#hiplift

Suffering from knee pain when walking or playing sports?  Recovering from knee surgery?  If you answered yes to either of those or just want to prevent answering yes, Pilates can provide a solution.  The knees are supported by many muscles, these include the quads, hamstrings, abductors, adductors and glutes.  The exercises i’ve included here will strengthen these while mobilising the knee to aid relief from pain and prevent pain from recurring.  They’re short and relatively simple, so try to fit them in 2 to 3 times per week and within a month you should notice a difference.  I’ve shown the exercises on a reformer but they can all be done on a mat too.  

Achilles and Calves: High Half-Toe

Lying on your back, place the balls of your feet on the footbar and raise your heels a couple of inches.  Your legs and feet should be zipped together.  Keeping your heels as still as possible, extend the knees to push the carriage out as you inhale.  On an exhale, lower your heels below the footbar.  Inhale to raise them and exhale to flex the knees and return the carriage. 

Concentrate on pulling up through the quads as you push the carriage out and enjoy the stretch in the achilles and calves as you lower your heels.

If you don’t have access to a reformer, try some simple heel raises standing on the stairs balancing on the balls of your feet.

Hamstrings and Glutes:  Second Position - Laterally Rotated

Lying on the reformer, place the meaty part of your heels wide on the footbar.  Your knees should be about shoulder distance apart.  As you exhale, extend the knees to push the carriage out.  Inhale to flex the knees and return.

Concentrate on pushing through your heels to engage the glutes and pulling up through your hamstrings as you exhale.  Keep the movements out and in even in duration and imagine the carriage is moving through treacle to keep them slow and smooth.

This is essentially a squat lying down, so without a reformer, perform a standing squat.  Be sure to keep your back straight (standing against a wall could help).

Glutes and Adductors: Hip Lifts

Lie on the carriage with your heels on the footbar.  Your legs should be parallel, so that your heels are in line with your sit bones.  Place a stability ball between your knees and squeeze it gently to help activate the abs and work the adductor muscles.  On an exhale, squeeze the glutes and lift the pelvis a few inches off the carriage.  Inhale to hold the position and exhale to release back down.

Concentrate on not moving the carriage which will require a fair bit of ab strength.  You can challenge yourself further by adding a few pulses - squeeze the ball in the hips lifted position.

Try this on a mat or the floor, lying with your feet flat on the floor with knees bent.  You could even place a fitness circle around your lower thigh and press out in the pelvis lifted position to work the abductor muscles!

I really hope you’ve enjoyed those exercises and start feeling that your knees are stronger!