Everyone suffers from knee pain every now and then, but the good news is that it takes just 5 minutes to find relief. Here are 5 exercises you can do to relieve knee pain in as little as 30-60 seconds.
1. Ice, Ice, Baby!
Your first defense against a sudden onset of knee pain is to ice and elevate your knee. If the tissue around your knee is painful to the touch, then there’s a good chance it’s swollen. You can draw out some of that fluid by elevating your leg above the level of your heart so it can be pumped back into circulation.
There’s nothing wrong with a bag of ice if that’s all you have. But I recommend, the next time you’re at the store or shopping online, to pick up one of those gel ice packs. You’ll find that it does a much better job conforming to the front and sides of your knee, so you can ice and elevate your leg hands-free.
Keep the ice pack on your knee for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat this throughout the day five or six times. Don’t skip the ice session at night, especially if you have been on your feet throughout the day. The evening is a great time to decrease the swelling and relieve the throbbing in your knee so you can get some rest at night.
2. Pump Your Ankles
The next exercise is called an ankle pump, and you can even do it while icing your knee. Ankle pumps also help reduce swelling by moving fluid from your legs to your heart. It’s kind of like a sump pump for your lower legs, working against gravity to bring all that pooling fluid back into circulation.
While seated and keeping your knee elevated slightly, pump your ankle back and forth as if you’re stepping on a gas pedal. This simple movement helps engage the calf muscle, which initiates that important “sump pump” action. You can activate your calves with these ankle pumps while seated or while lying down, so they’re the perfect exercise to incorporate throughout the day, whether you’re at your kitchen table with your morning cup of coffee or you’re lying in bed at night. Try to perform 20 to 30 ankle pumps at a time, multiple times a day.
3. Practice Patellar Glides
Despite the fancy name, a patellar glide is an easy and effective exercise for relieving knee pain fast. The term “patellar” simply refers to your kneecap, and the “glide” is a gentle, massage-like motion you perform manually to help promote mobility in your knee.
For many of my patients, the patella is a common source of pain and irritation, especially for those who have arthritis. Your kneecap should glide freely around your knee, but if it is stiff and swollen, you may experience reduced mobility and increased pain. If you’ve bruised your knee or the surrounding area, you know how painful it can be to contract those nearby muscles. Plainly put, if the patella is stiff, then the whole knee suffers.
To mobilize the patella, place your thumb and forefinger around your kneecap and gently glide it back and forth, left and right, repeatedly for 20-30 seconds. You can also work in the opposite direction, moving up and down so that your kneecap glides from your foot to your heart.
Go easy with this motion. If it’s painful, don’t glide as far. Most importantly, be as relaxed as possible—if you tighten your leg, your patella won’t glide very well. Repeat these patellar glides for 20 to 30 seconds, gradually increasing within your pain-free range.
4. Work Those Quads
The fourth exercise is called a quad set, and it targets your quadriceps, the four muscles at the top of your leg. Whenever you extend or straighten your knee, your quads are involved. So by strengthening your quads, you can help relieve pain and increase mobility in your knee.
When your knee is injured, your brain automatically restricts your ability to contract neighboring muscles such as your quads. It’s a protective measure, because tightening those muscles may make you feel pain in your knee. However, over time, chronic knee pain—and chronic muscle restriction—can decrease your ability to engage those quads and can actually worsen your pain in the long run.
This quad set is a controlled workaround, designed to help you safely engage these muscles and rehabilitate the important connection between your knee and your quadriceps.
While seated, with your leg extended straight on the floor or table, squeeze your thigh muscles so that your knee straightens or flattens. Hold this constriction for 3 to 4 seconds, then relax completely for 5 seconds. Repeat this sequence 10 times, trying to tighten as much as you can as you progress with each repetition. By working within a pain-free range, you’ll safely and gradually increase your ability to tighten that muscle.
I recommend placing a towel or pillow under your knee as you do this exercise. It’ll give you a little feedback on how well you’re straightening your leg, and it can scaffold the exercise, especially if you’re unable to completely straighten your leg at first. Eventually, as you begin to see and feel progress, you can remove the towel and work on straightening your leg fully.
5. Perform Heel Slides
Finally, you can quickly relieve knee pain and improve mobility by performing heel slides. When the knee is sore and painful, you may become less likely to move it through its full range of motion. But maintaining a good range of motion is really important when you have knee pain. Not moving your knee can lead to contractures, or a tightening of the muscles, which further limit your range of motion in a vicious cycle of pain and immobility. If you find it’s painful to walk or go up and down stairs, then you definitely shouldn’t skip heel slides.
Start seated, with your leg extended in front of you as straight as possible. Next, slide your heel along your bed or floor so that your knee bends towards you. Continue sliding and bending as much as you can without any pain in your knee. Then relax and slide your heel back towards the table, repeating this motion 10 to 15 times.
The key to this exercise is to gradually increase whatever range of motion you can achieve within a pain-free range. Ideally, you’ll make great strides with your slides and be able to go further and further each time. Just don’t overdo it, and avoid causing any sharp pain by forcing your knee up into a bent position. Importantly, you don’t need to wrench your leg sky-high; just go as far as is comfortable in your pain-free range.
If you need assistance with this motion because it’s too painful or difficult to move your leg, try wrapping a belt or towel around your thigh and pull the belt to assist your knee into flexion. Conversely, to progress the exercise, try lying flat on your back. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times, 2 or 3 times a day.
Relieve Knee Pain in Real Time with this Follow-along video
I know how easy it is to agree with an article and then go on one’s merry way, without taking the time to apply the information. So I’ve created a follow-along video you can use to actually go through each of these exercises and reap the benefits of proper knee care. Grab an ice pack and a seat, and I’ll provide the timer and the instruction. Let’s do these 5 exercises together, right now! It’ll only take a few minutes, but you’ll feel relief right away.
For more ways to relieve knee pain, from PT-approved ice packs and massage guns to exercises and stretches, check out the blog!
