Knees
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If you want to learn about the knee joints you will exercise, click here and then scroll down until you reach the section on Knees
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1 Walk backward and forward for warm up
When walking backward touch down first with your toes. When walking forward touch down with your heel first. Use floats for balance as necessary.
2 Walking in straight line for balance
To warm up walk on toes, heels, and in a straight line (tight rope)
3 Walking on the spot
Walk as if marching, swinging your arms
4 Develop hip, leg flexibility
Stand up straight. Move leg out and up as far as you comfortably can. Hold it in that position and count to 10 before relaxing down wards
5 High leg stretch for hip, knee and balance
Stand tall. Raise your knee behind you as near to your bottom as you can. Then repeat with other knee.
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6 Strengthen legs with noodle
Hold the noodle at both ends. Try to trap it under the foot whose knee needs gentle exercise. Pull the noodle so that it is held in position under foot. Slowly raise your knee. Then push the noodle down to the floor. That is leg extension. Repeat, say 10 times.
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7 Side walk for balance and stability
Stand up straight with your feet apart. Step sideways lifting your knee as high as you comfortably can on its way next to the other leg. Then lift the other leg away from its partner. Do these movement slowly.
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8 Walking for Balance
As in the previous video start with an erect posture using your back muscles. Then take high steps. When going backward land your toes behind you first followed by your heel. Going forward land your heels first
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9 Balance on noodle for balance
Keep your thighs still and kick the lower leg up and down. If you are overweight and have damaged your knees, do not do anything that hurts. Take advice from a physiotherapist
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10 Standing squats
Stand on two legs, squat down and stand up. Make this harder by standing in shallower water. The try with one leg. Hold something ( e.g. floats to help balance when necessary).
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11 Seated leg strengthening
Waggle from your hips and also bending your knees. Do this as gently or as vigorously as you please. Keep your back still and stable. Try to let your hips and knees be loose, flexible and relaxed, not stiff. That’s why I said “waggle”, not simply “kick”. It’s like a crawl leg-kick. You can add flippers for resistance and strengthening.
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12 Leg strengthening with sit to stand
If your pool does not have steps like this, use the opportunity to make comments or write to the pool owners. This exercise is useful for the elderly who have difficulty getting out of their armchairs at home. In the pool, the water supports you. You can practise the action more easily. Lean forward and push with your knees. Pull or push on the bars like the arms of your chair at home as you need to, but work towards getting up without using your hands. That’s the aim.
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13 Leg strengthening with Noodle
Hold the noodle at both ends. Try to put your preferred foot on the middle and pin it to the bottom of the pool. Pull the two ends of noodle so that it is trapped under your foot. Keeping it tight, now raise your foot as high as you can, bending your knee forward. Then, keeping the noodle tight push it down to the floor of the pool. Repeat the process 10 times or as many as your think appropriate. The change for the other knee.
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14 Hip, knee, power leg kicks
Bend and straighten knees fast, keeping thighs on the seat. Add flippers as necessary. Keep your spine fixed, steady and stable
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15 Step ups with weak leg first
Standing at the bottom of the steps facing upwards. Try, with your weaker knee, to step on to the second from bottom step. If that is too difficult, the bottom step will be right for you. Bring up your leg with the stronger knee. Stand up straight. Then go down using the better knee first. Repeat the process as many times as appropriate. Change to the other leg if that has some weakness too, taking care not to tax your weaker knee.
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16 Lunges
Stand with your weaker leg in front. Lunge forward by bending the front leg as much as possible. Then stretch the leg straight sending your weight on to the back leg.
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17 Knee strength agility
Jumping up and down, jogging on the spot and hopping help to strengthen your ankles and lubricate your knees. In the long run the vibration helps to strengthen your bones.
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18 Squats
Stand on two legs and squat down and stand up. Make this harder by standing in shallower water. Then try with one leg. Hold something (eg floats) to help balance when necessary.
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18 Float leg press
Loop a noodle under your foot. Pull gently upwards so that it does not escape. Then, keeping the noodle tight, bend your knee upwards before pressing it down to the floor. Repeat 10 times as you choose.
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19 High leg stretch for hip, knee and balance
Raise your leg sideways with leg bent or straight. Then turn your body to face it. Hold the bar as necessary.
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20 Step up with resistance
Step up with the weak knee and down with stronger one. Flippers require strength and balance. Hold the bars as necessary.
21 Step up with weak leg, down with strong
Step up and down a step facing the step. To challenge the weak leg, leap up the step with the weak leg and down with the stronger leg. If possible, step up to the second step from the bottom. Hold the bar only if necessary. Then turn round and from the lowest step, go down the step leading with the strong leg.
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22 Stretch knees then bend to chest
Use flippers for resistance to build strength if you want. This is an energetic exercise for both flexibility and strength.
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23 Reclining hip, leg and back strengthening
Leg stretch then bend one leg at a time and finally bend both knees together. Add flippers for strengthening. Hold the bar if available. These are demanding exercises for the elderly.
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24 Knee strengthening with noodle
Bend your knees up and down, pushing the water away with the soles of your feet. Alternatively use a cycling action. Another option is to bend and stretch both knees together at the same time.