4 Exercises for Aching Knees

4 Exercises for Aching Knees
This may sound counterintuitive, but medical experts agree that if you have aching knees then sitting on the sidelines may not be the best answer for you. Getting out and exercising may be the best way to get rid of the pain. Sacheen Mehta, MD, an orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, spoke at the “Finding Your Fit” seminar at the It’s a Guy Thing men’s health fair at Baylor Plano and discussed how to overcome past sports injuries, joint pain and back pain to find the right exercise routine for you. One of the areas that Dr. Mehta addressed was knee pain, a very common area of concern that he sees in his patients. Dr. Mehta said that many times patients come into his office with knee pain because the muscles around the knee are not as strong as they could be or should be. While it’s always important to consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, Dr. Mehta offered some advice on the types of exercises that can help strengthen the muscles around your knees, thereby reducing knee pain. He recommends these four exercises: Four Exercises to Strengthen Aching Knees 1. WALL SITS Sit with your back against a wall and your legs at a 45 to 50-degree angle. Dr. Mehta doesn’t encourage going to a 90 degree angle because this can put too much pressure on your kneecaps and cause knee pain. When “sitting,” make sure your knees are behind your toes. Sit and hold this position for 1 minute, then rest and repeat. Bend the knees and lower down into a squat position. You should work to maintain a tall spine and proud chest as you lower down. For more, watch the video demonstration below of wall sits. 2. LEG EXTENSIONS Standing with one hand on a table, chair or wall to stabilize you—take the leg opposite of your stabilizing hand and lift the outside leg off of the floor in front of you. When lifting your leg, bend the knee at about a 45-degree angle. Straighten the leg in front of you and bend back to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions of these then rest and repeat. For more, watch the video demonstration below of leg extensions. 3. LEG LIFTS Lay on your back with your hand by your sides. Lift both legs 6 inches off of the ground, making sure to keep your legs straight. Hold this position for 20 seconds, then rest and repeat. 4. STRAIGHT-LEG RAISES Lay on your back with one leg straight out and the other bent at the knee with the foot pressed flat against the ground. Contract your quadricep on the straight leg and raise approximately 8 inches off of the ground. Hold this position for 20 seconds, then rest and repeat with the other leg. For more, watch the video demonstration below of straight-leg raises. https://youtu.be/sb_2OVC4TuM Dr. Mehta goes into more detail about treatment options for knee pain in the latest episode of Ask the Expert (video below). Because it removes gravity, another great exercise option for knee pain is water exercise. If you’re interested in learning more about Baylor Scott & White orthopedic care services to address your knee or joint pain, consider attending one of our upcoming seminars or consult with a physician. Original article and pictures take http://scrubbing.in/4-exercises-for-aching-knees/ site