really shove that hip out to stretch and strengthen hip
Figure 4 stretch...sounds weird but gently pull your foot from pinky toe side to where foot sole is facing you while gently pushing down on knee.
Foot rolling
BJ Gaddour Lacrosse ball and generally excellent mobility drills (he's recovered from knee injuries and surgeries)
Back/hips
LOVE this video for exercises you thought you knew but need to do better!
Here are the times for each stretch/exercise: cat/cow 1:48; psoas stretch 5:04; hip airplanes 6:31; spine hygiene 8:36
https://youtu.be/bcbuhePZZj0
More hip help..don't hold these or strain or need to do all...just pick some and.you move in and out of them just to feel good. Boring to watch just use to learn. You will recognize several moves in Cathe's DVD
https://gmb.io/hip-mobility/
Hope these help!
(P.S. lots of ways to use these to strengthen with bands too...can't WAIT to see how Cathe's Bands work and what she teaches us in her new workouts!! )
I am assuming you're wanting to strengthen knees and reduce discomfort. The leg works together so I do mobility (stretch and strengthen) of all hips, knees, ankles together. So sorry if this seems like too much (oops but you did ask!
)but I'm giving you all and you choose what works for you!
couple of things that I couldn't do without..lacrosse ball and foam roller!
Hopefully, links work but here is my pattern before lower body work start standing, end up on floor doing knee strengthening before lower body work.
in between sets of lower body work
I do various moves depending how I'm feeling and may only be one or two: hip circles, hip airplanes, windmills, unweighted good mornings, figure 4 stretch, ankle mobility lunges, etc.
then after lower body work, do hip circles, knee flops, figure four stretch and I foam roll calves, while rotating ankles and lacrosse ball feet.
Cathe also has some great hip openers in her perfect mobility DVD which I use on the floor
Knee strengthening:
Jessica Valant To work inner quad muscle for knee help
Knee strengthening 4 corner drill scott sonnon
Knee flops... couldn't find video but basically you stand on one foot, raise one leg and bend loosely over hand of same leg. Then gently raise and lower your leg slightly, supporting weight of leg with hand and let that lower leg flop over that hand a few times.
Ankle rotations
If you are sitting on floor, legs in front, rotate ankles so the toes touch on Pinky side, them rotate inward so arch is touching is floor so your hips get to turn inward. Relaxes the whole joint!
Ankle lunges for calves and ankles
Like a raised runners lunge. Place your foot on step or chair and lean forward on bent knee as close as you can get your belly in line with thigh to feel in back of ankle but go back and forth (not holding this) and concentrate on keeping knee straight in line with foot ..not bowing out or in.
Hip circles
Windmills unweighted but I bend the front knee slightly and really shove that hip out to stretch and strengthen hip
Figure 4 stretch...sounds weird but gently pull your foot from pinky toe side to where foot sole is facing you while gently pushing down on knee.
Foot rolling
BJ Gaddour Lacrosse ball and generally excellent mobility drills (he's recovered from knee injuries and surgeries)
Back/hips
LOVE this video for exercises you thought you knew but need to do better!
Here are the times for each stretch/exercise: cat/cow 1:48; psoas stretch 5:04; hip airplanes 6:31; spine hygiene 8:36
https://youtu.be/bcbuhePZZj0
More hip help..don't hold these or strain or need to do all...just pick some and.you move in and out of them just to feel good. Boring to watch just use to learn. You will recognize several moves in Cathe's DVD
https://gmb.io/hip-mobility/
Hope these help!
(P.S. lots of ways to use these to strengthen with bands too...can't WAIT to see how Cathe's Bands work and what she teaches us in her new workouts!! )
This. Is. Great. !!! Thank you so much. I have a few questions on some of the moves, but I will try to actually do them (rather than just read onscreen) before I ask you to clarify. I had never heard of the lacrosse ball, but do have a foam roller. I actually was looking for more mobility than stretches, so these are perfect. I love Cathe's Mobility DVD (and for others', Mark Lauren's Mobility Rx 1 & 2 is also great).So sorry if this seems like too much (oops but you did ask!
Thank you for the great links and I can't wait to try these out.
Hi, Gobias.
My favorite DVD is one called "Vayalux Knee Exercise Program; Exercise Routine for Chronic Knee Pain." It has beginner, intermediate and advanced options and, in my mind, it was just like going to physical therapy. It features strengthening exercises, but interweaves stretching exercises throughout. I only used the beginner option for a couple of months, but it helped tremendously. (I purchased it on Amazon a couple of years ago; not sure if it's still available there.)
I really like Lady Vol Fan's post - I'm going to try out some of her suggestions this week!
Best of luck to you and I hope whatever knee issues you are experiencing resolve soon.
Regards,
Nancy
My favorite DVD is one called "Vayalux Knee Exercise Program; Exercise Routine for Chronic Knee Pain." It has beginner, intermediate and advanced options and, in my mind, it was just like going to physical therapy. It features strengthening exercises, but interweaves stretching exercises throughout. I only used the beginner option for a couple of months, but it helped tremendously. (I purchased it on Amazon a couple of years ago; not sure if it's still available there.)
I really like Lady Vol Fan's post - I'm going to try out some of her suggestions this week!
Best of luck to you and I hope whatever knee issues you are experiencing resolve soon.
Regards,
Nancy
Wow - thanks for this post, Lady Vol Fan! I'm going to check out these videos some time this week.Gobias
I am assuming you're wanting to strengthen knees and reduce discomfort. The leg works together so I do mobility (stretch and strengthen) of all hips, knees, ankles together. So sorry if this seems like too much (oops but you did ask!
but I'm giving you all and you choose what works for you!
couple of things that I couldn't do without..lacrosse ball and foam roller!
Hopefully, links work but here is my pattern before lower body work start standing, end up on floor doing knee strengthening before lower body work.
in between sets of lower body work
I do various moves depending how I'm feeling and may only be one or two: hip circles, hip airplanes, windmills, unweighted good mornings, figure 4 stretch, ankle mobility lunges, etc.
then after lower body work, do hip circles, knee flops, figure four stretch and I foam roll calves, while rotating ankles and lacrosse ball feet.
Cathe also has some great hip openers in her perfect mobility DVD which I use on the floor
Knee strengthening:
Jessica Valant To work inner quad muscle for knee help
Knee strengthening 4 corner drill scott sonnon
Knee flops... couldn't find video but basically you stand on one foot, raise one leg and bend loosely over hand of same leg. Then gently raise and lower your leg slightly, supporting weight of leg with hand and let that lower leg flop over that hand a few times.
Ankle rotations
If you are sitting on floor, legs in front, rotate ankles so the toes touch on Pinky side, them rotate inward so arch is touching is floor so your hips get to turn inward. Relaxes the whole joint!
Ankle lunges for calves and ankles
Like a raised runners lunge. Place your foot on step or chair and lean forward on bent knee as close as you can get your belly in line with thigh to feel in back of ankle but go back and forth (not holding this) and concentrate on keeping knee straight in line with foot ..not bowing out or in.
Hip circles
Windmills unweighted but I bend the front knee slightly and really shove that hip out to stretch and strengthen hip
Figure 4 stretch...sounds weird but gently pull your foot from pinky toe side to where foot sole is facing you while gently pushing down on knee.
Foot rolling
BJ Gaddour Lacrosse ball and generally excellent mobility drills (he's recovered from knee injuries and surgeries)
Back/hips
LOVE this video for exercises you thought you knew but need to do better!
Here are the times for each stretch/exercise: cat/cow 1:48; psoas stretch 5:04; hip airplanes 6:31; spine hygiene 8:36
https://youtu.be/bcbuhePZZj0
More hip help..don't hold these or strain or need to do all...just pick some and.you move in and out of them just to feel good. Boring to watch just use to learn. You will recognize several moves in Cathe's DVD
https://gmb.io/hip-mobility/
Hope these help!
(P.S. lots of ways to use these to strengthen with bands too...can't WAIT to see how Cathe's Bands work and what she teaches us in her new workouts!! )
Regards,
Nancy
Lady Vol - I can't seem to understand "KNEE FLOPS". Are you able to explain a bit more? And "FIGURE 4" stretches I think I may understand, but then again I think I am wrongly guessing. So far, these all are great!
Lady Vol Fan
Cathlete
I'm so glad they have been helpful!!
I'll do my best to answer your questions below:
Knee flops..
It's like doing a hamstring curl
but raised in front of you
with no tension
And letting your hand support your thigh.
Loosely like a raggedy Ann doll might do it.
Figure four stretch..
.your upper leg forms the number 4
and instead of sliding your hands through as is usually instructed, I gently push down on the bent knee while slightly turning the pinkie side of the raised foot towards me so I'm partially looking at the bottom of my foot.
I'll do my best to answer your questions below:
Knee flops..
It's like doing a hamstring curl
but raised in front of you
with no tension
And letting your hand support your thigh.
Loosely like a raggedy Ann doll might do it.
Figure four stretch..
.your upper leg forms the number 4
and instead of sliding your hands through as is usually instructed, I gently push down on the bent knee while slightly turning the pinkie side of the raised foot towards me so I'm partially looking at the bottom of my foot.
jennifer319_2013
Cathlete
Finding out the history of step aerobics had to do with knee problems. Gin Miller invented this because her doctor told her she had to build up knee strength due to an injury. The doctor told her to go up and down a box. Later she had an idea for step aerobics. And a side note, Cathe was doing at this time some type of step aerobics on long benches. I don’t know what it really looked like or how she did it, but Cathe did have an idea for step aerobics, even if the platform wasn’t what it is today.
I know from personal experience that step helps knees. Before the history lesson, I notice when I did step, my knees wouldn’t hurt as much. I would recommend it, but be careful.
hopes this helps,
Jennifer Denny
I know from personal experience that step helps knees. Before the history lesson, I notice when I did step, my knees wouldn’t hurt as much. I would recommend it, but be careful.
hopes this helps,
Jennifer Denny