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Balance exercises for knee injuries - Benefits and common pitfalls

Balance exercises for knee injuries
Kim Van Deventer
Kim Van Deventer
Oct 10, 2024
Medically reviewed by
Maryke Louw
Want to know why balance exercises are so crucial to your knee injury recovery? Need better advice on how to do them? Then this article is for you.
  • Why balance exercises can help your knee injury
  • Balance exercises for knee injuries
  • References

Why balance exercises can help your knee injury

Balance exercises can help restore your injured knee's position sense.

What is position sense?

Position sense (or proprioception) is your brain's ability to know where your body is in space without looking at it.

Climbing stairs is an excellent example of position sense in action.

When you climb up a flight of stairs, do you need to look at your feet as you go up? Likely not. How is it possible that you know precisely how high to lift your leg without looking?

Your brain receives thousands of messages from receptors in your muscles, tendons, and joints, telling it exactly where your legs are and how they are moving.

That's position sense!

Good position sense allows you to climb stairs without looking at your feet.
Good position sense allows you to climb stairs without looking at your feet.

Why this matters

Research shows that:

  • Any type of injury can decrease your position sense
  • Poor position sense increases your risk of injuring yourself

For example, suppose you step on a stone while running. In that case, good position sense allows your brain to recalculate your movements quickly, and you can carry on without injury. But poor position sense may cause you to sprain your ankle or knee.

Balance exercises can restore your position sense after a knee injury.
Balance exercises can restore your position sense after a knee injury.
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Balance exercises for knee injuries

Only start balance exercises once you can comfortably support all your weight on your injured leg.

Here are 4 balance exercise progressions. You must master the easy ones before moving on to the harder ones.

  • Supported balance

  • Balance - Focus straight ahead

A common mistake people make is starting balance board exercises too early. You must first gain good control while simply balancing on the floor before you start adding unstable surfaces.

Need some extra help with your balance exercises?

The Exakt Health app offers personalized exercise guidance and evidence-based tips for smoothly and effectively managing common knee injuries, including meniscus tears, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and IT band syndrome.

You can start using it at any stage of your recovery, and the app will adjust to your current condition, helping you progress towards a full return to sports.

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Man using the balance exercises in the Exakt Health app to rehab his knee injury.
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    Kim Van Deventer
    Kim Van Deventer
    Kim Van Deventer is a freelance healthcare writer and digital content strategist for healthcare businesses and medical content agencies. She has a BSc in Physiotherapy and worked as a physiotherapist for more than 14 years, specialising in sports injury rehabilitation, chronic pain management, and women's health. Kim combines her clinical experience and digital marketing skills to create relevant and helpful content that improves patients' lives.
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      Supported balance

      1. Place only one finger lightly on a table or against a wall for balance.
      2. Tense your core muscles gently and shift your weight to your injured side.
      3. Ensure your pelvis stays level as you lift your uninjured leg off the floor.
      4. Maintain your balance on your injured leg, holding on just enough to feel steady and secure.
      5. Try to keep your foot as still as possible, and don't allow it to roll in or out.
      6. Start by holding the position for 15 seconds or fewer. Then, add a few seconds as you get stronger. Aim to build up to balancing for 30 seconds with good form, but don't force it.
      7. Switch legs and do the other side.
      8. While balancing on the uninjured side, note how it feels and how you control the movement. Then try and apply this to your injured side.
      9. Repeat 3 times on each leg (6 in total).

      Balance - Focus straight ahead

      1. Stand and tense your core muscles gently, then shift your weight over to one side.
      2. Lift your foot off the floor, keeping your pelvis level.
      3. Balance on one leg.
      4. Keep your foot as still as possible, not allowing it to roll in or out.
      5. Work on this until you can easily balance for 30 seconds.
      6. Switch legs and do the same on the other side.
      7. Repeat 3 times on each leg (6 in total).

      Balance - Moving head

      1. Tense your core muscles gently and shift your weight over to one side.
      2. Lift your leg off the floor, keeping your pelvis level.
      3. Balance on one leg.
      4. Keep your foot as still as possible, not allowing it to roll in or out.
      5. Now slowly turn your head from side to side.
      6. Work on this until you can easily balance for 30 seconds while turning your head.
      7. Then switch legs and do the same while standing on the other side.
      8. Repeat 3 times on each leg (6 in total).

      Balance board - Squats

      1. Use a balance board with a round bottom that tilts in all directions.
      2. Start by holding on to a chair, table, or wall to help you balance.
      3. Place one foot on the board and then the other.
      4. Your feet should be fully supported and about hip-width apart.
      5. Tilt the board until it is perfectly balanced.
      6. Slowly let go of your support once the board is in the middle.
      7. Aim to keep the board perfectly balanced while slowly squatting down and up.
      8. Reach forward with your arms as you squat down and bring them to your sides as you rise up.
      9. Aim to do 10 repetitions, but don't force it. If you find it hard, do what you can while maintaining good form. Then, add a few repetitions as you improve.
      10. Rest for 60 seconds.
      11. Repeat 3 times.