Here are some steps to help conquer knee pain.
I see people all the time with knee pain and it always seems to get in the way of their fitness program. Many people start an exercise program then quit soon after because of knee pain. There are many reasons for the knee pain and some include muscular imbalances. Often I see people with weak glutes (The butt) and this causes many of the smaller muscles to take over which can lead to muscular dysfunction.
1. Use the bridge exercise to help build glute strength. The bridge will help correct the incorrect muscle patterns and get you back on track. The bottom line is that weak glutes directly contribute to knee pain. Shoot for 3 sets of 20 reps. Make sure that you push straight down on the heals to activate the glutes. Here is a video from Integrative Personal Training to get you started.
[uxi_video id=”dtEdI7DNUFA” size=”800″ type=”youtube” ratio=”16by9″ center=”true” relate=”false”]2. Lateral tube walking: Tube walking is a great tool to help correct muscle imbalances that cause the knees to point inward. Just like an alignment in your car it is important to have proper alignment in your hips. When your hips are in good working order the knee joint tends to fall into place. The only equipment you need is resistance bands. Position your feet hip with apart with a neutral spine, activate your core, bend your knees slightly then walk sideways. Take 20 steps the right then 20 steps to the left and remember to use controlled steps. Here is a video from breakthrough fitness to get you started:
[uxi_video id=”ZUkzPEjswm0″ size=”800″ type=”youtube” ratio=”16by9″ center=”true” relate=”false”]3. Aerobic exercise can help with weight loss which will take some pressure off the of knee. Cardio also helps the body with inflammation. When you have knee pain it is a good idea to stick with exercises that are low impact like swimming, biking or walking. Doing a simple aerobic program keeps the knees moving which and help preserve the tissue. 20-30 minutes per workout should do the trick.
These are a few tips to help you get on the right track with knee pain. Many of us suffer from pain and it can derail us from our fitness program. You can repeat 2-3 days a week and do the cardio up to 6 days a week. If you have questions feel free to message.
