Knee pain can make many common movements very difficult and painful. Trouble going up or down stairs, playing sports, exercising, or even lunging to pick something up on the floor can all be affected. 

Today we are going to talk about common causes of knee pain outside of trauma and what we can do at home to alleviate them.

With the exception of trauma or falling on the knee most knee pain comes from improper movement at either the ankle or the hip.  Most often stiffness in the ankle, or not enough strength in the muscles around the hip joint are the culprit.

The following are stretches and strengthening exercises that will address many of the most common issues:

1. Calf Stretching: Helps mobilize a stiff ankle and can easily be done on a set of stairs.

2. Hip Flexor and Piriformis Stretching: Stretches the muscles in front of and behind the hip joint which often get tight from prolonged sitting. The muscles in the calf also connect lower in the leg around the knee and calmly cause increased tension around the knee and pain.

3. Exercises that Strengthen the Glute Muscles: Strengthening the muscles in the pelvis especially the Glute muscles help support proper movement and reduce pain and tension.

At Integrated Health Solutions, rehabilitation is always a big part of the solution. Reach out if your knee pain is keeping you from your best life! 

Content provided by Dr. Elizabeth Bouse