Knee Exercises for Rehabilitation
Knee injuries which can result in osteoarthritis of the knee are the most common type of arthritis. Knee exercises help to keep the knee joint flexible and free of pain. Many exercises treat injuries, while others address arthritis, but rehabilitation always involves some form of exercise to strengthen the knee.
Muscle Strengthening
One of the ways to help the knee joint heal is to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee. These muscles support the movement of the knee, and therefore when you strengthen this muscle group, you take the pressure off of the knee joint itself.
Types of Knee Exercises Due to Sports Injuries
The type of knee exercise you do depends on your injury. For instance, if you have a sports injury exercising typically begins about three days after the initial injury. When there is injury to the soft tissue surrounding the knee the goal is to limit scar tissue from forming as well as restore flexibility to the knee itself. Resistant band extensions are very useful in strengthening the muscles as well as helping to minimize scar tissue.
Lunges are also very useful in recovering from a knee injury, but do not overdo it or you could reinjure the area which will set your recovery back. Squats are another rehabilitation tool that is used in sports injuries because it strengthens the muscles surrounding the injured knee.
Osteoarthritis Knee Exercises
If you have osteoarthritis in the knee joint, the exercises consist of stretching to keep a good blood flow to the injured knee. This consists of sitting straight in a chair and lifting one knee at a time about three to four inches off the chair, hold it for a maximum of 10 seconds, lower your knee and then repeat two to four times. Another exercise is sitting in a chair and stretching your leg forward so that your leg is stretched completely forward; hold it for five seconds and slowly return it to the resting position. Marching in place is also very good for arthritic knees; try to bring your knees as close to your chest as possible.
Never overdo any type of knee exercises during the rehabilitation phase because if you do it can actually set your recovery back. If the exercises are causing extreme pain, stop immediately because the pain is trying to tell you that you are making your condition worse. Listen to your body.