What can you do for knee pain?

I spent the last 2 weekends digging out weeds and prepping the ground for our new garden space. I used my right leg a lot to push on the shovel when I worked with the weeds and soil.

By the end of these heavy duty, all day gardening sessions, my right knee felt so stiff and painful I needed to address the tension around the knee.

I felt so good after my "knee rehab" session that I thought that I would share what I did.  I am not pain free yet, but I know that if I keep this routine up through the week, I will be good to go in no time!

How to get rid of a painful & stiff knee

• Decompress knee with a band
• Release with balls: quadriceps, hamstrings, calves
• Work the tissues surrounding the knee with Gua Sha tools (or a butter knife)

Decompress

Release Around Knee Joint

Gua Sha Tool to Tissues Around Knee Joint

Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT.  Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.