If you ever experienced being referred to Physical Therapists before for knee pain, you might have wondered why most of the prescribed exercises were focused on your hips. That’s because there’s a relationship between the hips and the knees. During the gait cycle according to a study, the gluteus maximus and medius help prevent the pelvis from dropping during the stance phase of gait. If these muscles are fragile, there is a momentary pelvis drop that results in the knee diving in towards the other knee, which in turn leads to compression of the kneecap – this now leads to knee pain.
For this, we will be giving out some strengthening exercises for your hip muscles and managing knee pain. Some of these exercises have been present in our other articles such as your Bridges and Hip Abduction Exercises, but we believe that reiteration is key to perfection and for physical therapy, healing, and recovery. Plus, we added another two strengthening exercises that you can also do at home
Quad Sets
Quad sets help you build and maintain strength in the muscles on top of your thigh.
Steps:
- Lie on your back with your knee straight and try to contract your quad muscles (the muscles on the front part of your thigh) for 5 seconds.
- When you contract your quad muscles make sure your knee dives down towards the ground.
- Repeat these steps 10 times. However, if you’re in pain and it’s characterized more as stabbing, inform your Physical Therapist immediately.
Straight Leg Raises
Your lower abdominal muscles primarily benefit from leg raises. And according to a study, all types of leg raises increase the flexibility, agility, and strength of the hip flexors because both bent knee and straight leg raise require hip joint movement. When this exercise is done correctly, you will feel some tension on your hip, thigh, and abdomen.
Steps:
- Start by lying on your back with your legs laid out comfortably on the floor.
- Next, bend the knee of your non-injured leg at a 90-degree angle and place your foot flat on the floor.
- Try and contract your quadriceps or the muscles on the front of your thigh to stabilize the muscles on your straight leg.
- Inhale slowly and lift your straight leg at least 6 inches off the ground and hold that position for 3 seconds.
- Exhale slowly while lowering your leg to the floor with control
- Last, relax those muscles and repeat the steps 5-10 times.
We already featured how to do the Bridge and Hip Abduction exercises in our previous blogs. Additionally, there are other strengthening exercises to manage your knee pain out there but not all of it can be used for you. One of the best reminders that Physical Therapists always give you is never to start a routine when you’re in pain. And another thing, be sure to give your PT and physician a head’s up when you’re experiencing increasing pain despite the treatments you’re receiving. Not all strengthening exercises for your hip muscles can be done to all patients, so be sure to tell it all during your evaluation process
