Exercises For People With Knee Problems

Many people suffer from knee problems after suffering an injury, or due to the typical wear and tear associated with age.

It may seem like a simple joint but, according to orthopedists, it is one of the most complex.

The knees are responsible for supporting our weight when we are standing, and those that allow us to flex and extend our legs.

They are a fascinating and complex set of bones, muscles, ligaments and fibrocartilaginous discs that, in the face of the slightest problem, blow, inflammation or wear, immediately cause pain, thus limiting much of our daily activity.

What can we do then? In addition to following medical treatment, what type of exercise can I do to improve flexibility?

Can I go by bike? Can I go out dancing or will I have to take a pain reliever first to be able to do what I would like to do? We offer you some answers in the following article.

Physical activities for people with knee problems

Sports medicine experts tell us that knee problems are usually associated with our lifestyle, sedentary lifestyle or various diseases such as arthritis or osteoporosis, as reported by the Spanish Foundation of Rheumatology.

On the other hand, women are more likely to suffer the classic loss of bone mass, hence joints such as the knees are more affected over time.

The knees are precision machines that are felt over the years and that we must take care of every day. Through adequate nutrition and moderate physical exercise we can take care of their mobility without forcing them.

Beneficial sports for people with knee problems

The swimming, especially in the form of back. This is suggested by this study carried out by the International Osteoporosis Foundation.

The elliptical bike (be careful, always in a moderate way). Sports doctors tell us that we can do it, as long as we raise the saddle so that the knees do not become overloaded, according to the previous research.

Go for a run or walk, as suggested by this study carried out by the Hospital de Navarra. In these cases, the specialists clarify that if we have knee problems, it is best not to make unnecessary efforts with which you will accentuate the suffering or injury.

If you are one of those people used to going out for a walk every day, it will not be appropriate for you to get tired, or to do it at a very fast pace.

It should always be a very smooth walk and on a terrain where there are no obstacles, so that there is a correct footprint in which we achieve an adequate alignment with the knee and hip .

Therefore, it is better that you avoid walking through fields, parks or urban routes where there are unevenness in the sidewalks, or obstacles that can affect the balance of your knees. It will always be more successful to use a treadmill, at a low speed, where you feel safest.

Simple exercises to strengthen your knees at home

We must think of our knees as if they were springs, joints that need harmonious, smooth and precise movements where we do not make sudden efforts.

If they do, that spring can get out of control and pain appears. To strengthen the knees, we can practice simple exercises at home that will help us continue to have adequate mobility.

Do you want to know what they are? Take note!

1. Squats against the wall

• Stand with your back to the wall, with a ball positioned right in the hollow of your back.
• Place your hands behind your neck.
• Stand on your toes and hold in this position for 10 seconds. Rest and repeat it 5 times.
• Now, in the same position, with your back against the wall, begin to bend down until your legs form a 90 degree angle.  Then go back up. Repeat 5 times. Very easy!

2. Smooth strides

• This exercise is very simple. You will need to stand up and then lengthen one of your legs to take a stride. After this stride we will bend the knee, but always accompanying ourselves with the pelvis, so that the movement is smooth and harmonious and does not cause you suffering.
• Now switch legs and repeat the exercise 5 times.

3. Place a weight

• In sports stores you will find different weights that we can place on the ankles. Purpose? Stiffen the knee joint and make it more flexible.
• To do this, we just have to sit on a chair, place the weight on one of the ankles and gradually lift. Do this for 5 minutes, and then switch legs.

It would be very appropriate that each day you dedicate between 40 minutes and an hour to these simple exercises. In addition, you can do them quietly at home.

The important thing is to avoid a sedentary lifestyle, since this will cause the knees to lose their flexibility and the joints to weaken even more.

Do we start today?