Balancing life, family and fitness - easy right? Not always! Get stories that inspire you to breathe deeply and make mindful choices by subscribing to my blog by email.
It’s been just about 10 months since my knee surgery (WHAT?!?). While I’ve returned to many of my pre-surgery activities, there are still some things that aren’t quite the same as they were before surgery.
I think very consciously before I abruptly twist, turn or change direction. I also notice that despite all my physical therapy, there are still come discernible weaknesses and muscle imbalances. I know that it’s going to take time and that I need to continue to do my exercises. After all, those were some of the lessons I learned from this little injury, right?
One of the things that I learned during physical therapy was that in order to strengthen and stabilize my knees, I needed to strengthen my hips and glutes. Yup, that’s right. My hips and glutes are weak which leads to the instability in my knee.
The muscles in our hips and glutes help to relieve some of the stress and pressure on our knees and to keep our knees in alignment. This is especially true for women. Because we have (ahem) wider hips, that can put extra pressure on our knees and cause them to fall inwards. Strength in your hips and glutes help to counteract this by pulling the knees back into alignment and help you strengthen your knees.
Here are 5 exercises (and a little video) to help you strengthen your knees.
- Lateral Walks
- Monster Walks
- Clamshells
- Bridges
- Lateral Leg Raises
Complete 10-15 reps of each exercises. Complete 3 sets.
These exercises were a staple in my physical therapy treatment and continue to be an important part of my exercise routine. You can do these exercises anywhere and all you need is a resistance band. When you perform the exercises, focus on small and controlled movements.
Don’t let these exercises fool you. They look easy but they are hard!
If you do have a knee injury, my friend Tamara at Fitknitchick put together a great list of workout ideas that you can do while recovering from knee injury. Be sure to check them out!
Do you incorporate hip and glutes exercises into your workout routine? What are some of your favorite moves? Do you have a bum knee?
Disclaimer: While I am a yoga instructor, I am not a physical therapist, medical doctor or certified personal trainer. The views I express are mine alone, based on my own experiences. Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan.
*************************
More Ways to Follow Love, Life, Surf
Original article and pictures take www.lovelifesurf.com site
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий