Why does my knee hurt? If you’re asking this question, you may be feeling frustrated and discouraged because you’re hurting when you run, walk, or go up and down stairs. This is something patients tell us a lot when they come to us at Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine. The good news is, we have answers for you!
When your knee hurts, you may think you have a serious injury and need to see a surgeon. Fortunately, most of the time this is not the case. Knee pain often has 2 main causes: tightness of the muscles around the knee (especially the quads) and weakness of your quads and hip muscles.
Fortunately there are 2 easy exercises you can do that can address theses issues and help you to feel strong and confident again.
Quad Foam Rolling
Your quad muscles are located on the front and outside of you thigh. When these muscles are tight, they can compress the knee joint and refer pain directly to the knee.
Foam rolling can help to loosen these muscles, improving flexibility and making daily life and exercise less painful.
Target the rolling to the most tender areas of the muscle. Use your arms to help control the amount of pressure through the quad muscles. You should apply enough pressure so that it feels sore, but it shouldn’t be excruciating.
Roll back and forth over the affected area for 1-2 minutes 3 times a week.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Rear foot elevated split squats (often referred to as Bulgarian split squats) not only help in strengthening the quads but also the hamstrings and glutes, ensuring overall stability for the knee joint.
How to do it:
- Stand a couple of feet away from a bench or raised platform.
- Extend one leg back and place the top of your foot on the bench.
- Keep your chest up and core engaged.
- Lower your body by bending your front knee until the thigh is almost parallel to the ground.
- Push through the heel of the front foot to rise back up.
- Perform 10 repetitions on one leg, then switch to the other.
- Aim for 3 sets on each side.
Pro-tip: Maintain a slow and controlled motion. Make sure your front knee moves forward over your foot, but not past your toes. Keep your weight evenly distributed across your front foot throughout the movement
If you’ve tried these and you’re still having knee pain, we can help you!
At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine in Alexandria and Springfield, VA, we’re experts at helping people understand why their knee hurts and creating a plan to solve it.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to request an appointment.
A member of our team will schedule you an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists.
What happens if you don’t have a plan to stop your knee pain?
- You avoid playing sports with your friends because it hurts your knee too much.
- You’re stressed and angry all the time because you aren’t running anymore
- You stop exercising altogether and become more likely to get other diseases and injuries
But with a plan to stop your knee pain you can live the confident and active life you want.
If you want an expert to listen to your unique problems and guide you to success, a Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine physical therapist in Alexandria or Springfield, VA will create a plan specifically for you.
You’ll feel confident that you have the knowledge and ability to stay active and do all the things you want.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to schedule your appointment and get started.
Working to keep you living your best life,
The Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Team
