Knee Pain - 6 Physical Therapy Exercises

Knee pain is one of the most common issues we treat in our Chicago clinic, as people seek out physical therapy to ease the discomfort and improve their function.

But should you be doing exercise if your knees hurt, and what are the best exercises for knee pain relief?

We share 6 of the best physical therapy exercises for knee pain which offer a natural, drug-free way to relieve long term, and help you stay healthy, active and be able to perform at your best with your hobbies and sports.

Whether you are a 15-year-old basketball player, a 50-year-old runner, or a 75-year-old grandma, knee pain can limit our ability to do the things we love to do.

Our patients often report achy knees, stiffness in the knees, and knee pain with walking or going up and down stairs. If you’re a more active person, knee pain with running, jumping, and/or landing can also be affected.

This can cause a major limitation in one’s daily life and often stops patients from exercise and recreational activities, choosing to stay at home instead of enjoying the activities they love.

When the pain is ignored, the condition can often worsen and cause more functional limitations if left untreated.

General knee pain is often treated quickly with a thorough movement assessment and physical therapy program that will address strength and mobility deficits that are contributing to the pain.

“Why Do My Knees Hurt?”

If you’re just started to get knee pain, or you’ve been struggling for years, you are probably wondering “why do my knees hurt?”.

More often than not, it is because some muscles are tight, others are weak and your body is not doing a good job of absorbing and dispersing the shock encountered throughout the day.

When we walk, the approximate force exerted on our knees is approximately 3x our body weight.

Therefore, those muscles can fatigue over time if not properly trained and that’s why exercises for your knees are vital.

It’s also important to seek care sooner rather than later so you avoid joint damage or early degeneration.

Over time the joint and surrounding cartilage can also break down, knee muscles may be tight and other muscles (such as the glutes, and hips) may weaken.

Now don’t get scared, not all pain is treated equally and this is not something you need to worry about.

Arthritis, a normal progression of “wear and tear” on our joints and bones, plagues approximately 32 million people. That means that the majority of people over the age of 50 have arthritis.

While some of these numbers seem scary, it’s important to note that if you get the right treatment (and perform the right knee exercises), you should be able to drastically reduce the time needed to get you back to doing the activities you love.

How Physical Therapy Can Stop Your Knee Pain

When you see a Doctor of Physical Therapy they will complete a full body evaluation that will identify strengths and weaknesses, mobility and flexibility deficits throughout your body and more specifically your knee.

Then together you and the Physical Therapist will develop a plan of care that will help you meet your goals and establish a timeline for expected return to your life without knee pain!

It’s important to note that in most states you can go see a physical therapist WITHOUT having to see a Medical Doctor or Specialist so if you realise you need expert help, and you’re sick and tired of relying on medication to numb the pain, you can reach out to us TODAY – Simply arrange your Discovery Visit or call us on (773) 609-1847 and find out what options are suitable for you.

For those in Illinois, Direct Access was established in 2018 and has made getting rid of that knee pain more accessible, more affordable, and a faster solution to eliminating knee pain. Since 2018, we’ve noticed a large increase in patients who want fast, drug-free relief from common issues.

6 Physical Therapy Exercises For Knee Pain Relief

Thomas Test Stretch

Seated Piriformis Stretch

Bridges

Sidelying ABD

Sit to stand (Knee Pain)

Sidestepping/Duck Walks

Stop Knee Pain That’s Ruining Your Sports Performance

You love your sport but knee pain can leave you missing practice, on the sideline for important games, and unable to perform at your best.

It’s frustrating, and we understand how much knee pain can impact your life.

At our Chicago clinic, we are currently offering a limited number of Peak Performance Assessments where you can discover how to eliminate knee pain, recover faster and become faster, stronger and better at your sport.

At PREP Performance Center, we have dedicated sports injury specialists and sports performance programs which have helped hundreds of professional and amateur athletes as well as those who simply want to keep fit and healthy.