For many people who enjoy exercising but suffer from knee pain, it is important to choose the right exercise methods. So how can you exercise with knee pain? What exercises are not harmful to the knees?
Leg Flexion Exercise
Take an elastic band and tie it to the leg of a pillar or heavy furniture. Stretch one end around your ankle. Stand facing the pillar and keep the band taut. Slowly lift your leg backwards until you feel a slight heat in the muscles at the back of your thigh, then slowly lower it. Repeat this process. Note: when lifting the leg, it should be the leg that moves, not the buttocks.
Straight Leg Raises
This exercise targets the quadriceps and hip flexor muscles. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended. Slowly lift one leg straight up and hold for 15-20 seconds, then slowly lower it. If you need to increase the intensity, you can add a weight of 1 kilogram to your ankle and gradually increase it to 3.5 kilograms.
Wall Squats
Stand with your back against a wall, with your heels about one foot's length away from the wall. Place a basketball or a volleyball between your knees and squeeze it. Slowly squat down along the wall until your knees and calves form a 90-degree angle. Since your back is against the wall, it supports part of your body weight, resulting in less stress on the knees. This makes the exercise more comfortable. Hold for three seconds, then slowly stand up straight.
What Exercises Are Not Harmful to the Knees
If you have knee pain and want to exercise, swimming is an excellent option. When swimming, your body floats in the water, and your joints do not bear the weight, resulting in minimal load. Swimming not only allows for joint movement and muscle strength training, but also enhances overall muscle strength, promotes multi-joint movement, and exercises various organs including the heart and lungs, thus improving disease resistance.
How to Avoid Knee Injuries During Exercise
1. In terms of equipment, it is recommended to choose professional sports facilities and equipment as much as possible. Footwear is particularly important, so try to use specialized shoes for each sport to reduce the risk of knee injury.
2. In terms of technique, try to train according to standard and professional movements to minimize the impact of exercise on the knees.
3. Perform warm-up exercises before exercising and stretching and relaxing exercises afterward, as these are beneficial for the knees.
4. In some ball sports, try to avoid twisting, especially inappropriate twisting of the knees.
