Dear Reader;

The knee joint is the largest and most complicated joint in our body. It is extremely vulnerable to traumatic injuries because of its poor bony arrangement. The joint is quite defenceless against most of the forces to which it is subjected.

Your knee injury could be one of four different categories - a compression injury, a sprain, a torsion injury or a hyperextension injury. The category would dictate the protocol for management. Since the specifics are not known, I can only provide some general guidelines.

An exercise programme to strengthen the muscles that surround the knee is fundamental to the prevention of muscle mass loss and the other tissues that protect the integrity of the joint. Such programme should avoid joint movements that cause pain. If the joint has to be rested in a stable position, static exercises should be done to reduce the amount of muscle mass that could be experienced during the rest period.

As the status of the injury improves, a programme of progressive resistive exercise is needed to expedite the recovery process.The application of weights or resistance is necessary to get the best response from the programme.

You can put together home-made weights such as sandbags of five, seven and 10 pounds, and so on and do the following exercises at home if you do not have access to a gym facility.

Supine straight leg raise

1. Lie on your back with weights attached to the ankle on leg with injured knee.

2. Bend knee of healthy leg with foot flat on floor.

3. Lock the knee and raise leg slowly about two feet above the floor.

4. Hold that position for six to 12 seconds.

5. Lower the leg slowly to the starting position.

6. Do 15 to 20 repetitions, rest then repeat.

7. Do three sets

Prone straight leg raise

1. Lie face down, weights attached to your ankle.

2. Knee locked, raise leg as high as possible from floor.

3. Hold position six to 12 seconds.

4. Lower leg to the starting position.

5. Do 15 to 20 repetitions, rest then repeat.

6. Do three sets.

Knee extension

1. Sit with knee bent, leg hanging with weights attached to ankle.

2. Straighten leg to a range of angles (50, 70, 90 degrees, etc) to its maximum range.

3. Hold each position six to 12 seconds.

4. Return to starting position.

5. Do a number of repetitions and sets.

If you have access to gym facilities, leg-extension and leg-curl machines will provide a tailor-made situation to rehabilitate your knee.

Leg extensions

1. Sit on a leg-extension machine.

2. Hook your instep under the roller pads.

3. Knees firmly against the edge of the seat, slowly straighten your legs as fully as possible.

4. Slowly return to the starting point

5. Repeat as necessary.

Lying leg curls

1. Lie face down on curl machine.

2. Hook heals beneath roller pads.

3. Slowly bend your knees as completely as possible; hold for 12 seconds.

4. Slowly return leg to starting position

5. Repeat as necessary