Knee rehabilitation exercises form part of any knee injury rehabilitation program. It is important to include mobility and stretching, strengthening, movement control and functional exercises.
Knee exercises for specific injuries
- Patella tendonitis/Jumper’s knee exercises
- Quadriceps tendinopathy
- Iliotibial band syndrome exercises
- Torn cartilage meniscus
Knee exercises by type
- Knee mobility
- Knee pain stretches
- Knee strengthening
- Movement control exercises
- Functional exercises
Knee mobility exercises
Knee mobility exercises aim to restore range of motion in the joint, without putting any injured tissues under stress. Active knee mobility exercises involve the patient doing all the movement themselves. Examples include knee or heel slides or knee bends in standing. Assisted knee mobility means applying extra force to increase range of motion, either yourself or with the help of a partner or your physiotherapist.
Knee strengthening
Knee strengthening exercises are vital for recovering from sports injuries. In particular, they aim to strengthen the muscles around the joint, increasing support and stability of the knee. Early stage exercises focus on restoring the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) muscle, which often atrophies (wastes away) following a knee injury.
Functional knee rehabilitation exercises
Functional exercises are activity or sports-specific exercises. They include more complex exercises and agility drills but in a controlled environment. As a result, they bridge the gap between basic knee strengthening exercises and returning to more sports-specific training.
