Expert Tips from Knee Specialists for Strengthening and Supporting Knee Joints
Knee health is critical to maintaining overall mobility and quality of life, particularly as we age or recover from injury. Among the most heavily utilised in the body, knee joints are susceptible to injuries and degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis. Whether as a preventative measure or during post-surgical rehabilitation, knee specialists advocate strengthening and supporting these joints to ensure better function and long-term mobility.
The following article explores some exercises many orthopaedic specialists recommend to boost and maintain the health of these hardworking and frequently abused joints.
Why Knee Specialists Consider Strong Knees Important
The knee joint is supported by a network of muscles, ligaments, and tendons working together to stabilise and facilitate its movements. However, weakness or imbalance in these supporting soft tissues can leave the joint more prone to injury. Strong muscles around the knee, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, help distribute the load more evenly across the joint, making it less susceptible to injuries and improving its overall function.
Knee specialists or physiotherapists might recommend the following regimen of preventative exercises for which precise details can be found online:
- Quads: Simple exercises like straight leg raises and wall sits will improve quadriceps muscle strength and avoid undue stress on the knee joints.
- Hamstrings: These muscles sit behind your thighs and work in tandem with your quads to stabilise the knee. Hamstring curls using resistance bands and bridges are the best way to keep them strong.
- Glutes: The gluteus medius muscles are essential for knee alignment and function. Clamshells and side leg raises are great ways to toughen them up.
- Calves: Strong calf muscles help absorb impacts that damage knee joints. Calf raises will help build them up.
Recommendations from Knee Surgeons for Post-surgical Rehabilitation
Strict adherence to a structured rehabilitation program is crucial after knee surgery, whether for a simple ligament repair or a total knee replacement. For example, patients will be advised to avoid putting undue strain on the joint in the early stages and to sleep on the ground floor of their homes to avoid climbing stairs,
However, while patients must take care not to overdo things, knee specialists will also tell them that engaging in some gentle range-of-motion exercises will strengthen the affected joint and speed up their recovery. An orthopaedic surgeon will usually refer someone who has undergone a recent knee op to a physiotherapist. The latter might then suggest a programme that includes these two exercises.
- Heel slides: This exercise requires sitting or lying down with your legs extended, sliding your heel towards your buttocks, bending your knee whilst keeping your foot on the floor and holding this stance for a few seconds before sliding back to the start position.
- Seated knee extensions: While sitting in a chair with feet flat on the ground, slowly lift and straighten the leg out before you. Hold that position for a moment and then lower it back down.
While these exercises can be helpful, always seek medical advice before starting them. Also, if you have a painful, swollen knee and are looking for the best knee specialists, contact Dr Jan de Vos at the Wilgers Life Hospital in Pretoria for any knee surgery or other orthopaedic procedure you may require.
