How Do I Stay ACTIVE While I Have Knee Pain? - Breakaway Physical Therapy
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How Do I Stay ACTIVE While I Have Knee Pain?

Shaina Clemons |
Knee Pain

Are you suffering with chronic knee pain that is preventing you from being active and get your workouts completed on a regular basis? Do you feel lost in the abundance of information out there of what is a SAFE exercise to do when you have knee pain?

Well there are a lot of great exercises that you can do when you have knee pain and are trying to work through it so that you can remain active! Exercise does the body good and not only helps us physically, but helps us mentally (by releasing endorphins, our body’s natural pain killers) to work through the stressors of normal life.

Here are some ideas of what you can do activity-wise:

Swimming

  • If you are a lap swimmer, it’s great to get in the water and swim some laps. If you are feeling knee pain while swimming, try some laps where you focus on your arm strokes instead of your legs to give them a break
  • If you are not a lap swimmer, but still enjoy the water then try walking in the water forwards, backwards and sideways. You can also do walking marches across the pool and leg kicks to the front, back and sides for more ideas
  • Remember that we are unweighted when in the water, so limit your workout to about 20 minutes or less if you are just starting up your workout routine again

Cycling

  • Biking can be an excellent option when you have knee pain because it will not only help to strengthen your muscles, it will help your range of motion to improve in the knee joint
  • Biking will also help reduce stiffness in the knee joint
  • You can use a stationary bike, alter the resistance and use a guided workout if you want a specific program or just listen to some music as you spin your legs

Elliptical

  • Walking can worsen knee pain as you are working through your challenges, but the elliptical can be a great alternative to walking
  • You can alter the speed and add in your arms for a full body workout

Balance Retraining

  • We use our knees, hips and ankles to help improve our balance and provide our body a more stable base of support to stand on
  • Practice balancing on one leg and count how many seconds you can do this before you lose your balance (make sure that you have something to hold onto in front of you in case you lose your balance OR have someone in your household stand behind you to make sure that you are safe)
  • If balancing on one leg is too easy, try closing your eyes to make it harder (make sure to have someone or something to hold onto in case you lose your balance)
  • You can also put one foot in front of the other with your heel touching the front of the back foot to balance
  • You can stand on a pillow or unstable surface to make your balance systems work more
  • You can also test your balance by turning your head from side to side

If you are sore after any of these new activities, make sure to put ice on your knee for about 10 minutes to reduce any swelling inside the joint and decrease your pain.

If you feel unsuccessful with your workouts and want more individualized guidance on a program when you have knee pain, call us for a FREE Breakthrough Consultation with one of our specialist physical therapists who treat knee pain on a regular basis.

If you are ready to see someone that can help you get rid of your knee pain and further your activity level, then call us at 410-721-6333 or click here to inquire about cost and availability, ​to have one of our team members contact you!

Looking forward to helping you remain active and enjoy your life without knee pain dragging you down!

Shaina Clemons

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Shaina Clemons

Shaina Clemons

Shaina is the founder and owner of Breakaway Physical Therapy.  She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland Baltimore, along with a Bachelor's degree from Towson University.   Shaina is an Ironman triathlete, with a love of all sports. Exercise is her passion, which plays an important role in both her personal and professional life.  In her free time, Shaina enjoys spending time with her husband and three young children.  Shaina's love of snowboarding led her to her career choice many years ago. 
Shaina Clemons

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