KNEE REHABILITATION

EXERCISES:

STRETCHING EXERCISES:

• Quadriceps stretch
  
  Performed in standing position with uninjured side to wall.
  Put hand on wall for balance.
  Grab ankle of injured side and pull heel toward your buttocks.
  Hold stretched position for 10 seconds and repeat.
• Adductor stretch
  
  Performed while lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on floor.
  Allow your knees to spread outwards away from your body, stretching the inner thigh muscles.
  Hold in stretched position fro 10 seconds and repeat.
• Hamstring stretch
  Performed while lying on back with buttocks at doorway.
  
  Extend uninjured leg through doorway and flex injured leg up on doorway frame.
  Hold stretched position for 10 seconds and repeat.
• Hamstring stretch
  
  Performed while standing with one leg extended and resting on a bench.
  Lean forward bending at hips and hold for 10 seconds then repeat.
• Standing calf stretch
  
  Performed standing facing wall with hands on wall.
  Place injured leg back with foot flat on floor.
  Place uninjured leg forward with knee slightly bent.
  Lean into the wall stretching the calf muscle.
  Hold for 10 seconds and release.

STRENGTHENING EXERCISES:

• Quadriceps isometrics
  
  Performed sitting on floor with uninjured knee bent and injured leg extended.
  Concentrate on pushing knee of extended, injured leg into the floor and hold for 10 seconds.
• Straight leg raise
  
  Performed lying on back with legs extended in front of you.
  Lift one leg in extended position off the floor approximately 10 inches.
  Hold 10 seconds, lower and repeat.
• Side lying leg raise
  
  Performed lying on side with legs extended.
  Lift top leg away from bottom leg approximately 10 inches.
  Hold 10 seconds, lower and repeat.
• Step raise
  
  Performed with injured foot resting flat on a block and the other on the floor.
  With weight on injured leg step up bringing uninjured leg up and repeat.
• Wall squat
  
  Performed in a squatting position with back, shoulders, and head against wall.
  With feet shoulder width apart, place a ball between knees.
  Hold this position for 10 seconds, then slide back up wall and repeat.

PULLEY OR TUBE EXERCISES:

• Standing stabilization
  Performed in standing position with elastic tube wrapped around one ankle and with other end of elastic tube secured to a stationary object.
  
  
  
  
  Move leg with tubing backwards, forwards, outwards and inwards across body.