A Simple Workout To Help Prevent Knee Pain While Hiking

Knee pain while hiking and trekking is an incredibly common issue. In fact, is is one of the most prevalent injuries in the adventure world.

And you suffer from hiker's knee (and it is sucking a lot of the enjoyment out of your trail time) here is a simple workout to help:

(For video instructions for each exercise, and the full 12 week training program, follow the link at the bottom of the page)

A 20 Minute Workout To Get your Knees strong, stable and pain Free While Hiking!

Warm Up

This warm up is designed to increase range of motion in key muscles, activate one of your most important knee stabilisers and get you ready for a good workout!

1. Calf foam roll x 1 min
2. Quadriceps foam roll x 1 min
3. Knee to wall x 10
4. Leg swing x 10
5. Seated glute stretch x10
6. Worlds greatest stretch x10
7. Banded terminal knee extension x 10 (squeeze quads for 5 seconds at end point)

The Workout

The workout is designed to strengthen the quads and glutes (both important knee stabilisers), increase range of motion in the ankles and develop abdominal strength.

1a) Step Downs x 8  (4 seconds on way down)
1b) Wall calf stretch x 30 sec

Repeat 4 times - rest period is the stretch

2a) Glute bridge x20 (mini band around knees, squeeze glutes at top of each rep for 3 seconds)
2b) Mini band walks x20 (each way, band above knees)
2c) Side plank x 30 sec  (on knees)

Repeat 3 times - no rest

Complete this workout once a week, for 4 weeks and you will be well on your way to pain free knees on the trail!