Imagine our knee as the hinges of doors, only much more heavily used every single day. After a period of time, the hinges will start to squeak. What will you do then? The most logical way is to oil the hinge as oil will reduce the friction between the hinge and the door, allowing a smoother and silent opening and closing motion. The same goes for our knees! Our knee has to bear all of our body’s weight throughout the day and this is amplified through actions such as jumping. The pressure exerted on our knee can go up to 4 times of our body weight and sooner or later, our knee joints will start to go “rusty” and require maintenance. Rehab exercises are excellent for building and strengthening key muscles such as the Quad, hamstrings, abductor and adductor which will in turn help to reduce injuries. What are some great rehab exercises that you can do?
Quad contraction
Sit in an upright position and place a rolled towel beneath your knee. Place two fingers on your inner quad and start to push your knee down onto the towel. You will be able to feel your quad muscles start to tighten and hold in that position for 10 seconds. Slowly relax your quad muscles and repeat for 10 times. This exercise will help to firm and strengthen the quad muscles to better support your knee.
Hamstring contraction
Sit down upright on a chair and bend your knee 45 degrees. Sink your heel onto the floor and tighten your hamstring muscles. Hold in this position for 10 seconds and repeat for 10 times. To better support your thigh, you may use your hands to hold your thigh in a fixed position when you are tightening your hamstring muscles.
Resistance knee extension
You will need to sit down on a chair that is high enough to prevent your legs from touching the ground. Tie one end of the resistance band to the legs of the chair and another on your ankle. Slowly push your leg forward and align it with your thigh. You will be able to feel your quad muscles tightening and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise for 10 times. Be mindful to perform this exercise slowly as any sudden action may injure the quad muscles.
Rehab exercises for the knee will help to strengthen the muscles supporting the knee and reduce the risk of knee injuries. However, different exercises are meant for different target groups and you should always consult your physiotherapist whether you are suited for the exercise before performing them.
