Knee Rehab Exercises: The Drills We Use In Clinic

How to do itLie on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Position your feet as far from your backside as you can while still being able to lift your heels. Push through your midfoot, where your laces would be, down to your toes. Push down and lift your hips just an inch off the floor. Only enough to slide a credit card underneath. Holding that position, shift your hips to one side as far as you can. Shift to the other side, keeping midfoot pressure the whole time. Return to centre before you lower back down. That is one rep.

Do notLifting your hips too high. Stay just an inch off the floor. Losing contact with the ball of your big toe during the shifts. Dropping one hip lower than the other as you shift. Not shifting far enough to each side to challenge your range. Rushing instead of controlling each position. Taking the work into your lower back instead of your lower limb.

You have got it whenYou feel constant tension through your feet and lower legs. Pressure through the ball of your big toe stays steady throughout. You can shift fully to each side without losing control. It feels challenging but controlled. You feel no strain in your lower back. You can finish the reps without cramping.

How to do itSet up with your feet about one and a half times your foot length apart. Position your back foot in line with your front heel, to shorten your base of support. Start with a slight knee bend, around 15 to 20 degrees. This is your power position. Keep your weight over your midfoot, not your heel. Relax your neck completely. Your shoulders will naturally slouch. Let them. Keep your knee bent at the same angle throughout. Do not let it straighten. Slowly reach your fingertips toward the floor, keeping the pressure through your midfoot. Keep reaching until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. To return, push through your midfoot, not your heel, and keep your neck relaxed. Hold the tension through your midfoot the whole way up. Continue for 6 to 12 reps.

Do notHinging at the hip, bringing your backside back, instead of truly loading the soleus. Letting your knee snap back, especially at the top. Letting your weight drift to your heels instead of staying on your midfoot. Using your neck to lift yourself back up. Rushing it instead of controlling it. Not fully relaxing your neck and shoulders. Looking up at the ceiling instead of keeping your neck relaxed.

You have got it whenYou feel real tension in your calf. As you push through your midfoot to come up, your hip comes forward. It feels challenging, especially holding the knee position. You feel your hamstrings stretch on the way down. You hold the same knee angle the whole way through. With practice it flows more, but stays controlled.

How to do itLie on your back with one leg extended toward a box, couch or chair. Position your foot so the knee is almost straight, around 5 degrees of bend. Bring that hip out to the side, as far as is comfortable. Pull your toes up toward your shin to increase heel pressure. Bring your other knee up toward your chest. Push through your heel to bridge up just an inch off the floor. Shift your hip across, away from the supporting leg, as far as you can. Feel the stretch in your adductor as you reach the end of the range. Return to centre, then lower back down. That is one rep. Do 6 per side, keeping heel pressure throughout.

Do notBridging too high. You only need an inch of clearance. Losing pressure through the heel. Letting the knee bend further through the movement. Not shifting the hip far enough to feel the adductor stretch. Forgetting to return to centre before you lower. Losing tension in the supporting leg as you shift.

You have got it whenYou feel your inner hamstring engage as you push through your heel. You feel a stretch in the adductor as you shift the hip away. The harder you push through the heel, the more movement you have available. The shift feels controlled and stable. It challenges your stability while still allowing controlled movement. You feel the adductor letting go of its protective tone with each rep.