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Pain rule: Mild discomfort (2–3/10) during exercise is acceptable. Stop if pain exceeds 4/10 or causes significant swelling the next day. When in doubt, call us: (228) 471-5047
Warm-Up
Joint Prep & Activation
~8 min
1
Kneeling Ankle Mobs
2 × 10 reps each side
Opens up dorsiflexion — critical for squat mechanics
Block 1
Glute & Hip Strength
~15 min
Strong hips = less load on the knee joint. This is the foundation of your OA management.
1
Machine Hip Abduction
3 × 15 reps — moderate weight
Controls valgus collapse — protects the medial compartment
2
Machine Hip Thrusts
3 × 12 reps — squeeze at top for 1 sec
Primary glute max loader — offloads knee during gait
3
Single Leg Glute Bridges
3 × 10 reps each side
Unilateral control — identifies and corrects side-to-side differences
Block 2
Quad & Functional Strength
~18 min
Quad weakness is the #1 modifiable factor in knee OA progression. These exercises rebuild and maintain it safely.
1
Single Leg Machine Leg Press
3 × 12 reps each side — controlled descent
Functional quad loading with controlled knee range — start light
2
Heel Elevated Goblet Squats
3 × 12 reps — comfortable depth only
Heel elevation reduces knee stress while building quad. Use a plate or wedge.
3
Lateral Step Downs
3 × 10 reps each side — slow and controlled
Eccentric quad control — directly trains stair descent and fall prevention
4
Glute Bias Weighted Step Ups
3 × 10 reps each side — lean forward slightly
Functional strength for stairs — forward lean shifts load to glute, off knee
Block 3
Hamstring & Posterior Chain
~12 min
Hamstring strength reduces anterior tibial shear force — reduces strain on the knee joint with every step.
1
Seated Machine Leg Curls
3 × 12 reps
Isolated hamstring strength — one of the safest ways to train them with OA
2
DB Single Leg RDL
3 × 10 reps each side — hip hinge pattern
Hip hinge + balance — trains hamstring and trains proprioception simultaneously
Block 4
Calf & Ankle Stability
~8 min
Calf strength reduces tibial rotation and improves walking economy — often undertrained in OA patients.
1
Eccentric Calf Raises on Steps
3 × 12 reps — 3-sec lowering phase
Eccentric loading = most effective way to strengthen calf and Achilles
2
Tibialis Raises
3 × 15 reps
Anterior tibialis — balances calf, improves foot clearance during gait
Cool-Down
Mobility & Joint Recovery
~10 min
Do not skip this. Flexibility and joint mobility are as important as strength for OA management.
📋 Important Guidelines
- Rest between sets: 60–90 seconds. Don't rush — full recovery between sets protects the joint.
- Progression: Add 5–10% weight every 2 weeks if exercises feel easy and you have no increase in pain.
- Ice after: If the knee is warm or swollen after exercise, ice for 10–15 min.
- Flare-up protocol: If pain spikes above 4/10 for more than 24 hours, skip one session and restart with lighter weights.
- Consistency beats intensity: Showing up 3x/week at moderate effort outperforms 1 hard session. Do not skip.
- Walking goal: On non-gym days, aim for 20–30 min of walking. Movement is medicine for OA.
- Questions? Call us: (228) 471-5047 or visit gtptpascagoula.com