Physical Therapy Exercises for Runner’s Knee

July 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Running is a popular form of exercise, but can be very hard on your body. Keith Strange offers some good exercises to help with “runner’s knee” in this article posted on Livestrong.com. For more questions give us a call at 619-756-7500!

Runner’s knee is an overuse injury that can result in pain when bending your knee.

Runner’s knee, or patellofemoral pain syndrome, is a condition that causes a dull or aching pain around or under your kneecap, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. This condition can be aggravated by walking up or down stairs or when squatting down or bending your knee for an extended period of time. Treatment for this condition often includes exercises designed to help you build strength and flexibility in your thigh muscles.

Standing Hamstring Stretch
Stand in front of a chair or stool that is about knee height. Place the heel of your injured leg on the stool with your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Lean forward at your waist until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold this stretch for up to 30 seconds and relax. Repeat. Be sure that you keep your shoulders positioned directly in line with your hips when performing this stretch.

Standing Quadriceps Stretch
Stand in front of a counter or wall for support. Place the hand of your uninjured side on the wall with your uninjured leg farthest away from the wall. Bend your injured knee and reach down with your other hand and grab your foot around your ankle. Use your hand to pull your ankle toward your buttocks until you feel a stretch along the front of your thigh. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and relax. Repeat.

Quadriceps Sets
Sit down on the floor with both legs extended in front of you and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. If necessary, you can place a rolled-up towel under the back of your injured knee. Press the back of your knee into the towel by contracting the muscles along the front of your thigh. Hold this contraction for about five seconds and relax. Repeat. You can ensure that you’re performing this exercise correctly by placing your hands on the front of your thigh to feel your muscles contract.

Straight Leg Raise
Lie down on your back with your injured leg extended and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Bend your other knee and place the sole of your foot on the floor. Keep your injured knee straight and lift your heel about eight inches off the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds and use a slow and controlled motion to lower your heel back to the floor. Repeat.

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PHYSICAL THERAPY EXERCISES FOR LEGS

October 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Matthew Schirm shares a few physical therapy exercises to benefit your legs. IF you have any pain, come see us at San Diego Sports Physical Therapy in San Diego. We will help you regain your strength and improve your health!

A leg injury can limit your activity level.

Physical therapy is an essential component of a rehabilitation program for any leg injury. This entails a logical progression of low-intensity to high-intensity exercises designed to restore any lost flexibility, strength and power so you can return to normal activities as quickly as possible. Consult a physical therapist to develop a program that suits your personal goals and needs. Want to improve your health? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

STRETCHING EXERCISES
Stretching your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal muscles will help restore your ankle-, knee- and hip-joint ranges of motion, respectively, depending on the location of your injury. Lengthen the involved muscles until you feel gentle tension, then hold for 10 to 30 seconds, gradually deepening the stretch with each exhalation as you breathe deeply. You can also repeatedly lengthen and shorten your leg muscles in a slow and controlled fashion to stretch them dynamically.

ISOMETRIC EXERCISES
Isometric exercises are appropriate if you’ve injured an ankle, knee or hip joint and consequently moving the joint through a normal range of motion is painful. Performing isometric heel raises, for example, targets the calf muscles. This exercise involves standing on your tiptoes for 10 to 30 seconds at a time. Furthermore, isometric hamstrings and quadriceps contractions may help you recover from a knee injury, and isometric hip abduction, adduction, extension and flexion exercises may help rehabilitate a hip injury.

STRENGTHENING EXERCISES
Perform traditional strengthening exercises when it’s no longer painful to move your injured joint through a normal range of motion. Use your body weight or a resistance band to provide low-impact resistance at first, then increase the intensity by using a barbell, dumbbells or a weight machine for each exercise. Examples of appropriate exercises include heel raises that work your calves, leg curls and leg extensions that isolate the hamstrings and quadriceps, respectively, hip abduction, adduction, extension and flexion exercises on a weight machine and deadlifts, leg presses, lunges, squats and stepups, which work your hip and knee joints simultaneously.

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES
Perform plyometric exercises at the end of your rehabilitation program, after your injury has healed and you’re ready to resume normal activities again. These power-building exercises are particularly effective for athletes that jump, run and sprint frequently while training and competing. Examples of effective plyometric exercises for your legs include box jumps, depth jumps, lateral hops and long jumps. Do these exercises two to three times per week, progressively increasing the intensity with each training session.

REFERENCES
“Essentials of Athletic Injury Management”; William Prentice and Daniel Arnheim; 2008 “NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training”; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2004 Sports Fitness Advisor: Isometric Exercises and Static Strength Training

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/477394-physical-therapy-exercises-for-legs/#ixzz2ikT7NnAa

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Biking: Safety and Fitness

August 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

If you bike on the regular, then you may be aware of the injuries that are associated with the sport. Here are some tips from Eric Moen, PT to help you stay safe when you bike!

Bicycle-related pain and injuries are commonly associated with poor bike fit. Following these tips will help you minimize the risk of injury:
Postural Tips

Change hand position on the handlebars frequently for upper body comfort.
Keep a controlled but relaxed grip of the handlebars.
When pedaling, your knee should be slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Avoid rocking your hips while pedaling.

Common Bicycling Pains

Anterior (Front) Knee Pain. Possible causes are having a saddle that is too low, pedaling at a low cadence (speed), using your quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals, and muscle imbalance in your legs (strong quadriceps and weak hamstrings).
Neck Pain. Possible causes include poor handlebar or saddle position. A poorly placed handlebar might be too low, at too great a reach, or at too short a reach. A saddle with excessive downward tilt can be a source of neck pain.
Lower Back Pain. Possible causes include inflexible hamstrings, low cadence, using your quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, poor back strength, and too-long or too-low handlebars.
Hamstring Tendinitis. Possible causes are inflexible hamstrings, high saddle, misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals, and poor hamstring strength.
Hand Numbness or Pain. Possible causes are short-reach handlebars, poorly placed brake levers, and a downward tilt of the saddle.
Foot Numbness or Pain. Possible causes are using quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, low cadence, faulty foot mechanics, and misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals.
Ilio-Tibial Band Tendinitis. Possible causes are too-high saddle, leg length difference, and misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals.

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