5 Exercises That Are Helpful In Treating Knee Pain

Our legs take on the complete weight of our bodies, so it makes sense that you’d feel some discomfort every once in a while. Be it a professional athlete, someone who exercises daily, everyone can suffer from knee pain. As a matter of fact, knee pain is so common that over 20 million people suffer every year from it. There are so many reasons for knee pain to happen, that includes:

- overuse
- osteoarthritis
- tendinitis
- bursitis
- meniscus tears
- sprained knee ligaments

Fortunately, knee pain is treatable and can be easily prevented with some small changes, including stretching and strengthening exercises. To help those who suffer from knee pain, we have created this guide of best exercises that can reduce knee pain.

# Heel & Calf Stretch

This particular stretching exercise for knee pain targets your lower legs, especially your calf muscles. Here are the steps to do the Heel and Calf Stretch:

- Face towards a wall
- Place your hands on the wall and move one foot back as far as possible. Both toes should be facing towards the wall, your heels should be flat.
- Lean into the stretch and hold for 30 seconds, you should be feeling a stretch in the back of your leg.
- Bring your back foot forward and repeat the exercise.
- Do the same twice for both legs

# Quadriceps Stretch

This stretching exercise targets your quadriceps. Quadriceps are the muscles at the front of your thighs. Performing this can help in improving the flexibility in your hip flexors and Quadricep muscles. Here are the steps to do this exercise:

- Stand next to a wall with your shoulders one foot apart from each other
- Bend one knee so your foot reaches up to your glutes
- Grab your ankle and gently pull it towards your glutes as much as you can.
- Hold for 30 seconds
- Return to the starting position and change legs
- Repeat twice for each leg.

# Hamstring Stretch

Hamstring Stretch is another stretching exercise that targets the muscles in the back of your thighs. You should feel this stretch in the back of your leg and up to the base of your glutes. When you flex your foot, you can feel the stretch in your calves. The steps to do this exercise are:

- To do this exercise, you need to use a mat or cushion under your back.
- Lie down flat on the floor or mat and straighten your legs. If you feel more comfortable, you can bend both knees with your feet flat on the floor.
- Left one leg off the floor
- Place your hands behind your thighs, just below the knee, and gently pull your knee towards your chest until you feel the stretch. This process shouldn’t be painful.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds.
- Bring the leg back down and change legs

# Half Squat

Half Squats are probably one of the best ways to strengthen your quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings without putting extra stress on your knees. Here are the steps to do this exercise:

- Get into a standing squat position. Your feet should be your should length apart. Place your hands on your hips or elevate them in front of you for balance.
- Look straight ahead, slowly squat down 10 inches, this is the ideal position for a half squat.
- Pause for a couple of seconds, then stand up by pushing upwards by your heels
- Do 2-3 sets of 10 reps

# Calf Raises

Calf raises are a great way to strengthen the backside of your lower legs, this includes your calf muscles. The steps to do this exercise are:

- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Position yourself next to a wall or hold a chair for balance.
- Lift both your heels off the ground so that you’re standing on the balls of your feet.
- Slowly bring your heels back down to the original position. Control is essential for doing this exercise and strengthening your calf muscles.
- Do 2-3 sets of 10 reps.