Editor’s note: Dana Santas, known as the “Mobility Maker,” is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, and is the author of the book “Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief.”
Knee pain is a common issue affecting millions of people worldwide. Whether it’s due to past or current injury, arthritis or simply the wear and tear of aging, the discomfort can be debilitating.
In most cases, proactive ways can help you soothe and strengthen your knees. As a mobility coach, I teach people how to use movement as medicine. In the case of knee pain, there’s one simple yet effective exercise I favor to help alleviate pain and strengthen the muscles around your knees: the reverse lunge.
Unlike traditional lunges, the reverse lunge is gentler on your joints. This lunge variation not only has the power to strengthen your knee function but also enhances overall lower body strength and stability. Read on to learn how incorporating reverse lunges into your fitness regimen can help you move past the pain and build a stronger foundation for knee health.
Understanding your knee pain
Knee pain is hard to ignore as it affects your ability to perform everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs and even sitting and standing. The knee joint is a complex structure made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons, all working together to provide stability and movement.
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When any of these components are compromised, pain can ensue. It may be experienced as a constant or intermittent ache, throbbing or even stabbing pain that may or may not come with swelling.
Common causes of knee pain include:
• Osteoarthritis: a degenerative joint disease that results in the breakdown of cartilage.
• Patellar tendinitis: inflammation of the tendons connecting the kneecap to the shinbone.
• Meniscus tears: injuries to the shock-absorbing cartilage in the knee.
• Ligament injuries: tears or strains to any of the four main knee ligaments (ACL, MCL, PCL and LCL).
• Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursae, small sacs of fluid that cushion the knee joint.
It’s important to determine the cause of your knee pain before attempting any specific rehab plan. Addressing knee pain often requires a multifaceted approach that may include physical therapy, lifestyle modifications, medication and targeted exercises such as the reverse lunge.
Before adding reverse lunges to your fitness regimen or beginning any new exercises or therapies, check with your doctor or other health care professionals you are seeing for help with your knees.
Benefits of the reverse lunge
The reverse lunge is a basic yet powerful exercise that strengthens the muscles around your knees, improves your core strength and enhances overall lower body strength, mobility and stability.
Here are some key benefits:
• Reverse lunging strengthens muscles that support your knees. Building stabilizing muscles around the knee joints improves movement quality and reduces pain and injury risk.
• The dynamic movement of reverse lunging increases joint lubrication by stimulating the production of synovial fluid. Lubricating the knee joint reduces friction and promotes smoother, pain-free motion.
• Unlike forward lunging and other forward stepping exercises, the backward motion of reverse lunges puts less strain on the knees and emphasizes more stability, making them an ideal choice for individuals with knee pain.
• Practicing reverse lunges improves balance and stability. Because reverse lunges are unilateral, they are a balance training exercise that strengthens your core and stabilizing muscles to reduce the risk of injury by “moving wrong.”
• They enhance mobility. Regularly practicing reverse lunges improves hip, knee and ankle mobility.
• They aid in functional activities. The movement mimics everyday activities, such as kneeling down to tie your shoes or picking something up off the floor.
After losing weight, Olivares said she still experiences body dysmorphia. Photo Illustration by Connie Chen/CNN/Adobe Stock