Knee Extension Exercises For Athletes

Athletes who struggle with anterior knee pain such as tendinitis, jumper’s knee, and patella-femoral problems are lacking a little bit of extension in their knees. Hyper-extension sounds counterintuitive, but you want your knee to give you a little over-extension to function properly.

If you notice any anterior pain in your knees, you could benefit from knee extension exercises. This strengthening exercise will increase your knee’s range of motion, making walking, jumping, and running more pleasant.

1. Sit down on a flat surface with your active leg straight and non-active leg bent.

2. Contract your leg muscles in the active leg. If your heel pops up from the surface, you have a good extension in your knee.

3. If your heel does not pop up, you need to work on extensions a little. Get a rolled-up towel and place it under your heel with your leg straight forward.

4. Place the heel of your opposite hand on the inside of your shin.

5. Press the heel of your hand firmly down on the inside on your shin until your leg touches the surface.

6. This position requires a little rotation of your knee and you need that rotation to get the last bit of extension.

7. You can repeat this extension exercise 2 minutes on each leg every other day.

This exercise is going to significantly reduce or eliminate any anterior knee pain you have, which is great for your active pursuits. In fact, you’ll be surprised how quickly doing this extension exercise can resolve your knee issues.

Contact Pleasantview Physiotherapy today to schedule an appointment with a physiotherapist to see how simple exercises like knee extensions can help you gain flexibility, reduce pain, and enjoy your life more.