Written by Kiel DiGiovanni | Co-founder
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
Are you experiencing knee pain? Resistance bands are an excellent tool for treating knee pain, as well as strengthening the knees to prevent pain or injury in the first place.
In this article, we have six resistance band knee pain exercises that we highly recommend you implement into your warm up or rehab routine!
Why you should use resistance bands for knee pain:
One of the most common pains people experience at some point in life is knee pain. Knee pain can be caused by a number of things including arthritis, inflammation, patellofemoral pain syndrome, osteoarthritis, normal wear and tear, high-impact sports, or injury.
With resistance bands, you can strengthen tendons, connective tissue and muscles surrounding your knees without the hard impact free weight exercises involve. Knee band exercises can improve your knee stability and mobility while also alleviating pain and reducing inflammation.
Knee strengthening exercises with bands are also great for runners and athletes who put a lot of strain on their knees over time. It will ensure their knees are strong and primed for action.
All in all, if you are looking to rehab or strengthen your knees, definitely add these resistance band exercises into your routine.
Note: If you are dealing with an injury, be sure to let it heal before starting these exercises. However, if you simply have nagging knee pain or want to strengthen your knees to prevent pain from occurring, you can start doing these banded knee exercises immediately. If any concern, please consult a medical professional.
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6 Effective Knee Band Exercises For Rehabbing Your Knees
These knee pain exercises require securing the band either under your foot or to a solid anchor. Use caution when putting the bands under tension.
If you're using an anchor with rough edges, wrap a towel around the anchor then loop the band over the towel to help prevent friction or tearing (as pictured above).
Without further ado, here are the 6 resistance band exercises we recommend for strengthening the knees and treating chronic knee pain.
1. Terminal Knee Extension (TKE):
How-to:
- Attach the power band to a secure anchor
- Put your right leg through the band and place the band behind your knee
- Keep your knee slightly bent
- Step backward a little to create tension on the band
- Straighten your leg by flexing your quad and pushing your heel towards the ground
- Repeat with your other leg
- 10-12 reps each leg
Tips: Don't start with too much tension on the band to make it easier
Benefits: Strengthens both your quadriceps and shin muscles
2. Lying Hip Extension:
How-to:
- Lie down on your back
- Bring your right knee up towards your chest
- Loop the band around your foot
- Hold the band with both hands
- Extend knee out until your leg is straight
- 10-12 reps each leg
Tips: Loop the band twice around your foot for added security and tension
Benefits: Increases the range of motion in your hip flexors
3. Front Leg Extension:
How-to:
- Secure the power band to an anchor at ankle level
- Stand facing away from the anchor then loop the band around your right ankle
- Swing the band in a controlled kicking motion away from the anchor
- 10-12 reps with each leg
Tips: Use a nearby object to help balance if standing on one leg is too difficult
Benefits: Strengthens quads without putting too much pressure on the knee joint
4. Lying Knee Extension:
How-to:
- Lie down on your back
- Bring your right knee to your chest then wrap the power band under your heel
- Grab the firmly with both hands with the back of your upper arm in contact with the floor
- Slowly extend your knee and lift your leg up so your toes
- Return to the starting position in a slow, controlled motion
- Repeat with your other leg
- 10-12 reps each leg
Tips: Loop the band around your foot twice to keep it secure
Benefits: Strengthens and stretches hamstrings
5. Lying Glute Extension:
How-to:
- Lie down on the ground
- Bend your right knee and wrap the band around your right foot
- Grab the band with both hands
- Pull the band up towards your chest within your range of motion
- 10-12 reps with each leg
Tips: Don’t pull past your comfortable range of motion
Benefits: Loosen your glutes to alleviate tightness in your hamstrings which can be a cause of knee pain
6. Stork Stance TKE:
How-to:
- Attach the power band to a secure anchor
- Put your right leg through the band and place the band behind your knee
- Keep your knee slightly bent
- Step back a little to create tension on the band
- Lift up your left leg off of the ground balancing on your right leg
- Straighten your leg by flexing your quad and pushing your heel towards the ground
- 10-12 reps with each leg
Tips: Use a nearby wall or object to help keep balanced
Benefits: Increased shin and quad strengthening
Need Resistance Bands?
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Get the most from your resistance bands with our extensive Resistance Band Training e-Guide, which has over 250 exercises categorized by mobility, mobilization, resistance training, barbell training, explosive training, static stretching, and (p)rehabilitation.
How Often Should You Do These Knee Strengthening Exercises?
If you are doing these exercises as a warm up and/or to treat nagging knee pain, do these exercises before any lower body workout or high impact sporting activities.
If you are rehabilitating after an injury, do these exercises two times a week and closely monitor your comfort level and progress.
Here's the routine:
- TKE: 2 sets x 10-12 reps each side
- Lying Hip Extension: 2 sets x 10-12 reps each side
- Front Leg Extension: 2 sets x 10-12 reps each side
- Lying Knee Extension: 2 sets x 10-12 reps each side
- Lying Glute Extension: 2 sets x 10-12 reps each side
- Stork TKE: 2 sets x 10-12 reps
Note: For warm up purposes, doing 1 set of each exercise should be enough.
4 Responses
Leeroy
My first time using resistance bands.Clear and easily understood videos and text.A fantastic help for me after my knee op.Thank you so much.
Hannah
Does these help if the outer upper muscles of the leg are stronger than the inner muscles and are pulling the knee out of place?
JOE NYAMBURA
I have been quite skeptical about trying out on the resistance bands because of my knee problems even though my physician did give me a go ahead, I haven’t quite been convinced to go at it again. However, reading this may have given me a new inspiration altogether especially after realizing that they come in handy when it comes to strengthening the tendons, connective tissues, and muscles around the knee. I am definitely giving them a shot.
HARVEY D PAIGE
Incorporating this into my strength training after hyperextending my knee. My knee feels more stable just after the 1st 2 exercises. I love resistance band work especially because it forces the muscles to stabilize while working. This was an area i missed in my leg workouts and wont happen again thanks.
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Kiel DiGiovanni
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