Knee Injury Exercise

Warm up before exercising. Jumping into an exercise regimen or stretching session can cause more harm than good with a knee injury. It is best to ease into the exercise or stretching portion by getting the leg moving in a natural, low-impact motion such as walking or cycling. A 10-minute walk or slow bike ride is ideal in this situation.

Stretch before you strengthen. Stretching your muscles will limber them up and prepare them for strength training.

Stretch your calf muscles by stepping back with the right leg and forward with the left. Lean over the left leg slightly and keep both your feet flat on the ground. Do not bounce or lift your heel. Repeat for the left leg.

Stretch your quadracep by bringing your heel up to your buttocks with your hand. Do not pull too much and stop if your knee aches or hurts. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat with the opposite leg.
Stretch your hamstring by placing your feet together and bending forward at the hip. Do not touch your toes. Hold for 10 seconds without bouncing.

Strengthen the muscles adjacent to your knee. Lunges work best for the quadraceps. Step forward with your right foot and lean over your right leg. Then step forward with your left leg and lean over it. repeat 10 times and add weight gradually as your leg becomes stronger by holding barbells in your hands.

Strengthen your calf muscles by extending and relaxing your toes while standing. All movement should be slow and steady, not jerky and sudden. Repeat 10 times, adding weight over time as the muscles gain strength.

Strengthen your hamstrings by placing leg weights on your ankles and laying face-down on a bench with your shins extended over the edge. Slowly raise your legs toward your buttocks and down again; repeat ten times and increase the weight as your legs get stronger.

Seek medical advice before starting. As with any injury, you should seek medical advice before treating a knee injury. Perform exercises only if your physician believes your knee to be ready for such strain.