Pilates for Knee Pain
My friend Erica is sharing some of her favorite favorite ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฅ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐๐จ with me because skating messed my knees up!!! Lol
The ๐๐๐ช๐จ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ is usually one of the following:
๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ
(when the cartilage around joints wears down causing increased friction), ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ (like knock knees or bow legs, which involves how the femur is coming into the knee joint from the hip), OR ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ (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!), แดกแด แดแดษด สแดสแด anyone experiencing knee pain by helping them ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐๐ก๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฉ (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 thatโs lighter at first and work your way up to heavier! You can find these for as low as $10!
1. ๐ฑ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ (if someone has knee pain in squats, reduce the degree of bend at the knee). 8 reps (there and back is 1 rep)
2. ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐: 10 each of clamshells, straight leg lower/lift, bent knee glute press backs
3. ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐: 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. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ (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.