Early Knee Exercise Regime for Pool
All exercises are to be performed smoothly and ONLY up to discomfort NOT pain. Remember to maintain a good posture throughout all exercises. All exercises to be repeated 10-20 times.
To increase resistance for standing, lying and floating exercises use a woggle/(noodle) or float under foot or wrap ankle cuffs around lower leg.
Finally flippers can be worn for standing or swimming exercises
1. Walking across the pool in the shallow end.
Start with arms in water. When this is easy progress to arms on the water then out of water and finally pressing down on float or noodle.
Slowly walk from one side of the pool to the other remembering to do a heel to toe motion .
Repeat 2-3 widths of the pool
2. Walking from one side of the pool to the other bringing your knee up to your chest each step.
3. Side step walking from one side of the pool to the other.
4. Walk with a dip.
5. Walk on tiptoes across the pool then on your heels
6. Stride out to take longest step possible.
7. Progress to Jogging on spot and running across pool as progress allows.
Facing the side of the pool, Water chest level or at a comfortable depth to maintain balance.
1. Heel raises- Go up and down on to tiptoes x 20
2. Bend alternate knee towards chest x 20
3. Knee bends in standing-Bring alternate heel towards your bottom keeping both thighs level.
4. Standing with your legs together then keeping the legs straight take one leg out to the side and back x 10.
Always make sure you are not leaning. Repeat on opposite leg x 10
Now stand side on to the pool. Water should be at chest level or at a comfortable to maintain balance.
5. Kicking the leg through- Bring your leg back slowly keeping it straight and then bring forward and kick through (pretending to kick a football) x 10-20
6. Single leg cycling
Stand holding on and make the leg perform a cycling action
7. Straighten and bend the knee with the hip and knee at 90°. Repeat on opposite knee.
8. Squats- Squeeze your bottom and bend your knees keeping your back straight x 20
9. Single leg squats- Same as exercise before however on one leg x 10
Repeat on opposite leg
10. Forward Lunges- Stand with either foot in front of the other. Rock knee over foot. Repeat on opposite leg
Lying on back in corner of the pool or floats off steps.
1. Straight leg kicking- Lying on your back in the corner of the pool, hips just below the water, keep your legs straight and kick
A. Long and slow B. Fast.
2. Straight legs push apart and pull heels together keep toes pointing to ceiling x20
Increase difficulty by doing fast
Alternate knee bend towards chest and stretch out. Repeat.
Keeping thigh straight bend alternate knee to take foot down into water and under knee x 20
Cycling in lying
Circle motion with legs- Straight legs should be apart and then brought back in the middle in a circular motion.
Lying on front supported with a float or woggle in corner of pool or floating off the steps.
Straight leg kicking, do not roll from side to side
A. Long and slow
B. Fast.
Bend alternate knee towards chest.
Start with your legs stretched out behind you, curl single knee in towards you to bring knee far as you can towards chest. Then take it out and do other leg.
Then do cycling action on tummy-
Sit on woggle/float or noodle or use as support under your arms
Cycle from one end of the pool to the other
Using the woggle for support and if possible in deeper water, have both legs straight as if standing
A. Swing alternate legs forward and back.
B. Push straight legs apart and together.
Holding float or woggle-Swim with legs only keeping legs straight and kicking on front and back.
ONLY IF CONFIDENT TO DO SO.
At the Steps
Step ups- Place foot on bottom step, rock weight over foot and step up.
Do not be tempted to pull yourself up.
Step off backwards.
Repeat with alternate foot leading.
Place foot on second step and rock knee over foot to help increase the range of flexion in the knee.
Progress to stepping on and off second step leading with alternate foot.
Then practise stepping down the steps sideways holding on if needed
Step on and off the bottom step facing down into the pool.
The knee of the leg on the step bends and the heel lifts to allow you step down with control
Sit to stand from the step
Now sit on the step and do bicycling in the water
When you are feeling up to it try running on the spot in shallow water and then do some jumping
Finish with a walk or gentle swim
Here is a film of the whole program
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