A stiff knee can be caused by tight muscles around the knee, injuries, or even arthritis. Some simple stretches to loosen up the muscles around the knee should help. Buy a worksheet with these knee stretches at: https://www.askdoctorjo.com/stiff-knee-stretches-worksheet
Starting off with patella mobs is a great way to get the joint loosened up. Since the kneecap is connected to the quad and patellar tendon, if they are tight, it can push the patella down into the knee joint causing pain and stiffness.
Next are heel slides. Even though these are not technically a stretch, they are a great way to get the knee moving and relaxed before going into the big stretches.
Then using a strap to help stretch, quad stretches, hamstring stretches, IT band stretches, and calf stretches are a great way to get all the muscles that go to and cross the knee joint. These are full stretches, so hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and then do 3 reps on each side.
A butterfly stretch for the groin or adductor muscles, and a lunge stretch for the hip flexors will not only loosen up the knee, but they will also help with the hip. These are full stretches, so hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and then do 3 reps on each side.
Seated heel slides with heel taps are one of my favorite ways to get a stiff knee moving and help increase the bend in the knee.
Finally, a soleus stretch will get the muscle underneath the calf. This is a full stretch, so hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and then do 3 reps on each side.
Related Knee Pain Relief Videos:
Dr. Jo’s Knee Pain Relief Playlist:
10 Best Knee Pain Strengthening Exercises:
7 Stiff Knee Stretches:
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10 Best Stiff Knee Pain Relief Stretches:
https://www.askdoctorjo.com/10-stiff-knee-stretches
DISCLAIMER: This content (the video, description, links, and comments) is not medical advice or a personalized treatment plan and is intended for general education and demonstration purposes only. Perform the moves in this content at your own risk. These moves may not be appropriate for your specific situation, so get approval and guidance from your own healthcare provider before beginning. If anything is painful or doesn’t feel right, stop immediately and contact your healthcare provider.
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