Building Strong and Healthy Knees: Exercises for Knee Arthritis Prevention and Wellness with Exercises From Dr Julianne
Your knees are the foundation of your mobility. In this blog post, we’re teaming up with Dr. Julianne, the Physical Therapy Coach at Haka Life Nutrition, to bring you exercises that can prevent knee arthritis and maintain knee wellness. These exercises target muscles around your knee joint, enhance flexibility, and keep your knees functioning at their best. Whether safeguarding against knee arthritis or aiming for optimal knee health, this comprehensive guide has you covered.
Knee Arthritis Prevention and Wellness: Your Journey Begins (00:12)
Your path to stronger knees starts now. Dr. Julianne shares insights on preventing knee arthritis and nurturing overall knee wellness. Get ready to take control of your knee health.
Exercise 1: Gastrocnemius Stretch (02:16)
- Use a towel or belt and place it under the ball of your foot.
- Keep your knee straight, then pull the towel tight until your calf muscles stretch.
- Hold for 10 sec, 5x. 2-3x/day.
Exercise 2: Heel Slides (03:42)
- Applicable if your knee is stiff or painful.
- Start sitting with your legs straight or lying on your back with bent knees.
- Straighten your knee, push the back of your knee into the floor, and hold.
- As far as you can, slide your heel toward your bottom, then hold.
- Hold for 10 sec each direction, 5x, 2-3x/day.
Exercise 3: Bridges (05:08)
- Lie on your back and bend your knees.
- Squeeze your glutes (clench your buttocks!).
- Lift your bottom off the floor, avoiding arching your back.
- Go slow.
- Progression: try a single-leg bridge, keeping legs parallel.
- 3×10, 1x a day, 3-4x/week.
Exercise 4: Straight Leg Raises (06:40)
- Lie on your back with your knees straight.
- Squeeze your front thigh muscles (quadriceps).
- Point your toe towards the ceiling and lift your leg, keeping your knee straight.
- Go slow.
- 3×10, 1x/day, 3-4x/week.
Exercise 5: Wall Squats (07:53)
- Stand with your back against a wall.
- Feet shoulder-width apart.
- Slide down the wall with either:
- Back against the wall
- Slight lean forward
- Keep thighs parallel to the floor and hold the position.
- Hold for at least 10 sec, at least 5x. Increase if too easy.
Conclusion:
By incorporating these knee arthritis prevention exercises and wellness into your routine, you can enhance flexibility and keep your knees functioning at their best. Remember, always listen to your body; with Dr. Julianne’s guidance, you’re on your way to a more comfortable and active life.
