Gymnastics for knee joints. Exercise for knee joints according to Bubnovsky. Rehabilitation of the knee joint after ligament injury

Joints provide human movement. They consist of cartilage tissue and synovial fluid, which improves their mobility. The knee joint is quite vulnerable, as a large load is placed on it.

It is necessary to take care of them so that their mobility is not impaired as they age. People often don't think about their joints until everyday activities cause them pain. Problems often start due to overload. To prevent this from happening, you need to know how to take care of them. It is necessary to carry out comprehensive joint strengthening, which includes special diet and exercises.

The knee is one of the largest joints in the human body. It is formed by the lower end of the femur, the upper end of the tibia and the patella. These bones are connected by ligaments and cartilage. The meniscus serves as a shock absorber.

Range of motion is measured in angles. When walking, the range of movements reaches 65 degrees. To pick something up from the floor you need to 70 degrees. For climbing stairs 85 degrees and to get up and sit down - 95 .

Quite often the knee joint is subject to various injuries. Therefore, you need to pay attention to them, as severe injuries can disrupt operation knee joint.

Exercise sets

To strengthen your knee joints, you need to do special exercises. You should know that before performing them you need to do a warm-up. This will prepare the joints and muscles so that complications do not arise after performing the exercises.

First complex

  1. You need to stand on one leg on the floor. For insurance, you can place a chair nearby that can provide insurance. It is necessary to change legs the moment you lose your balance. If a person can maintain balance for 30 seconds on each leg, then you can move on to the next exercise.
  2. It is much easier to maintain balance on a flat surface. To complicate the task, you need to take a pillow and place it on the floor. This will increase the load on the knee joint and strengthen it. You need to stand with one foot on the pillow and also keep your balance. Continue until the person can hold on for 30 seconds. To make the task even more difficult, you can fold the pillow in half.
  3. You don't need a pillow for this exercise. You should close your eyes with your palm and stand on one leg. Vision plays a big role in maintaining balance. When the body begins to deviate from the position, an impulse is sent to the brain to correct the position. If you do the exercise without using your vision, the muscle reaction will improve. With your eyes closed, you need to stand on one leg. It is advisable to do this next to a wall so that if you fall, you can lean on it. After 30 seconds you need to change legs.

If all of the above exercises are performed without difficulty, then you can move on to the second complex.

Second complex

It is important to know whether the knee bends correctly. Before carrying out the exercises, you need to conduct a test.

Test: A person should stand in front of the mirror on one leg and bend it at the knee. Next you need to look at where the knee joint will extend. If it pulls out straight, then this is normal. If there is a deviation to the sides, then the risk of injury is quite high.

  1. Squats are quite useful, especially when the mobility of the knee joint is limited. You need to stand up straight and just squat down to the ground. Your back should be kept straight. If it is difficult to do such squats, then you can use a chair instead of a support.
  2. You need to stand on one leg, spread your arms to the side. Jump about 1 cm. You need to try to land softly. The next jump should be repeated only after balance is completely restored. Repeat 3-5 approaches and 10 jumps on each leg.
  3. You need to draw a 20 by 20 cm square on the ground or imagine it. You need to jump clockwise around it (5 times). Then you need to change direction. If this exercise seems too easy, then you should increase the size of the square.

Such sets of exercises strengthen the knee joints, as well as nearby muscles.

Nutrition

Nutrition plays an important role in strengthening joints. Please pay attention to the following recommendations:

  • You should avoid eating pickled vegetables; it is better to simply ferment them;
  • To preserve vitamins, food should be cooked in enamel dishes;
  • Fruits and vegetables for use in winter should be dried or frozen;
  • The cooking time for vegetables and fruits should be reduced in order to preserve beneficial features products.

There is also a list of permitted and prohibited products.

Authorized Products

The following products are beneficial for knee joints:

  1. Lean meats. Helps remove excess phosphorus from the body.
  2. Green vegetables, raisins, prunes. Rich in magnesium, which improves the functioning of the nerves serving the knee joints.
  3. Fish and seafood. Contain organic phosphorus, necessary for normal joint function.
  4. Dairy. Contains organic calcium. Unlike inorganic calcium, it is not deposited in the bones in the form of stones. Organic calcium is essential for bones.
  5. Seaweed, gelatin, cartilage and other products used to make cold meat. They are quite useful, as they are similar in composition to the synovial fluid of the joints.
  6. Fish liver, butter. Contains vitamin D, which promotes calcium absorption.
  7. Citrus fruits, rose hips, some types of berries. They contain vitamin C, which is necessary for nourishing joints.

These foods must be included in your diet to improve joint nutrition.

Prohibited Products

  • Products containing inorganic phosphates. These include: carbonated drinks, processed cheese, ice cream, crab sticks.
  • Marinated, salted and smoked products. They contain a large amount of salts, which irritate the joint capsule and provoke inflammation.
  • Tea, coffee, chocolate. They contain purines, which are the main cause of gout.

If possible, these products should be excluded from the diet.

What else should you know?

Knee joints are quite complex. With various processes, symptoms may appear that can frighten a person. Therefore, you need to know when to pay attention to them.

  1. Clicks. In most cases, they are not dangerous and are regarded as normal. If you feel pain with them, you should consult a doctor.
  2. Crackling. If it lasts a short time and is not painful, then it is not worth worrying about.
  3. Limited mobility. If it is difficult to straighten your leg after squatting, then you should not worry here either.
  4. Pain. This symptom is a sign of problems in the body. If the pain continues for a long time, you should consult a specialist.

Thus, you need to take timely care of your joints to prevent the development of diseases.

With diseases of the knee joints, sometimes every step is difficult, but this does not mean that you should give up physical activity and sedentary image life. Often, little physical activity is the cause of these diseases, because it weakens the muscles that support joints and bones. Therapeutic sets of exercises help with many types of joint diseases, especially in the initial stages.

Structure and functions of the knee joints

The knee joints are complex: they connect the femurs, tibia and patellas. Their movements are limited complex system external and internal ligaments. They also contain cartilage (menisci) and bursae, which cushion and stabilize them.

The main function of the knees is to provide leg mobility; in particular, during the transition to upright walking, they made it possible to walk on the ground without strong blow about the surface.

Benefits of exercise

People with painful joints should not refuse physical activity, as this will only make the situation worse. Regular execution therapeutic exercises for the knees will have the following beneficial effects on patients:

  • reduce pain and relieve muscle tension. A person will not have to swallow painkillers and other medications that negatively affect the digestive organs too often;
  • will help avoid joint degeneration and do without surgical intervention;
  • will improve the production of fluid, which is a joint “lubricant”;
  • promotes a better supply of nutrients and restoration of cartilage elements;
  • will increase the mobility and elasticity of the knee joints and ligaments;
  • trains the body and eliminates fatigue;
  • improves posture and figure, has a good effect on metabolic processes and will promote weight loss.

Important! If you have joint diseases, you should get rid of extra pounds, putting a lot of strain on already suffering knees. It is also necessary to take measures to remove all foci of inflammatory processes that can affect the joints.

Indications and contraindications

Therapeutic exercises for legs are very useful for rehabilitation after injury, as well as for the following knee diseases:

  • the first stages of arthrosis, arthritis and gonarthrosis;
  • after inflammatory joint diseases;
  • motor dysfunction.
Therapeutic exercises will serve as an excellent prevention of joint ailments for older people and will help them stay “on the move” for a long time. It will also serve well for those who spend a lot of time on their feet or put a lot of strain on them (athletes and dancers).
Obese people and those leading a sedentary lifestyle should pay attention to such activities, since all of the above categories have an increased risk of acquiring joint ailments. However, even useful gymnastics completely contraindicated in the following cases:
  • exacerbation of knee joint diseases;
  • acute inflammatory forms of arthrosis and arthritis;
  • high pressure;
  • some thyroid diseases;
  • purulent inflammatory processes of synovial membranes;
  • cancer diseases;
  • ankylosis is a disease in which the joints become completely ossified and completely lose their mobility.

Important! If you have problems with your knees, many sports that put a lot of stress on your joints are prohibited - running, football, basketball and others. For some diseases of the knee joints, even long walking is contraindicated, but here physical therapy will come to the rescue.

Exercises to strengthen and develop the knee joint

For different degrees and causes of joint diseases, treatment complexes have their own nuances. Before engaging in physical activity, you should consult a doctor.

For arthrosis

Osteoarthrosis (arthrosis) is the most common disease affecting joints and is characterized by degenerative changes due to damage to cartilage. Almost a third of people over the age of 50 suffer from it.
A set of exercises for grade 2 osteoarthritis to develop the knee joints:

  1. Pendulum. Choose a high chair or place to sit so that your legs hang down and do not touch the floor. Raise your legs and lower them back. The movements must be performed rhythmically for 15 minutes. for each limb. To increase the load, you can use an elastic band.
  2. Backbends. Lie on the floor or stand with your support against the wall. Actively bend your knee, throwing your heel back towards your buttock, for about 10 minutes.
  3. Running while sitting. Sit on a regular chair with a backrest, placing your feet on the floor. Alternately raise and lower your bent legs, as if running. Perform for 10 minutes.
  4. Squats. Do 15 squats, bending your knee as much as possible under your own weight. If the exercise is difficult to perform, then you can lean on something and do half squats.
For a more severe form of arthrosis (3rd degree) with assistance from physical therapy Mobility of the knee joints cannot be restored, and exercises are used to prepare for endoprosthetics surgery. They help strengthen muscles and ligaments and will help you recover quickly after surgery.

Video: therapeutic exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint and contracture of the knee In this case, doctors recommend the following exercises:

  1. Mini squats. Do small leg bends with your knees half bent. Slowly return to the starting position. Do 15 repetitions.
  2. Feet swaying. It is similar to the first exercise “pendulum”, but with it you should also clasp your thigh 5 cm above the knee and rub it, moving your palms back and forth. Massaging should be intense. To increase the load, you can use an elastic band.
  3. Tapping your heels. Sit on a regular chair and alternately tap your heels on the floor surface, feeling the vibrations in your knees. Perform these tappings for 10 minutes.
  4. Pinwheel. Sit on a chair and rotate the knee joint with each leg with an amplitude that is within your power. Perform for 15 minutes.

Did you know? To relieve joint pain, you can tie a cabbage leaf to the sore spot overnight or make a compress of grated horseradish and potatoes for 15 minutes. Such remedies are better than swallowing pills, but treatment should not be limited to them.

For gonarthrosis and osteoporosis

Deforming arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) occurs against the background of depletion of the cartilage tissue of the knee and is accompanied by a decrease in the amount of synovial fluid, as well as its stagnation. The more severe the form of the disease, the more gentle the treatment should be. physical exercise during classes. Good fit isometric exercises, improving blood circulation, as they will help reduce pain and improve motor ability knees
This complex will help:

  1. Kneading. Do calf raises and come back. They can be performed both sitting and standing.
  2. Knee forward. Stand up and lunge forward with your leg, bending your leg 90°, leaning on your other leg. You can simultaneously bend back to make the load more active. Perform 15 times.
  3. Alternate leg raises. Sit down and slowly raise your legs, straightening them at the knee as much as possible. Perform 15 times with each limb.
The more severe the degree, the more carefully and slowly the complex is done.

For knee injury

Damage to the knee joints is often associated with sprains and ligament tears.

Important! Any knee injury should be treated to the end. Improper treatment or failure to follow doctor's instructions can lead to chronic knee dysfunction (arthritis, atrophy of articular muscles, etc.).

Here this complex will come to your aid, helping with sprained ligaments and after operations when they rupture:

  1. Muscle tension. This exercise is good to do in bed. Tense and relax muscle fibers on the thighs and legs.
  2. Ankle flexion. Also, while lying down, bend and straighten your ankle, making movements towards the knee up to 10 times. It is recommended to do this several times a day.
  3. Circles with soles. Lying in bed, make movements with each foot in a circle, gradually increasing the circle to the maximum possible.
  4. Rolling the ball. It can be performed while expanding the range of movements. Place a healing ball between your feet and do rolls between your legs, shoulder width apart.

Video: exercises for knee rehabilitation

After the fracture

Experts for rehabilitation after a fracture recommend doing a set of the following exercises:

  1. Lie on your back and squeeze and then unclench your toes. Then perform 5 circular movements to the left, and then to the right. Then raise your straight legs one by one. Perform 10 times.
  2. Lying on your back, straighten the limb affected by the fracture and tense the muscle group in the front of the thigh.
  3. Raise your leg 40 cm from the floor and hold the position for a few seconds. Place it on the floor and repeat, changing limbs. Do 10 repetitions.
  4. Still lying on your back, bend your leg at the knee, rest your foot on the surface and tense the muscle group in the back of your thighs. Hold the position for 5 seconds. Perform similar movements with the other limb. Perform 10 repetitions.
  5. Bend your leg at the knee and then carefully straighten it. Hold the position for 5 seconds. Perform the same movements with the other limb. Do 10 repetitions.
  6. Stand with your back to a support (wall) and, with emphasis on it, raise your straightened leg 40 cm from the floor level. Hold for 5 seconds. and return down. Repeat 10 times.

Did you know? For fractures, it is useful to include in the dietculinary products with gelatin (jelly, jellied meat, aspic, etc.) andOmega-3 fatty acids (fish oil). This will accelerate bone fusion and restoration processes in cartilage and ligaments. Such nutrition is useful for almost any joint disease.

The number of repetitions is performed in accordance with how you feel.

Special exercise techniques

Now there is more than one medical complex for healing knee joints, developed by specialists and proven over the years.

Exercises according to Bubnovsky

Dr. Bubnovsky’s gymnastics consists of stretching power loads, which has a strengthening effect on the knee joints:

  1. Lying on your back, straighten your legs and forcefully pull your toes towards you. This strains the calf muscles. Do about 60 seconds.
  2. Turn onto your stomach and alternately bend and straighten your knees. Perform for 1–2 minutes.
  3. Sit on a chair and alternately bend and straighten your legs again. Perform for 1–2 minutes.

Dzhamaldinov complex

  1. Sit on a chair and pretend to walk in one place, rolling your heel onto your toe. Gradually speed up the pace, engaging the body, which will move as during normal walking.
  2. Stretch your legs forward and relax them. Spread them apart, turning your feet with your toes inward so that your knees touch. Hold the position for 5 seconds. and return to the starting position. Repeat 5 times.
  3. Sitting on a chair, tilt your body forward and straighten your legs. Slide your palms down over your limbs.
This exercise causes minimal pain reactions and accelerates the blood well.

Video: set of exercises

Evdokimenko

The gymnastics of Dr. Pavel Evdokimenko are excellent for the treatment of arthrosis, as well as for recovery after surgical intervention. It is recommended to conduct such health-improving activities twice a day for a month. Duration of classes: 10–15 minutes.

Sequence of exercises:

  1. Lying on your back, place your arms along your body, extend one leg 15–20 cm from the floor. Hold this for 40–60 seconds. Do not lift your pelvis and back off the floor. Make similar movements, changing limbs.
  2. Turn onto your stomach, bend your leg 90° and lift it 10–12 cm. Hold for 12 seconds. and straightening it, place it on the floor. Repeat, changing limbs.
  3. Lying on your stomach, raise both legs. Then bring them together and separate them.
  4. Turn onto your left side, bending your left leg at the knee. Straighten the right limb and raise it as high as possible. Hold the position for 20 seconds. Do the same on the right side.
  5. Sit on a chair, raise your leg straight and hold for 60 seconds. Repeat with the other limb.
  6. Stand near a support and slowly rise onto your toes. Hold the position for a few seconds and lower your heels to the floor.
  7. Then, in the same position, focus on your heels, raising your toes. Hold the position for a few seconds and then lower your toes back to the surface.
  8. Continuing to stand near the support, place one foot on your toes, leaving the other motionless. Repeat, changing limbs.
When performing this complex, try to use joints rather than muscles.

Video: gymnastics for treating knees

According to Popov's method

For joint mobility during knee pain, you can use a complex specially developed by traumatologist Petr Popov. Before performing it, you should massage your joints with a warming cream.

Let's consider exercises using this method:

  1. Sit on your knees with your palms resting. Rest your knees on the floor more comfortably so that severe pain does not occur. Use your knees to imitate small steps when walking. When the pain subsides, gradually transfer your body weight to them. Make all movements carefully, without harshness. The joints should feel warm and light. To begin with, take these steps for 1–2 minutes, and then you can do them longer.
  2. Sit on a chair or sofa. Leaning on the back of the seat, make slow rolls from heel to toe, depicting the process of walking. During the process, it is recommended to massage your knees and hips for better blood circulation.
  3. From a standing position, find support and hold on to it with your hand. Take your leg back and move it in a circle. Repeat, changing limb. To begin with, do it for 1-2 minutes, then you can do it longer.

Vitaly Gitt

The set of exercises compiled by Dr. Vitaly Gitt for sore joints takes a lot of time, but does not load the joints at all.

Did you know? For sore joints, it helps to move actively without putting stress on the knees and spinal column, nordic walking using special sticks. It can restore the fullness of life and remove restrictions on movement on foot. It is also useful to exercise in the pool.

Sequence of complex execution:

  1. Sit on a high chair and swing your legs one at a time. The range of movements is small, there should be no pain. For severe arthrosis, perform for up to 5 minutes, and in other cases for 5–10 minutes. To begin with, do such movements 3 times a day, and then you can spend more time. This exercise can easily be done in the office.
  2. Standing near a support (wall), perform a partial squat until slight pain appears. Perform 2 times a day for 5–10 minutes. with short breaks when pain occurs.
  3. Sitting on the floor, stretch your legs in front of you. Bend forward until slight pain appears. Grab your legs with your hands and pull yourself forward and back a little.
  4. Sit on a chair and lift your heel off the floor, focusing on your toes, and then lower it back. The heels can be raised together, or one at a time. The movements are repeated after 3 seconds of short rest.
  5. Sit on a chair with your feet on the floor. On relaxed legs, placing slight emphasis on your heels, “slap” your slightly raised toes (1–2 cm from floor level) on the floor. Pause between approaches 3 seconds. Do it for as long as possible and according to your feelings, maybe several hours.

Video: exercises for knee joints Reasonable physical activity will help people with bad knees reduce unpleasant symptoms joint diseases, improve quality of life and recover from injury. With such problems, movements are necessary that do not put stress on the knee joints, but train the leg muscles and improve blood circulation. Now there are many methods - the choice is yours.

Your knees hurt. Recently suffered a knee injury and cannot return to the previous physical fitness. See what exercises you can do yourself at home

Do your knees hurt? Have you recently suffered a knee injury and can't get back into shape? See what exercises you can do on your own at home to strengthen your knees.

In what cases can you hurt your knees?

The consequence of damage to the knee may be its instability, limitation of movements in the joint (weakening of the actions of various muscle groups) or damage to articular structures (for example, the meniscus). Most often we encounter traumatic knee dislocation - a very serious disease that requires urgent rehabilitation, which is not always completely effective.

How to assess knee stability?

Knee instability is assessed when the muscles are completely relaxed (eg, sitting, lying down). Sit on a chair or bed, relax your muscles lower limbs- legs should hang freely. Have another person test the mobility of your knees by performing passive movements. If you feel excessive movement or resistance in a joint, you may suspect joint instability.

You don't need to do the exercises too hard to avoid damaging your knees during training. You should also remember to consult with an orthopedist.

Exercises to strengthen the knee joints

1. Increased stability of the knee joints

Standing on one leg, with the other bent at the knee, place it on a chair or stool so that your knee protrudes beyond one edge of the chair, and your leg beyond the other. Place your hands on your hips or the back of a chair. Slowly bend the knee of the leg you are standing on, as if you want to sit on a bent leg. Then stop and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 10-20 times.

2. Strengthen your knee flexors

Take a step to the side. It should be as wide as possible while maintaining complete stability. Place your palms on your thighs bent leg. Try to keep your back straight during exercise. Press down on your bent leg, trying to deepen your step. You should feel a stretch in both legs, especially in the bent leg. Be careful that the knee of the bent leg does not cross the line of the foot. Repeat the exercise 10 to 20 times.

3. Strengthen your knee extensors

Stand with your feet apart so that shoulder joints were exactly above the knees. Bend your knees and lean forward slightly. Try to keep your spine relaxed at all times during the exercise. In this inclined position, perform squats, but up to 90 degrees at the knee joint. Return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 10-20 times.

4. Stretching the back of the knee joints

This exercise can be done alone if you are strong enough, or with the help of a partner. Lie on your back (on a hard bed, on the floor, on a mat), lift one leg, bending it at the hip and knee joint at an angle of 90 degrees. The other leg should rest freely on the floor. Hands along the body. Straighten your leg at the knee joint, maintaining further hip flexion. Repeat the exercise 10-20 times.

5. Strengthen posterior muscles shins

Stand with your legs and feet shoulder-width apart. Rest your hands, for example, on a chair or windowsill. Stand on your toes with your heels raised and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 10-20 times.

6. Sliding movement exercise in the knee joint

Sit on a chair (back support and room to maneuver your legs are important) in a normal working position - place your legs bent at the knees on the floor. Spread your ankles, hips and knees apart from each other. The toes remain in the same place where they were. This will cause the legs to bend outward. Then, in this position, try to bring your hips slightly towards you without changing the position of your knees. Repeat the exercise 10-20 times. published

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Osteoarthritis of the knee joint symptoms: The disease begins with a slight cracking of the knee joints and slight stiffness of movement after sleeping or sitting for a long time, during long walking, when going up and down stairs. Pain may also appear in the healthy leg, because... it experiences additional stress when walking, when a person spares the sore leg. But this, as a rule, does not alarm anyone - a little warm-up and everything goes away. Over time, the condition worsens and the person is unable to fully straighten the knee.

Most common reasons Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is caused by injury or repeated bruises - in this case, hemorrhage occurs in the joint. Changes begin in the cartilage, then changes occur in the bone, and the muscles are in constant tension.

* When starting treatment, you should remember that both monotonous loads are harmful to cartilage: long standing and long sitting, as well as sudden jolting loads. That's why, For arthrosis of the knee joint, exercises with weights and on an exercise bike are contraindicated.

* Patients with arthrosis of the knee joints need to sleep on a hard bed - in this case, the muscles completely relax and the joints rest.

* You need to get rid of excess weight.

* You cannot carry weights exceeding 4-5 kg.

* For stomach ulcers or gastritis, it is better to use ointments or gels for the knee joints instead of tablets.

* Surgery is required only when treatment is delayed and the process of cartilage destruction progresses. Therefore, it is very important to check the mobility of the knee joints in time, take an x-ray and begin treatment.

Mobility of the knee joint. How to check?

By performing the following tests you can check the mobility of the knee joints:

Test 1. Sit on the floor, bend your legs as much as possible with your knees up. Fine, calf muscle should touch the back of the thigh.

Test 2. Stand sideways to the mirror, straighten your legs. Normally, the lower leg should be a natural extension of the thigh.

Test 3. Sit on a hard surface, straighten your legs as much as possible and press them to the floor under your knees. If the heels lift significantly off the floor, this indicates hyperextension in the knee joint. If you cannot straighten your legs completely and there is free space between your knees and the floor, it means that you have insufficient mobility of the knee joint.

IN Everyday life Adults rarely have to fully bend their legs at the knee joint. Therefore, without receiving sufficient loads, he gradually loses mobility. To prevent this, you need to do squats regularly. However, you should not get carried away with deep squats - this can lead to overload of the joint.

How to increase the mobility of the knee joint?

To increase the mobility of the knee joints, it is useful to go swimming, do therapeutic exercises and regular massage of the leg muscles. Regular exercises and self-massage strengthen the muscles of the lower leg and thigh, improve nutrition of the knee joint, and prevent its atrophy and limited movement. Most of the exercises in therapeutic exercises are simple: they are performed in the morning, or right in bed:

1. Lying on your back, wiggle your toes vigorously.

2. Do circular rotations foot.

3. Bend and straighten your knees.

4. Do scissors and bicycle exercises.

Together with physical therapy For arthrosis of the knee joint, physiotherapeutic treatment, mud therapy, and therapeutic baths are used.

Exercises for knee joints:

How to strengthen your knee joints?

Special exercises for the knee joints will help improve the mobility of the knee joints and strengthen them. Each exercise should be performed 10-12 times.

1. Stand up straight. On the count of 1-2, sit down, do not lift your heels off the floor; on the count of 3-4, stand in an i.p.

2. Stand with your right leg in front and your left leg behind. On the count of 1-3, lunge with your right leg, bending it, on the count of 4, return to the I.P. Then in the other direction.

3. Sit down, leaning on your hands. Bend your legs alternately, as if riding a bicycle.

4. Stand up straight, hands on your waist. At the count of 1-2, make a horizontal circle with your knees to the right, squatting slightly, at the count of 3-4, return to the I.P. Then in the other direction.

5. Lie on your back, bend your legs up (hips vertically, shins horizontally). On the count of 1-2, make a circle with your shins to the right, left.

6. Stand up, legs apart, hands on your waist. At the count of 1-2, squat slightly, bringing your knees together, at the count of 3-4, return to the I.P.

7. Get on your knees, hands on your waist. At the count of 1-2, sit to the right, at the count of 3-4, return to the first position. Then in the other direction.

8. Get on your knees, toes apart, hands on your waist. At the count of 1-2, sit on the floor between your socks, at the count of 3-4, return to the standing position.

9. Sit cross-legged. At the count of 1-2, try to stand up without using your hands, and at the count of 3-4, sit down again.

Exercises for knee joints.

Exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint:

Physical exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint are performed in a lying or sitting position to minimize the load on the joints. Exercises should be done slowly, gradually increasing the load, depending on the degree of pain. Try to focus on the painful joint. Usually, after gymnastics and self-massage, the pain immediately subsides and joint movement is restored, or 20-30 minutes after exercise.

Start each exercise with 5 repetitions and gradually increase to 20. Practice time – 20 minutes 3 times a day.

1. Lie on your back, legs extended. Bend one knee, slightly lifting the foot above the floor, hold for 5 seconds, change legs.

2. Lie on your back, raise one leg, bent at the knee joint - bend and straighten the leg. Then with the other foot.

3. Lie on your back, stretch your legs, bend both legs at the hip and knee joints, straighten them.

4. Lie on your back, legs extended. Bend your left leg and press it against your body with your hands for a few seconds, then lower it to the floor and straighten it. Then with your right foot.

5. Lying on your back. Exercise “bicycle”, first at a slow pace, then faster.

6. Lying on your back, lift your straight leg 20-30cm from the floor and hold for a few seconds, lower it, then with the other leg.

7. Lie on your stomach, bend one leg at the knee joint, trying to touch your heel to your buttock, then the other leg.

8. Sit on a high chair or table and dangle your legs. This exercise should be done frequently throughout the day.

9. Sitting on a chair, raise your leg parallel to the floor (foot at a right angle), hold for 3 seconds, feeling the tension in the muscles of the lower leg and thigh, lower. Then with the other foot.

10. Stand up, grab the back of the chair with your hands, and move your right or left leg to the side.

11. Stand sideways to the chair, holding the back of the chair with one hand, swing your leg forward and backward. Then with the other foot.

Massage for arthrosis of the knee joint:

After therapeutic exercises, it is useful to immediately massage the knee joint. Basic massage techniques: stroking, rubbing, kneading. If the massage is done once a day, then the duration is 15 minutes, and 2-3 times a day - 10 minutes each. Each self-massage technique is repeated 3-6 times. You need to massage both the sore and healthy leg.

1. Sit on the bed left leg lowered, right leg straightened on the bed. Place your right hand above your right knee and your left hand below your knee. Stroking the knee with both hands in the opposite direction. Then the left knee.

2. Thoroughly rub the lateral surfaces of the knee joint with your fingers back and forth.

3. Rubbing the lateral surfaces of the joint with your palms along it back and forth.

4. Place your thumbs on top part knee, and the pads of other fingers in a circular motion(“spiral”) rub the lateral areas of the knee joint. Then knead these areas - use your index, middle and ring fingers to press deeply and move the skin back and forth.

5. Finish the massage by stroking the knee joint.

Useful articles:

Orthopedic traumatologist of the first category, surgeon. Adult and children's specialist, Moscow State Medical University, 2006

The knee is the largest joint in the body and allows freedom of movement. By performing exercises to strengthen the knee joints and ligaments, a person lays the foundation for healthy legs. Nature provides a system of muscular-ligamentous apparatus that effectively protects the knee from unhealthy loads and maintains it in a stable state at the time of super loads or adverse external influences.

Preventive strengthening of the knee joint ligaments and leg muscles with the help of special exercises is important not only for sports fans, but also for people who are approaching middle age.

Systematic exercises stimulate blood and lymph flow in the legs, help maintain ankle health, hip joints and lumbar segment of the spine. How to strengthen knee joints and ligaments?

The knee joint has a complex structure. It is formed by the corresponding segments of the bones of the leg and thigh, the external and internal meniscus, cartilage tissue, and intra-articular fluid. It is supported by a system of several groups of ligaments and muscles of the leg, starting with the iliotibial tract. For good knee function, it is important to do exercises not only to strengthen the hip and lower leg, but also the gluteal muscles.

The work of the knee joint involves:

  • Anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments;
  • Tibial external and internal collateral ligaments;
  • Quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal muscles;
  • Iliotibial tract.

Pathological processes in the joints develop slowly and painlessly. If your knees don’t hurt, this doesn’t mean you can’t do exercises to strengthen your knees and ligaments.

Pain syndrome may appear already at the second stage of arthrosis, when structural changes in the joint become irreversible. A weak knee joint, loose ligaments and weak leg muscles can provoke traumatic consequences during sudden physical movements (jumping, sharp turns).

Special exercises for the knee ligaments and muscles will help prevent the following pathological processes and injuries:

  1. Dislocation of the knee joint, which is accompanied by ligament rupture or leg fracture;
  2. Sprain;
  3. Development of arthrosis, bursitis;
  4. Loss of knee mobility.

It is important to carry out high-quality rehabilitation of an injured knee. Often, a previous injury becomes a trigger for the destruction of the knee joint.

When are knee exercises vital?

Experts recommend joint gymnastics to be performed by everyone, regardless of age and medical history. However, there are categories of patients for whom exercises to strengthen the ligaments of the knee joint are the only way to maintain freedom of movement on their own legs.

Exercises to strengthen the knee joints and ligaments are necessary:

  • For obesity;
  • After 45-50 years;
  • After a knee injury;
  • After knee surgery;
  • After ligament surgery;
  • After a long period of bed rest, when there was no necessary load on the joint and muscles.

Necessity of execution special complexes exercise increases significantly if you have a history of several items from the list above.

Without performing special exercises to strengthen the knee joints and ligaments, it is impossible to keep the knee healthy.

Ways to strengthen knee ligaments

There are certain rules for performing exercises to strengthen the ligaments of the knee joint. Experts have developed therapeutic, preventive and warming gymnastics complexes for the legs, which are recommended for people with various pathologies, in different age groups. You should start your exercises by warming up your legs.

If you have suffered a knee injury, you will need special exercises to strengthen the knee ligaments after the injury.

Complex for the prevention of age-related changes in the knee joint

After 40 years, it is ideal to start every day with morning exercises. How to strengthen knee joints and ligaments when age-related degenerative changes threaten? It is important here to prevent the knees from becoming “numb” by providing them with blood flow and maximum range of motion in the joint.

The first exercises for the knees are performed in the morning, without getting out of bed:

  • Slowly, one by one, raise your legs perpendicularly up. At the top point, the leg should be bent at the knee and straightened back. The toe will be pulled out if there are no cramps. Perform 10-12 times with each leg;
  • Drawing circles thumb legs. Starting position “lying in bed”. Draw circles with your leg bent at the knee. 5 one way and 5 the other. The leg works only at the knee, the toes are extended, the ankle is motionless.

Perform the main part of the gymnastics to strengthen the knee joint at a time convenient for you.

All exercises should be performed slowly and smoothly, holding the leg at the point of maximum load until complete fatigue.

Complex for strengthening the knee joint

Basic exercises for developing the knee joint:

  1. Bend the leg at the knee. The exercise is performed from the position “lying on your stomach”, “standing near a support”. You should keep your leg at the top point muscle tension. You can help yourself increase the amplitude with your hand, but not to the point of pain;
  2. Leg bend while sitting on the floor. The legs are extended forward, the working leg is thrown over the supporting leg, slowly bent and pulled towards the body with the help of the arms. You should clasp your leg with your hands back thighs under the knee joint, not behind the shin;
  3. Bend the leg in the supine position. The legs are first bent alternately, then both together, pulling them as close to the body as possible with your hands. We keep the shoulder blades on the floor;
  4. “Bicycle” from the position “lying on your back”, “sitting on a chair”. Circular, alternating movements of the legs at the lowest possible height. Movements are slow and even;
  5. Extension of the leg at the knee from the “sitting on a chair” position. The leg is extended and held in the upper position until fatigue is expressed. Perform one by one;
  6. Straight leg raises to strengthen the muscles of the legs and buttocks. Lying on your back, bend your knees. Alternately raise your legs to an angle of 30-45 degrees from the floor, holding the limb suspended for up to 30 seconds. Raise and lower your legs slowly;
  7. Squats. You should squat with a straight back, lowering yourself so that your buttocks lightly touch the seat of the virtual chair. If necessary, you can begin these exercises with support to ensure proper execution technique. The important thing here is not to sit deeper, but to keep your back straight. The depth of squats can be increased as the muscles and knee joints are trained;
  8. Squats with forward lunge. A large step forward from the “standing, feet together” position while squatting onto the supporting leg. The ideal amplitude for this exercise is when the extended leg is bent at the knee joint to 90 degrees, the second one touches the floor with the knee;
  9. Walking on stairs or on a step board. Effective exercise, which strengthens the popliteus muscle. Perform until obvious fatigue;
  10. Walking on your knees. Move forward and backward in small steps, mark time. Start with 1 minute, increasing the time to 3 minutes. (as the pain subsides);
  11. Coordination exercises. Standing on one leg on an unstable support. To strengthen the muscular-ligamentous apparatus of the knee, stand on a soft pad and bend one leg at the knee. Maintain balance for as long as possible. Alternate legs.

The average number of repetitions is 30. This number of exercises is divided into 3 sets of 10 each in one session. As muscles are trained, joints developed and strengthened knee ligaments the amplitude of exercises, the number of repetitions and the time of fixation of the limb are increased.

The beginning of working on the leg muscles is often accompanied by cramps. Reduce the range of motion, reduce the load on the muscles, to one that is comfortable.

Blood circulation will gradually improve and cramps will stop occurring.

Rehabilitation for a torn meniscus of the knee joint

Exercises for a torn meniscus of the knee joint during the recovery period after surgery are divided into several stages. It is important to understand that immobilization of a limb leads to muscle atrophy, ligament stiffness, and degenerative changes in the joint itself.

At the first stage, when the patient does not get out of bed, static exercises(tighten-hold-relax) to strengthen the muscles of the injured leg. healthy leg can be trained using the available exercises listed above.

In the second stage, when the patient has greater freedom of movement, leg strengthening exercises become more dynamic.

The following exercises are performed while sitting on the edge of the bed or lying down:

  • Circular movements of the ankle, alternately, with each leg;
  • Raising the legs at a slow pace, one at a time;
  • Pull the toe towards you and stretch.

There is no load on the knees at this stage. The purpose of the exercises is to maintain the intensity of blood circulation and load the muscles.

The dynamic stage is the final stage of rehabilitation. Here Exercises for a torn meniscus of the knee joint differ little from those recommended above to strengthen the knees. Gymnastics includes lifting and bending legs in different body positions.

Walking to restore gait, cycling, and squats are added. On final stage, depending on the physical capabilities patient, running and jumping are indicated.

Rehabilitation of the knee joint after ligament injury

Strengthening the knee after a ruptured or sprained ligament, restoring mobility and sufficient range of motion is the main task in the rehabilitation of the patient. How much the victim can restore the function of the knee depends on his patience and perseverance.

Exercises to strengthen and develop the knee will need to be performed for a long time; maintenance exercises will have to be done daily even after recovery.

The peculiarity of exercises for restoring the knee joint after a ligament injury is their gradualness. The complex consists of the knee flexion-extension exercises described above in various body positions.

A set of strengthening exercises to maintain balance on a shaky support is a must. Weekly rehabilitation is shown in the video.

Basic rules when performing therapeutic exercises:

  • Strengthening ligaments depends on the load. It should be sufficient, but not excessive;
  • Exercises are performed until the muscles become fatigued. Light loads do not train;
  • The amplitude increases to a pronounced pain syndrome. Mild pain should be overcome;
  • The load should increase gradually, but definitely. It is recommended to add repetitions once every 3 sessions.

Strengthening knee joints and ligaments with daily exercise accessible to people of any age and physical training. If you want to maintain freedom of movement until old age, then start classes today.

A set of exercises for the knee joint:

Exercises for a torn meniscus of the knee joint:

Exercises for knee ligaments:

Exercises for knee rehabilitation with ligament damage, weekly rehabilitation: