Bullet Proof Knees: The Importance of Prehab Exercises
Are you feeling achy in the knees, rehabilitating from knee surgery or preparing for knee replacement? If you answered yes or simply want to avoid these potential scenarios, the following stretches and exercises should be integrated into your training regimen if you want healthy knees that last. The primary reasons for knee pain are overuse, osteoarthritis, carrying extra weight or an acute injury. When recovering after medical intervention we call this rehab but if you want to reduce your risk for pain or injury we call it prehab. The exercises are essentially the same it’s just a matter of where on the timeline when you are doing them.
This list is by no means comprehensive but it’s a starting point for upgrading the stability of your knees and strengthening the surrounding muscles. In addition to these exercises the value of walking or movement of any kind cannot be overstated. Sometimes it’s the lack of activity that causes deterioration in the body. We were made to move and movement is medication. As always, use common sense by checking with your Dr. if you have pre-existing injuries or unusual pain. Listen to your body and try to differentiate between muscular fatigue and joint grinding or nerve irritation pain. Aside from that you should be able to do these exercises safely.
This simple plan includes 4 Strengtheners and 4 Stretches
Strengtheners: 1 to 3 sets/20 repetitions/3 days a week.
Stretches: 1 to 3 sets/holding each stretch for 5 deep breaths/3 days a week.
Inner Thigh Ball Squeeze
Seated Knee Extensions
IT Band Stretch
Quadriceps Stretch
Bridge Pose Feet in Chair
Side Lying Clam Shell
Figure 4 stretch
Hamstring Stretch
