Pilates for Knee Pain

My friend Erica is sharing some of her favorite favorite 𝙆𝙉𝙀𝙀 𝙋𝘼𝙄𝙉 💥 𝙚𝙭𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙨 with me because skating messed my knees up!!! Lol

The 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣 is usually one of the following:

𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬

(when the cartilage around joints wears down causing increased friction), 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 (like knock knees or bow legs, which involves how the femur is coming into the knee joint from the hip), OR 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 (and often hypermobility) around the knee which can cause instability and poor alignment during movement.

While we cannot do anything about structural imbalances (we cannot change bones!), ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴇʟᴘ anyone experiencing knee pain by helping them 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 (quads (thighs!), hamstrings (back of the thighs!), glutes, adductors (inner thighs), & abductors (outer hips)) for better form and function. Strengthening all the muscles around an injured area also helps take compressive pressure off of the joint (one of the principal ideologies behind Physical Therapy!). We have offered modifications for a variation of body sizes and equipment!

Try these exercises with a loop band that’s lighter at first and work your way up to heavier! You can find these for as low as $10!

1. 𝙱𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚝 (if someone has knee pain in squats, reduce the degree of bend at the knee). 8 reps (there and back is 1 rep)

2. 𝚂𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚕𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚎𝚐 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜: 10 each of clamshells, straight leg lower/lift, bent knee glute press backs

3. 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜: 10 each of articulations up and down maintaining even pressure out on the band, hips up alt. knee press outs (DO NOT let the inner border of the foot lift!), pelvic lower/lifts with band press out at the top

4. 𝚂𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚝𝚑 (using pilates ring or folded blanket, pillow or thick towel): 10 each of squeeze and hold for 3 counts, then progressive 3 pulse squeezes- hard, harder, hardest.