Exercises for a Twisted Kneecap

A twisted kneecap is a painful injury. It can lead to other more serious injuries to the knee and limit your ability to move or exercise properly if not cared for when the initial injury occurs. There are a variety of exercises which can be done to help heal the knee so more-serious injuries don't result later. Most of these exercises strengthen the area around the articular cartilage of the knee.

  1. Short Arc Extensions

    • Short arc extensions can be done sitting up on a chair or lying down on your back on the floor. Take a rolled-up towel and place it under your thigh. Then lift your leg and keep it up in the air for five seconds. Lower your foot as you slowly bend your knee. Try to repeat this 10 times on each leg, twice a day to help strengthen the area around the upper part of the knee cap. If it is too painful to do 10 times, reduce the number of repetitions.

    Straight Leg Raises

    • Straight leg raises are done by lying on the ground. Lift your whole leg at the hip with your knee extended and keep it in the air for 5 seconds. Then lower it slowly to the ground and rest for a few seconds. Repeat this 10 times with each leg. This exercise strengthens the quadriceps and the muscles along the side of the leg. Try to do these exercises in conjunction with the short arc extensions.

    Bicycling Without Straightening

    • If the twisted knee cap feels well enough for a bit more strenuous activity, try riding a bike, either real or stationary. On a stationary bike, make sure the tension is very low and the leg can be straightened when it is on the down stroke. On a real bike, adjust the seat so that your knee isn't entirely straight and you are using the muscles around the knee to push you down the road. Start at 15 minutes per day and work your way up to 30 minutes per day. This will improve your exercise tolerance without stressing your knee.