A combination of medical treatment and physical therapy can offer quick relief from knee pain (6), (7). In this article, we have listed 15 cardio exercises that can help relieve your knee pain and strengthen your leg muscles. Scroll down to check them out.
15 Safe And Effective Cardio Exercises To Relieve Knee Pain
Before you start with the exercises, you must warm-up for at least 10 minutes.
Warm-Up
Warming up is important to elevate body temperature, metabolic rate, and oxygen uptake (8). You can look at the following warm-up routine:
Use a warm towel to gently rub your knee in a circular motion. Take a hot water shower. Ask your physical therapist to gently massage your knee before exercising.
After the warm-up, you can start doing the following low-impact exercises for relieving knee pain.
Sitting/Lying Cardio For Knee Pain
1. Sitting Quad Clench
Target – Quads How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 12 reps. Do this 4-5 times a day.
2. Sitting March
Target – Quadriceps, and hamstrings. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 10 reps.
3. Lying Leg Curls
Target – Hamstrings, quads, and glutes. How To Do Sets And Reps 2 sets of 12 reps. Do this 3 times a day.
4. Straight Leg Raises
Target – Hamstrings, quads, glutes, and lower abs. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 5 reps.
Standing Cardio For Knee Pain
5. Wall Sit Squats
Target – Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 10 seconds before you hold. Increase the duration of the hold as you progress and become more comfortable with this exercise.
6. Assisted Calf Raises
Target – Calves and hamstrings. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 12 reps. Do this 4-5 times a day.
7. Assisted Stair Climbing
Target – Knee extensors, hamstrings, quads, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 1 set of 10 climb-ups and 10 climb-downs. Increase the sets as you become more comfortable with the stair exercise.
8. Stationary Biking
Target – Quadriceps, hamstrings, knee extensors, glutes, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 30 – 50 reps
Aqua Cardio Exercises For Knees
9. Walking In The Swimming Pool
Target – Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and knee extensors. Pool Condition – Warm water pool How To Do Sets And Reps Do 2-3 sets of 15 reps of forwarding and back steps each. Practice this once per day under the supervision of your physical therapist.
10. Side Walking In Swimming Pool
Target – Knee extensors and all the tendons and ligaments in the knees. How To Do Sets And Reps 2 sets of 1 lap. You may decrease or increase the distance covered or sets, respectively, according to your comfort level.
11. Underwater Treadmill
Target – Quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 10 minutes.
12. Aqua One-Leg Jogging
Targets- Quadriceps, Hamstrings. How To Do Sets And Reps 5 minutes
13. Aqua Squats
Targets – Quadriceps How To Do Sets And Reps 2 minutes
14. Step Up In The Swimming Pool
Target – Quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps Initially, do 2 sets of 10 step ups and step downs. Take a break of 30 seconds (or more) between the two sets. Move on to doing more number of steps and reps as you progress. Do this once a day under the supervision of your physical therapist.
15. Side Leg Raises In The Swimming Pool
Target – Abductors and glutes. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 10 reps. These simple exercises can help strengthen your legs. If done right, they may also relieve your knee pain. However, it is important you take the necessary precautions.
Precautions
Do not go past the safe range of motion. Do not sit by folding your good leg over the affected leg. Avoid hyperextension of the knee. Do not perform high-intensity exercises. Avoid running, jogging, and dancing on solid ground. Avoid using additional medications to mask the pain.
The following tips can help promote faster healing. Do run these by your health care provider and trainer.
Tips To Follow
Follow a balanced diet. Take your time and be gentle while doing the exercises. Always warm-up before exercising. Ice your knee when you feel it’s appropriate. In case of increased pain, talk to your doctor and rest your knee.
Can you do squats if you have painful knees? Regular squats are not recommended with painful knees. However, you may try aqua squats as they exert low pressure on your knees. Ensure you speak to your doctor before you start the exercise regimen. How can I increase cartilage in my knees? Cartilage in knees can be increased by including healthy and protein-rich foods in your diet. Take the right supplements after discussing with your doctor, practice regular exercise, and aim to lose weight. Is swimming good for the knees? Yes, swimming is a low-impact activity that strengthens the muscles around your knees, which may help strengthen the knees and reduce pain (9). In addition, the buoyancy of the water supports the body weight during swimming, putting less strain on joints and easing knee pain. Is elliptical good for knees? Yes, elliptical workouts are low-impact, easy on the knees, and wonderful for the elderly and those recovering after a knee injury, osteoporosis, ankle damage, and knee arthritis (10).
