Exercises for Runner’s Knee

1. Stretching quadriceps

Stand in front of a chair and hold on to it with one hand.Grab the top of one ankle with one hand and pull your foot towards your buttock until you feel a gentle stretch in front of the thigh.Hold the stretch, keeping your lower back neutral and return to the initial position.

2. Quadriceps stretch

Sit down with one leg bent behind you, the foot against the buttock, and one leg bent in front with the foot against the other knee.
Keep the back foot aligned with the knee, without any rotation.
Gently lower the trunk toward the floor behind you, keeping your pelvis elevated.
Hold the position as recommended when you feel a comfortable stretch in front of your back thigh.

3. Vastus medialis strengthening

Sit with a theraband tied around the ankle and secured to a chair.
Turn the leg outward (lateral rotation) and bring your toes toward the body (ankle dorsiflexion).
Start with your leg bent at 150-160 degrees and stabilize the thigh in this position.
Slowly straighten the leg and hold for the recommended time.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

4. Open legs squat

Stand with your feet apart and facing outwards.
Slowly drop down into a squat with open legs, keeping your knee cap aligned with the second toe.
Slowly return to the standing position by pushing through your heels to activate your buttock.
Maintain proper low back posture (slightly arched) and stability of the knees (avoid any lateral movements).

5. Squat, open legs/togheter

Stand with your feet together and facing outwards.Slowly drop down into a squat with open legs, keeping your knee cap aligned with the second toe.Slowly return to the standing position by pushing through your heels to activate your buttock.Maintain proper low back posture (slightly arched) and stability of the knees (avoid any lateral movements).

6. VMO wall press mini-squat

Stand with one arm against the wall and the outside leg directly underneath the hip with the leg closer to the wall bent to 90°.
To start, press hard on the wall with the elbow and the knee, squeeze the glutes and straighten the weight-bearing leg.
Bent the weight-bearing leg slightly and straighten back up, focusing on activating the vastus medialis obliquus, which is the inner part of the quadriceps near the knee.

7. Small jump to 1 leg landing with mini-band

Place a mini-band around your legs, just above your knees.
Start in a standing position, bend the knees and hips slightly to do do a small knee bend then, from this position, perform a small jump and land on one leg only in the small knee bend position without your knee caving in.