By Dr. Shayne Kelly, DO — Fellowship-Trained Sports Medicine Surgeon · Tri-City Orthopedics, Kennewick, WA
A home exercise program from Dr. Shayne Kelly, fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon.
Published rehab research (the Silbernagel pain-monitoring model) uses this rule of thumb: pain up to about 5 out of 10 during exercise is acceptable — as long as it settles back to your usual level by the next morning and isn't trending worse week over week. If pain runs higher, is worse the next day, or keeps climbing, ease back on the weight or repetitions.
Lie flat on your back. Squeeze your glutes together, hold 2-3 seconds. Relax.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Tighten your abdominal muscles and flatten your low back into the bed, rolling your pelvis backward. Hold 3-5 seconds. Relax.
While lying on your back, bend both knees with your feet flat and shoulder width apart. Keeping your feet in place, tighten and raise your buttocks off the ground. Hold for 5 seconds. Return to original position.
Lie on your side with hips and knees bent to about 45 degrees, feet stacked together. Keeping your feet touching and your pelvis still, open the top knee toward the ceiling. Slowly lower back down. Switch sides.
Lie on your side with the bottom knee bent for balance and the top leg straight. Lift the top leg toward the ceiling, keeping the knee straight and toes pointing forward. Slowly lower. Switch sides.
While standing with the theraband around the ankle of the injured leg, bend the hip and knee. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Return to original position.
While standing with the theraband around the ankle of the injured leg, bend the hip while keeping the knee straight. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Return to original position.
While standing with the theraband around the ankle of the injured leg, bend the hip away from the opposite leg while keeping the knee straight. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Return to original position.
While standing with the theraband around the ankle of the injured leg, bend the hip towards the opposite leg while keeping the knee straight. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Return to original position.
While standing with the theraband around the ankle of the injured leg, extend the hip while keeping the knee straight. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Return to original position.
Lie on your stomach with a pillow under your hips. Keep the front of your thigh on the bed, and slowly bend your knee to lift the foot off the ground. Slowly lower back down.
Lie on your stomach with your ankle propped up. Keeping your hip in contact with the bed, press your knee up to straighten it. Hold 3 seconds. Slowly lower back down.
Position yourself with your knees directly under your hips, and hands under your shoulders. Arch your back up to feel a stretch in your back, then slowly sink your stomach downward to curve your back the other way. Hold 1-2 seconds in each position.
Lie on your back with the knee slightly bent. Dig your heel into the bed, as if to drag your foot up toward you, but do not move the leg. You should feel the back of your thigh tighten. Relax.
Call Dr. Kelly’s office at (509) 460-5588 for fever over 101°F, increasing redness or drainage at incisions, pain that is worsening instead of improving, or new numbness or tingling. For chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911.
Dr. Kelly sees patients at Tri-City Orthopedics in Kennewick.
Request an AppointmentCall Dr. Kelly’s office at (509) 460-5588 if your pain is worsening instead of improving despite these exercises, if you develop new numbness, tingling, or weakness, or if pain wakes you at night or keeps you from your daily activities. For chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911.
Dr. Kelly sees patients at Tri-City Orthopedics in Kennewick.
Request an Appointment