How to Do Leg Workouts with Knee Pain
Warm up prior to your workout., After your warm up, stretch., Start with walking., Go swimming., Try step ups., Perform side-lying leg lifts., Do calf raises., Try the one leg barbell squat., After your workout, make sure to cool down., Rest when...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Warm up prior to your workout.
The importance of an adequate warm-up should never be underestimated.
In fact, it doesn't just prevent injuries, but it can help you get better results out of your workout.
Start with some joint rotations, some light jumping jacks (if your knee can tolerate them), and some push ups to get your body prepared for your actual work out.
Here's what a warm-up can do for you:
Warm-ups help increase blood flow to your leg muscles Warm-ups can loosen up stiff muscles and increase your flexibility Warm-ups prepare you physically and psychologically for the intense workout ahead -
Step 2: After your warm up
Stretching and deep breathing is a great way to warm up your overall body.
It should start with head and neck stretches and work its way down.
This will keep you systematic and prevent you from skipping a muscle.
If you'd like, use a foam roller to avoid pulling your knees too much.
Proper tracking will also be maintained when you use foam rollers. , Walking is the most fundamental exercise for your legs.
While it involves knee bending, it is still considered minimal compared to other forms of exercises.
Overall, it does not put too much stress on your knees.
If you can tolerate regular walking, try brisk walking for added intensity.
Make sure that you are walking on smooth and even ground.
This will put even pressure on your knees, feet, and legs as a whole.
Walking 30 minutes is said to achieve the same result as jogging for 30 minutes.
Even if you do it in 10-minute chunks, you're doing your entire body a huge favor. , Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise that does not put too much stress on the knees.
In the water your weight is evenly distributed through your body and not just to your knees only.Swimming can be done 30 minutes a day, 6 times a week to help you maintain physical fitness.
However, avoid swimming drills that will force you to flex your knees, such as the breaststroke. , Step ups are full of cardiovascular benefits while able to develop your quads at the same time.
This exercise should not put too much weight on your knees, but if you feel pain, stop immediately.
Here's how to do a step up:
With the use of aerobic step bench, staircase or any raised platform with 6–12 inches (15.2–30.5 cm) height, step up with your right foot.
If you'd like, do these with dumbbells in your hands placed at your shoulders.
This makes the step up more of a full body workout.
Raise your left leg and briefly tap it on the platform, then lower it back to the ground.
Perform 20-30 reps for each leg with 3 sets. , This exercise will improve the strength of your hamstrings and quads.
Since the exercising knee is not bent, it does not provoke pain.
Here's how this exercise is done:
Start by lying on the right side of your body.
Your legs should be straight and laid together, while your right arm supports your head.
Lift your right leg while keeping it straight to your body.
Do it slowly until you reach a 45-degree angle.
Slowly bring back your right leg to the starting position.
Perform 12 repetitions for each leg and complete 3 sets. , This exercise will develop your gastrocnemius, or calf muscles.
The knees are kept straight during the whole duration of the exercise.
Here's how to do calf raises:
Use a table or chair for balance.
Stand in front of a table and hold it with your hands.
Stand with your feet 6 inches (15.2Â cm) apart with your toes facing ahead.
Lift your heels off the floor until your toes are the only ones left touching the floor.
Do this slowly.
Slowly lower your heels again.
Do 12 repetitions of 3 sets. , Another exercise that you can do is the one leg barbell squat where one leg (the hurting leg) is rested on a bench forming a 90-degree angle with your other leg.
You can stretch out as far as you can manage.This is done to strengthen knee joints and to enhance the strength of your hamstrings and gluteal muscles.
This exercise will make your legs wobbly so it is recommended that only two sets should be done. , Just like it's imperative you warm up, it's important to cool down your muscles, too.
Going from 60 to 0 in nothing flat will jar your muscles, stiffening them and reducing your flexibility.
When you're finished, take 5 or 10 minutes to stretch out your entire body.
This can mirror the stretches you did beforehand, too.
It's just enough to let your body know the workout is over and it doesn't have to keep pumping as hard as it was. , When your knee pain is just starting, adequate rest is needed so that the pain felt will not be aggravated.
After an intense workout, take a day off to let your muscles repair themselves.
Your overall healing time will be shortened if you take adequate care of yourself.
If possible, learn to refrain from doing weight bearing activities such as jogging or running.
Keep the weight off your knees as much as possible.
Stick to the leg workouts suggested above until the pain subsides. , If your knee starts hurting, grab an ice pack or some ice wrapped in a towel and apply it to your knee for 15 minutes every hour.
This will help the swelling and pain subside.
For the next couple of days, apply the ice at least four times every day.
Make sure there is a barrier between the ice and your skin.
If ice is directly placed on your skin, it could cause tissue damage.
Do not hold the ice on your skin for more than 15 minutes at a time.
Longer will numb the area and you will lose the ability to tell if your skin is freezing and getting damaged. , Another way to reduce swelling is to keep your knees raised as much as possible.
Before you go to sleep, put two pillows under your knee.
This is to ensure that elevation takes place and is constant.
Do this whenever you can.
If you're on the couch just watching TV or surfing the Internet, elevate your knee.
A reduction in swelling can make all the difference for your pain. , You can also wrap your knees with an elastic bandage or KT tape in order to provide support to the area and to reduce swelling.
Braces can also be used, especially if you are in the middle of rehabilitation.
And of these will help stabilize your knee and will act as a means of support as well.
Make sure that circulation is not cut off during wrapping or bandaging.
Keep the bandage snug but not tight.
Check out How to Wrap Your Knee or How to Tape a Knee for more information. , Since you already have knee pain, you likely know that plenty of exercises will aggravate the pain.
For this reason, it is important that you take note of those exercises to better protect your knee from pain.
Here's what to keep in mind:
In general, exercises that will bend your knees will lead to knee pain.
As you flex your knees, you are putting more pressure on the bones, ligaments and tendons around your knee.
Examples of exercises that involve knee flexing will be lunges, leg presses, and full squats.
Some type of sports may also lead to knee flexing.
These are soccer, basketball, tennis, hockey, football, just to name a few.
Anything that will suddenly move your knee joints will put undue stress on your knee.
Exercises that involve jumping should also be avoided.
Remember that jumping involves slight bending and as you land; your knee will bear 2 times your body weight because of gravity.
Hopping or very light jumping can be tolerated. , Each individual has different levels of pain tolerance and different types of pain they experience.
Therefore, one person may successfully perform an exercise routine while others cannot.
Because of this, it is important to know your fitness level and what you're capable of doing safely.
From there, progressively work yourself up to a more intense workout.
Increase your workout about 10% each time if you find yourself capable of and pain-free from your last session. , Many people feel pain and decide to charge through it, believing that it's weakness.
This is detrimental to their performance and will eventually take them out of the running.
At all times, avoid continuing with an exercise that causes pain to your knee (or anywhere else for that matter).
This will lead to bigger problems in the future.
It does not mean that you have to quit working out – it simply means you have to find a new exercise to do.
When you feel pain, grab some water, take a short walk around for a breather, and pick up a new exercise. , In cases of obesity, the knee is forced to bear much more weight than it should.
Increased weight leads to an increased chance of knee pain.If you're overweight or obese, consider a weight loss plan to reduce your pain.
Talk to your doctor about what a healthy weight for you is and what he or she thinks an appropriate diet and exercise plan may be.
There is no one diet that is perfect for everyone and he or she will take into your habits and lifestyle to come up with a regimen you can stick with. , However, you may wish to stick to the low-fat variety of dairy products to keep your fat intake down.
Also include vitamin D in your diet for maximum calcium absorption.
This can be done by taking your walk outside in the sun or by taking a supplement – vitamin D isn't found in food.
Stay away from caffeinated or carbonated drinks because they are thought to reduce or inhibit the absorption of calcium.
They are also just empty calories and sugar that aren't good for you and your entire body anyway. , The right pair of shoes will give you more stability as you perform your exercise.
Take a look at these LifeGuide Hub articles to get you started in the right direction:
How to Buy Tennis Shoes How to Choose Running Shoes How to Buy Exercise Shoes How to Buy Toning Shoes How to Choose Comfortable Walking Shoes , When the knees or the legs overall are not regularly exercised, they will undergo atrophy (muscle wasting) which then leads to weakness.This is, quite obviously, a condition that needs to be avoided.
See your healthcare provider to discuss the best way of managing your knee pain.
If your knee pain is moderate to severe, your doctor will likely prescribe medication or open up a dialogue about possible surgical correction.
In the meantime, he or she will give you a regimen to follow to stay as healthy as possible, too. -
Step 3: stretch.
-
Step 4: Start with walking.
-
Step 5: Go swimming.
-
Step 6: Try step ups.
-
Step 7: Perform side-lying leg lifts.
-
Step 8: Do calf raises.
-
Step 9: Try the one leg barbell squat.
-
Step 10: After your workout
-
Step 11: make sure to cool down.
-
Step 12: Rest when your body needs it.
-
Step 13: Use ice on your knee if your pain starts flaring up.
-
Step 14: Elevate your knee
-
Step 15: especially while sleeping.
-
Step 16: Use an elastic bandage or KT tape on your knee.
-
Step 17: Know the exercises that you should avoid.
-
Step 18: Know what your body is capable of.
-
Step 19: Always quit when you feel pain.
-
Step 20: Achieve a healthy weight.
-
Step 21: Get plenty of calcium and vitamin D. Strengthen your bones by eating foods that are rich in calcium
-
Step 22: like milk
-
Step 23: whole grains
-
Step 24: and other dairy products.
-
Step 25: Wear a comfortable yet fitted pair of shoes.
-
Step 26: Talk to your doctor about managing your knee pain but still staying active.
Detailed Guide
The importance of an adequate warm-up should never be underestimated.
In fact, it doesn't just prevent injuries, but it can help you get better results out of your workout.
Start with some joint rotations, some light jumping jacks (if your knee can tolerate them), and some push ups to get your body prepared for your actual work out.
Here's what a warm-up can do for you:
Warm-ups help increase blood flow to your leg muscles Warm-ups can loosen up stiff muscles and increase your flexibility Warm-ups prepare you physically and psychologically for the intense workout ahead
Stretching and deep breathing is a great way to warm up your overall body.
It should start with head and neck stretches and work its way down.
This will keep you systematic and prevent you from skipping a muscle.
If you'd like, use a foam roller to avoid pulling your knees too much.
Proper tracking will also be maintained when you use foam rollers. , Walking is the most fundamental exercise for your legs.
While it involves knee bending, it is still considered minimal compared to other forms of exercises.
Overall, it does not put too much stress on your knees.
If you can tolerate regular walking, try brisk walking for added intensity.
Make sure that you are walking on smooth and even ground.
This will put even pressure on your knees, feet, and legs as a whole.
Walking 30 minutes is said to achieve the same result as jogging for 30 minutes.
Even if you do it in 10-minute chunks, you're doing your entire body a huge favor. , Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise that does not put too much stress on the knees.
In the water your weight is evenly distributed through your body and not just to your knees only.Swimming can be done 30 minutes a day, 6 times a week to help you maintain physical fitness.
However, avoid swimming drills that will force you to flex your knees, such as the breaststroke. , Step ups are full of cardiovascular benefits while able to develop your quads at the same time.
This exercise should not put too much weight on your knees, but if you feel pain, stop immediately.
Here's how to do a step up:
With the use of aerobic step bench, staircase or any raised platform with 6–12 inches (15.2–30.5 cm) height, step up with your right foot.
If you'd like, do these with dumbbells in your hands placed at your shoulders.
This makes the step up more of a full body workout.
Raise your left leg and briefly tap it on the platform, then lower it back to the ground.
Perform 20-30 reps for each leg with 3 sets. , This exercise will improve the strength of your hamstrings and quads.
Since the exercising knee is not bent, it does not provoke pain.
Here's how this exercise is done:
Start by lying on the right side of your body.
Your legs should be straight and laid together, while your right arm supports your head.
Lift your right leg while keeping it straight to your body.
Do it slowly until you reach a 45-degree angle.
Slowly bring back your right leg to the starting position.
Perform 12 repetitions for each leg and complete 3 sets. , This exercise will develop your gastrocnemius, or calf muscles.
The knees are kept straight during the whole duration of the exercise.
Here's how to do calf raises:
Use a table or chair for balance.
Stand in front of a table and hold it with your hands.
Stand with your feet 6 inches (15.2Â cm) apart with your toes facing ahead.
Lift your heels off the floor until your toes are the only ones left touching the floor.
Do this slowly.
Slowly lower your heels again.
Do 12 repetitions of 3 sets. , Another exercise that you can do is the one leg barbell squat where one leg (the hurting leg) is rested on a bench forming a 90-degree angle with your other leg.
You can stretch out as far as you can manage.This is done to strengthen knee joints and to enhance the strength of your hamstrings and gluteal muscles.
This exercise will make your legs wobbly so it is recommended that only two sets should be done. , Just like it's imperative you warm up, it's important to cool down your muscles, too.
Going from 60 to 0 in nothing flat will jar your muscles, stiffening them and reducing your flexibility.
When you're finished, take 5 or 10 minutes to stretch out your entire body.
This can mirror the stretches you did beforehand, too.
It's just enough to let your body know the workout is over and it doesn't have to keep pumping as hard as it was. , When your knee pain is just starting, adequate rest is needed so that the pain felt will not be aggravated.
After an intense workout, take a day off to let your muscles repair themselves.
Your overall healing time will be shortened if you take adequate care of yourself.
If possible, learn to refrain from doing weight bearing activities such as jogging or running.
Keep the weight off your knees as much as possible.
Stick to the leg workouts suggested above until the pain subsides. , If your knee starts hurting, grab an ice pack or some ice wrapped in a towel and apply it to your knee for 15 minutes every hour.
This will help the swelling and pain subside.
For the next couple of days, apply the ice at least four times every day.
Make sure there is a barrier between the ice and your skin.
If ice is directly placed on your skin, it could cause tissue damage.
Do not hold the ice on your skin for more than 15 minutes at a time.
Longer will numb the area and you will lose the ability to tell if your skin is freezing and getting damaged. , Another way to reduce swelling is to keep your knees raised as much as possible.
Before you go to sleep, put two pillows under your knee.
This is to ensure that elevation takes place and is constant.
Do this whenever you can.
If you're on the couch just watching TV or surfing the Internet, elevate your knee.
A reduction in swelling can make all the difference for your pain. , You can also wrap your knees with an elastic bandage or KT tape in order to provide support to the area and to reduce swelling.
Braces can also be used, especially if you are in the middle of rehabilitation.
And of these will help stabilize your knee and will act as a means of support as well.
Make sure that circulation is not cut off during wrapping or bandaging.
Keep the bandage snug but not tight.
Check out How to Wrap Your Knee or How to Tape a Knee for more information. , Since you already have knee pain, you likely know that plenty of exercises will aggravate the pain.
For this reason, it is important that you take note of those exercises to better protect your knee from pain.
Here's what to keep in mind:
In general, exercises that will bend your knees will lead to knee pain.
As you flex your knees, you are putting more pressure on the bones, ligaments and tendons around your knee.
Examples of exercises that involve knee flexing will be lunges, leg presses, and full squats.
Some type of sports may also lead to knee flexing.
These are soccer, basketball, tennis, hockey, football, just to name a few.
Anything that will suddenly move your knee joints will put undue stress on your knee.
Exercises that involve jumping should also be avoided.
Remember that jumping involves slight bending and as you land; your knee will bear 2 times your body weight because of gravity.
Hopping or very light jumping can be tolerated. , Each individual has different levels of pain tolerance and different types of pain they experience.
Therefore, one person may successfully perform an exercise routine while others cannot.
Because of this, it is important to know your fitness level and what you're capable of doing safely.
From there, progressively work yourself up to a more intense workout.
Increase your workout about 10% each time if you find yourself capable of and pain-free from your last session. , Many people feel pain and decide to charge through it, believing that it's weakness.
This is detrimental to their performance and will eventually take them out of the running.
At all times, avoid continuing with an exercise that causes pain to your knee (or anywhere else for that matter).
This will lead to bigger problems in the future.
It does not mean that you have to quit working out – it simply means you have to find a new exercise to do.
When you feel pain, grab some water, take a short walk around for a breather, and pick up a new exercise. , In cases of obesity, the knee is forced to bear much more weight than it should.
Increased weight leads to an increased chance of knee pain.If you're overweight or obese, consider a weight loss plan to reduce your pain.
Talk to your doctor about what a healthy weight for you is and what he or she thinks an appropriate diet and exercise plan may be.
There is no one diet that is perfect for everyone and he or she will take into your habits and lifestyle to come up with a regimen you can stick with. , However, you may wish to stick to the low-fat variety of dairy products to keep your fat intake down.
Also include vitamin D in your diet for maximum calcium absorption.
This can be done by taking your walk outside in the sun or by taking a supplement – vitamin D isn't found in food.
Stay away from caffeinated or carbonated drinks because they are thought to reduce or inhibit the absorption of calcium.
They are also just empty calories and sugar that aren't good for you and your entire body anyway. , The right pair of shoes will give you more stability as you perform your exercise.
Take a look at these LifeGuide Hub articles to get you started in the right direction:
How to Buy Tennis Shoes How to Choose Running Shoes How to Buy Exercise Shoes How to Buy Toning Shoes How to Choose Comfortable Walking Shoes , When the knees or the legs overall are not regularly exercised, they will undergo atrophy (muscle wasting) which then leads to weakness.This is, quite obviously, a condition that needs to be avoided.
See your healthcare provider to discuss the best way of managing your knee pain.
If your knee pain is moderate to severe, your doctor will likely prescribe medication or open up a dialogue about possible surgical correction.
In the meantime, he or she will give you a regimen to follow to stay as healthy as possible, too.
About the Author
Isabella Chavez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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