Which stretches help tight hamstrings, quads and IT band around a sore knee?

Hamstring stretch

• 1. Sit on the edge of a chair with one leg straight out in front, heel on the floor and toes up
• 2. Keep your back straight and lean forwards from the hips until you feel a stretch behind the thigh
• 3. Hold for 30 seconds, breathing slowly, and repeat three times each side
• 4. Do not round your back or push into pain behind the knee

Quadriceps stretch

• 1. Stand holding a wall or counter
• 2. Bend one knee and hold the ankle, or loop a towel around it if you cannot reach
• 3. Bring the heel towards your buttock, keeping the knees side by side and the hips pushed slightly forward
• 4. Hold for 30 seconds, three times each side
• 5. If bending this far hurts the knee, lie face down and use a towel to pull gently instead

Outer hip and IT band stretch

The IT band itself is a tough band that barely lengthens, so the aim is to relax the muscles at the outside of the hip that feed into it.

• 1. Stand side-on to a wall with the sore leg nearest it
• 2. Cross the sore leg behind the other
• 3. Lean your hips gently towards the wall until you feel a stretch along the outer hip
• 4. Hold for 30 seconds, three times
• 5. A seated figure-four stretch, ankle resting on the opposite knee, also targets the buttock muscles

Calf stretch and safety notes

• 1. Face a wall with hands on it, one foot forward and one back
• 2. Keep the back heel down and the back knee straight, then lean forward
• 3. Hold for 30 seconds; then bend the back knee slightly to stretch lower down

A stretch should feel like a firm pull in the muscle, never sharp pain in the joint. Stop if you feel tingling, numbness, or pain inside the knee. After surgery, ask your physiotherapist before stretching the knee into deep bending. If the knee cannot fully straighten despite stretching, have it examined, as a mechanical block such as a meniscus tear can be the cause.