5 easy knee exercises you can do in bed with a pillow

Women with knee pain and arthritis know how hard joints hurt. Sometimes, even walking becomes difficult. But immobility is not the answer to manage the pain. Performing a few knee-strengthening exercises can help to manage the condition.

Celebrity fitness expert Bhavna Harchandrai recently took to her Instagram account to share a set of exercises that can help in knee strengthening and mobility for seniors and patients with osteoarthritis. You can recommend these exercises to your mother, grandmother or any other family member who has this condition. They can easily do it on a bed with a pillow.

Exercises for knee strengthening

Here are 5 knee-strengthening exercises with a pillow to ease arthritis pain and stiffness:

1. Leg extensions

• Sit down at the edge of your bed and place the pillow under your thighs to support your position.
  Note: You can also do it while sitting on a chair.
• Make sure your body is straight, with hands placed at the back of you on the bed and feet on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Extend your both knees together to lift your legs straight in front of you and keep your toes loosely upward.
• Hold the pose for 10 seconds, and do not lock your knees and arch your back throughout the movement.
• Exhale and lower your legs back to the starting position, and inhale when you lift them up.

2. Adduction

• Lie down in a supine position and place your hands by your sides.
• Bend your knees and focus on breathing.
• Fold a pillow and place it between your legs.
• Push both knees towards each other, pressing the pillow.
• Hold the press for 10 seconds and then relax your knees. Do not let the pillow fall.
• Do 10 repetitions of this exercise.

3. Alternate leg extensions

• Sit at the edge of the bed and place a pillow under your legs on the bed.
• Place your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
• Keep your back straight and your arms and legs relaxed.
• Extend your right knee to lift the right leg until it’s parallel with the floor, making a 90-degree angle.
• Hold it for 10 seconds and then bring down your leg.
• Repeat the movement with your left leg.
• Remember to inhale when you bend your leg and exhale when you extend your leg.
• Complete 10-15 repetitions on each side.

4. Alternate leg lifts

• Start by lying down on your back and keep your hands by your sides.
• Place a pillow under the knees to support them.
• Stretch your right leg in front of you, making a 45-degree angle.
• Even if you are not able to raise your legs properly just yet, keep trying. Slowly and gradually you will learn it.
• Now, hold it for 10 seconds and bring it down.
• Once it’s done, lift your left leg, hold it for 10 seconds, and bring it down.
• Complete at least 10 repetitions.

5. Lying down

• While lying down in bed, keep your legs straight.
• Place a pillow below your knees and relax.
• Now, press the knees together into it downwards by tightening the muscles of the front of your thigh.
• Hold it here for 10 seconds and then repeat with the other leg.
• Do 10 times with each leg.