Knee Pain Relief Exercises & Stretches - Ask Doctor Jo

The muscles to work are the IT band, calf, hamstring, and quad muscles.

The first stretch will be a calf stretch. Start off with your legs out in front of you. You can bend up the leg you aren’t using towards you in a comfortable position. Keep the leg you want to stretch out in front of you. Take a stretch strap, dog leash, belt, or towel and wrap it around the ball of your foot. Relax your foot, and pull the strap towards you stretching your calf muscle. You should feel the stretch under your leg. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and do three of them.

Next you want to move your kneecap, or patella around. This is important because your patella is attached to your quadriceps tendon and your patellar tendon. When those are tight, it is hard to bend your knee. Your leg needs to be straight and relaxed. You can push the patella up and down, superior and inferior, and side-to-side, medial and lateral. You can do this for 2 to 3 minutes.

Also using a knee sleeve might help with your knee pain. They help provide compression and a little bit of support, but they don’t stop the muscles from doing the work like a brace.

Then you will stretch your hamstrings. You can stretch the hamstring many different ways, and you can check them out in my hamstring stretching video. Today I will show you the stretch with a strap or belt. Put a loop around your foot, and use the strap to bring your leg straight up into a stretch. Try to keep your knee straight, and don’t let it bend. You should feel the stretch in the back of your leg. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and do it three times on each side.

Now you will do an IT band stretch. There are also many ways to stretch the IT band, but if you are already using a strap, you can use it for the IT band as well. Use the same position as the hamstring stretch. Keep your leg straight and gently pull the leg across your body this time. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and do it three times on each side.

The last stretch will be on your stomach, or in prone. You can also do this in sidelining, but on your stomach will help keep the thigh straight. This will stretch your quadriceps muscle. Take a belt or dog leash and wrap around your foot/ankle. Take the strap and gently pull your foot towards your buttocks until you feel a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and do it 3 times.

Now for some exercises. The first exercise is a hamstring curl. Stay on your stomach after the quad stretch. This time you will actively bend your knee bringing your foot towards your bottom to strengthen the hamstrings. Start off with 10 controlled repetitions, and you can work up from there.

The last set of exercises will be in standing. Now you will do calf strengthening with heel raises. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, come up on your toes as high as you can. Try not to lean forward, but bring your body straight up and slowly come back down. Push off as much as you can so your heel leaves the ground. Start off with ten and work your way up to 20-25. If that becomes easy, you can do one leg at a time.

Finally you will do squats. This will help strengthen your quads, hamstrings, gluteus muscles, and many others around the hip and knees. The best way to do a squat is to give yourself a target like a chair or couch. Spread your feet about shoulder width apart, and make sure your knees do not go in front of your toes. Stick your buttocks back and keep your back straight. If this is too hard, you can put a box in the chair, so you don’t have to squat as low.

=======================================

Knee Pain Relief Exercises & Stretches:

DISCLAIMER: This content (the video, description, links, and comments) is not medical advice or a treatment plan and is intended for general education and demonstration purposes only. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. Don’t use this content to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they give you. Consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained in this content. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ask Doctor Jo, LLC and its officers for any and all losses, injuries, or damages resulting from any and all claims that arise from your use or misuse of this content. Ask Doctor Jo, LLC makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of this content. Use of this content is at your sole risk.

PRODUCT REVIEW DISCLAIMER: This video represents the honest opinions of Doctor Jo. Thank you to For-Knees for sponsoring this video and providing Doctor Jo with a free knee sleeve to use/review.

[AskDoctorJo]

Don't forget to hit the 🔴 *SUBSCRIBE* 🔴 button above! *Find all of my videos at **youtube.com/askdoctorjo*

[jackarmstrong]

I am 80 years old and I exercised and bike a little too vigorously yesterday and started having knee pain on the inside of my knee when I was walking. I tried the first exercise in this video, the knee pain disappeared. I am now pain-free. This could put a lot of doctors out of work. Thank you Jo.

[Joshuavancruz]

WEIRD. I've had knee pain for a couple months now from doing Muay Thai, but the knee mobilitiy (moving up and down, left and right) gave me instant relief! Thanks for this!

[frog.lady.official]

It’s funny seeing all these comments saying stuff like “I’m 80” “I’m 66” “I’m 33” and then I’m over here with screwed up knees as a 14 year old

[lucylemker]

Love ALL your exercises Jo👍🏻 I am 66 & have lots of arthritis, joint pain, lower back pain, etc. I love to walk on my treadmill every day for at least 30 min but sometimes my pain is too much to even do that😕 Your exercises have really helped me out🙂 thanks so much

[dragondame]

Thank you for these videos! I am 33 and trying to lose weight and get in shape to join the Air Force. Your videos are a life saver. Been dealing with knee pain off and on for years.

[AnovaLisaDragonfly]

These stretches and exercises are great! I did them yesterday for the first time, but only had time to do the first two exercises. Still, I was able to walk around like a normal person, with no knee discomfort. Just now, I did them all and my knees feel great. I’m looking forward to starting my day, walking around and seeing how it feels to get me legs and stride back. Thanks Dr. Jo :-)

[charliereed]

All her exercises vids are simple and so effective.

[matteli]

Thanks. After half an hour of doing all these exercises the first time my knee does feel somewhat better. Much appreciate it.

[alantay]

Excellent demonstrations. They are my daily routine exercises. Love them.

[tonygreen]

another very helpful video and once again with excellent delivery and so easy to follow thank-you

[eurekaeureka]

I never thought for a second in life that I would search for this video at the age of 20😂🤧#I can't imagine my life at old age 💆

[sherazahmad]

That's good to know.
I have knee pain, especially during going to up stairs.
I hope watching the above video of knee exercise will help me to relive my knee pain.
Thank you so much for guiding us.

[jennycampbell]

Thank you my dear God bless you I love these exercises

[rogeroliverbennett]

Have only just discovered the AskDrJo YouTube channel, and it is impressive.
Dr Jo knows her onions, so to speak, and the exercises in this clip, while designed to alleviate knee-pain, also provide a sound program for general leg / hip stability, strength and range of motion.
Superb!

[mistaken]

tried these just for a short while and i already feel a difference in my knees!

[nunyabusiness]

Was up all night in tears from the pain in my right knee. You were the 3rd You tube Dr. That I tried. It's been 4 days of doing these stretches 5 times a day. I am pain free and no longer limping.
I love you ❤ lol !!! Thank you ! 💃🏋🏃

[violetdsouza]

Thank you so much Dr. Jo. I had a minor fall on my scooter and hurt my knee a few months ago, and now that knee hurts I'm told due to the cold weather. This really helped. Thank you so much!

[sunsetandsand]

Day 1 of starting these exercises. I have a very painful knee when I walk and it feels very stiff. I’m going to keep you guys updated on how I start feeling tomorrow. 😃

[Mema-ioky]

Very, very great videos I definitely will do theses exercises, I have really bad joints, arthritis in my joints. Had otroscopic in 2010 right knee, back surgery, 2012, now shoulder surgery 2015, I really do not want surgery again it’s too much . Now I discover you . I’ll definitely do these exercises . Thank you soo much . God bless 🙏🙏.