The 5 Best Pilates Exercises To Strengthen A 'Runner's Knee'

Woman with knee painI love running, but I’ll be honest; I’ve been off for the past week with a terrible runner’s knee. I know that engaging in strength training can help to prevent the niggles and aches associated with jogging, and trying some squats and lunges really has been useful. However, according to Helen O’Leary, a physiotherapist at Complete Pilates, there are some pilates-based moves I should try in addition to my current routine. “The expert advice from clinical practice guidelines on patellofemoral pain strongly recommends exercise therapy that includes a combination of hip and knee targeted exercise to reduce pain and improve patient-reported outcomes in the short, medium and long term,” she said.“Hip abductor strengthening exercise is recommended for runners with ITB compression syndrome for reducing pain and improving function,” she added.With that in mind, here are her five top pilates-based runner’s knees recovery movies: 1) BridgesAs Bupa said, performing a bridge can strengthen your knee by stabilising your hips and glutes. O’Leary stated you can complete the move with the following steps: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your heels elevated on a bench, pressing down into your heels to lift your bottom up off the mat.Articulate the spine one piece at a time as you roll your hips up.Pause at the top, then roll one piece at a time back down to connect to the mat. 2) Side-lying hip abductionsDesigned to strengthen your outer hips, thighs, and glutes, the move can increase all-important balance while you’re running.Per O’Leary, this is how it’s done: Lie on your side with your head supported and legs straight.Lift your top leg with its foot flexed up to the sky and lower it down. Repeat.3) Squats to calf raises with a weightRunna explained that this move benefits your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves – all of which are “vital for running to allow you to transfer power down and into your stride.” Here’s how it’s done: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms down by your side, holding a dumbbell in each hand.Sit your hip bones down and back into a squat. As you rise up to stand, continue to rise up onto the balls of your feet.Lower your heels back down.Repeat.4) Donkey kicksHealthline said that donkey kicks can “target the glutes in a way many other exercises can’t,” which in turn improves your hip stability and decreases knee pain. These can be done, O’Leary shared, in these four stages:On all fours with hands under shoulders, with your knees underneath your hips, raise and bend one knee’s heel towards your bottom and flex the foot.Keeping your weight spread between your opposite leg’s hands, start to lift your working leg’s heel up towards the sky, keeping the hip and knee bent, then lower back down to the start position.5) Standing terminal knee extensions These aim to strengthen the knee directly. To do them: Stand in a split stance with both knees bent and a loop resistance band above both knees. Keep your front knee bent and still while raising the back leg heel off the ground. Ensure your arms are holding onto a wall in front for stability.Keeping this start position, begin to straighten the back knee against the resistance band, maintaining the heel lift.Release, bending the knee.Repeat.Next, tackle the cause of your runner’s kneeO’Leary explained that common causes of a runner’s knee include not sticking to a warm-up routine and jogging on hilly terrain.She also says we should “optimise rest and recovery.”After all, she says, “Load management is key.” Speak to a physiotherapist if you’re concerned about your running form or knee pain, and visit your GP if the pain lasts for more than a few weeks.Related...I Tried The 'Balloon Method' And My Running Form Has Never Been BetterI Tried 'Plogging,' The Eco-Friendly Running Trend – And I'll Never Do It AgainI Ditched This Fitness Class – And My Running Suffered

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The 5 Best Pilates Exercises To Strengthen A 'Runner's Knee'

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