Quick Guide: Best Exercises for Prepatellar Bursitis of the Knee
The best exercises for prepatellar bursitis are the straight leg raise, heel slides, calf stretch, hamstring stretch, quad sets, and bridges with a band. These exercises should be completed once daily and should not increase your pain or symptoms. This program was created by a Doctor of Physical Therapy who is an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, make sure to speak to your healthcare provider before initiating a new exercise routine.
1. Straight Leg Raise
- Strengthens the quad muscle on the front of your thigh
- Reduces pain in knee by strengthening the quadricep
- Keep your leg straight and lift off the table to the height of your other knee
- Complete 10 repetitions and perform 2 sets
2. Heel Slides
- Stretches the knee joint capsule and quad muscle
- Improves the flexion range of motion and bend of your knee
- Loop a strap around your foot and slide your heel toward your butt
- Hold this stretch for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times
- Best Stretching Strap in the link below
3. Calf Stretch
- Stretches the calf muscle on the back of your lower leg
- Important for increasing knee extension and improving flexibility
- Keep your leg straight and pull your toes toward your nose with a strap
- Hold this stretch for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times
- Best Stretching Strap in the link below
4. Hamstring Stretch
- Stretches the hamstring muscle on the back of your thigh
- Improves flexibility and reduces tension on your knee
- Keep your leg straight and lift off the table with a strap
- Hold this stretch for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times
- Best Stretching Strap in the link below
5. Quad Set
- Activates the quad muscle on the front of your thigh
- Important for restoring strength to your quadricep
- Straighten your leg as much as you can and squeeze your thigh muscle
- Hold this contraction for 3 seconds and repeat 20 times
- Best Thick Yoga Mat in the link below
6. Bridge with Band
- Strengthens glutes, quads, and hamstrings
- Important for strengthening your knee in the bent position
- Hold the top position for 3 seconds and repeat 20 times
- Complete 1 set and perform 2 times per day
- Best Resistance Bands in the link below
Bonus: Helpful equipment for pain relief from prepatellar bursitis; Ice Pack and TENS
Bonus: Helpful equipment for treating prepatellar bursitis; soft Kneeling Pad
- Soft Kneeling Pad provides a soft surface to kneel on
- It is lightweight and easy to transport
- Reduces the forces on the front of your knee to reduce your symptoms
- Best soft Kneeling Pad in the link below
Disclaimers and Disclosures: All information in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual medical advice. Additionally, this article contains affiliate links, meaning when you make a purchase, we make a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information, see our full Disclaimers and Disclosures.
Are you looking for the best exercises for prepatellar bursitis to relieve pain and improve your function?
If you’re looking to relieve pain and maximize your functional potential with the best exercises for prepatellar bursitis, then you’re in the right place! Prepatellar bursitis is a relatively uncommon disorder that causes pain and inflammation directly on the front of your knee. A proper physical therapy exercise and stretching routine performed on a daily basis is one of the most important ways to reduce symptoms and restore function.
As a physical therapist with over 10 years of experience, I have seen many patients with prepatellar bursitis. Because of this, I have created an exercise program specifically designed to address the deficits that are present with this condition. I have included the most important exercises for prepatellar bursitis that I prescribe to my patients, to help reduce their pain and get back to their normal activities.
In this article, I will give you an in-depth description of all the exercises you need to be doing for your knee prepatellar bursitis and how to perform them. Additionally, I will provide recommendations for the best equipment that we use in the clinic with all of our patients to help complete each of these exercises.
If you’re looking to get started right away, then check out our quick guide to the best exercises for prepatellar bursitis directly above, and then scroll later in the article for the in-depth descriptions of how to perform them. Also, many people prepatellar bursitis cand sometimes be confused with pes anserine bursitis, so make sure you are treating the right one!
In-Depth Exercise Descriptions: What are the best at home physical therapy exercises for prepatellar bursitis?
The best physical therapy exercises for prepatellar bursitis are the straight leg raise, heel slides, calf stretch, hamstring stretch, quad sets, and bridges with a band. These exercises should be completed once daily, every day of the week.
1. Straight Leg Raise
How to perform the straight leg raise exercise for prepatellar bursitis.
Start lying on your back with your involved leg straight and your uninvolved leg bent to a 90-degree angle. Tighten the muscle on the front of your thigh, keep your leg straight, and lift it off the table until it is parallel to your other thigh. Pause for a second and then return to the starting position. Repeat this 10 times, take a 30 second break, and perform 2 sets.
Professional tips: “Most of my patients will lift their leg a little too high to start. If you go too far though, you will actually lose tension in the muscle which makes the exercise less effective. Lift your leg just until your knees are the same height and that will do the trick”.
What is the best equipment for the straight leg raise?
It’s nice to have a firm but soft surface to lie on for your exercises. Many of our patients will start their exercises in bed but most people prefer a surface that is a little firmer. A nice thick yoga mat is a good solution to this problem. It can be rolled up for easy storage and can even be thrown in the car and brought on vacation if you prefer rehabbing on the go. The Thick Yoga Mat can be found in the link below.
2. Heel Slides
How to perform the heel slides with a strap exercise for prepatellar bursitis.
Start lying on your back with the strap around the middle of your foot. Try to relax your leg and slowly pull on the handles of the strap so your knee bends and your heel slides up toward your butt. Keep pulling until you feel just a gentle stretch across your knee. Once you feel the stretch, hold it there for 10 seconds then return to the start position and repeat 10 times.
Professional tip: “I usually tell people this exercise is most people’s least favorite due to some slight discomfort. This is normal, but we want it to be tolerable and the pain should go away very quickly when you’re done with the exercise”.
What is the best equipment for the heel slides with a strap exercise?
The stretch out strap is the best option for several reasons. It is 6 feet long and has multiple loops and handles all along its length, so it is good for people of different sizes and allows you to get the most comfortable grip. It is also very durable and we have had thousands of patients use it in our clinic and most of them end up buying one for their own use at home. The Stretch Out Strap can be found in the link below.
3. Calf Stretch
How to perform the calf stretch with a strap exercise for prepatellar bursitis.
Start by lying on your back with your leg straight and the strap around the ball of your foot. Keep your knee straight and pull your foot and toes back toward you by pulling on the strap. Once you feel the stretch in the back of your leg, hold it for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times.
Professional tip: “If you can’t feel the stretch at first, actively pull your toes toward your nose first, and then give extra pressure by pulling on the strap”.
What is the best equipment for the calf stretch with a strap?
The Stretch Out Strap is also the best option for this stretch as well. It has great utility and can be used for over 20 different stretches that we commonly have patients perform. There is also a version of this strap that is about a foot longer, the Stretch Out Strap XL, and it works well for people taller than 5’10’’. The Stretch Out Strap XL can be found in the link below.
4. Hamstring Stretch
How to perform the hamstring stretch with a strap exercise for prepatellar bursitis.
Start by lying on your back with both legs straight and the strap around the middle of your foot. Keep your knee straight and use the strap to pull your leg straight up until you feel a stretch in the back of your leg. Once you feel the stretch, hold it for 20 seconds and then lower back down to the start position. Rest for a second or two and repeat this 5 times.
Professional tip: “Having a slight bend in your knee is ok to start out. But as your body gets used to this stretch, you should work to keep your knee as straight as possible”.
What is the best equipment for the hamstring stretch with a strap exercise?
Once again, the Stretch Out Strap is also the best option for this stretch as well. It is 6 feet long and has multiple loops and handles all along its length, so it is good for people of different sizes and allows you to get the most comfortable grip. It is also very durable and we have had thousands of patients use it in our clinic and most of them end up buying one for their own use at home. The Stretch Out Strap can be found in the link below.
5. Quad Set
How to perform the quad set with a towel roll exercise for prepatellar bursitis.
Start by lying on your back with your knee straight and a small rolled up towel under your ankle. Tighten your thigh muscle and push the back of your knee straight down toward the table. Focus on feeling a squeeze in the muscle on the front of your thigh and hold it for 2-3 seconds. Then relax and repeat this 20 times.
Professional tip: “This exercise is also designed to help you regain full extension range of motion. Because of this, it can be a little uncomfortable when you first start. This is normal as long as the discomfort is tolerable and you should mostly feel the squeeze in your thigh muscle”.
What is the best equipment for the quad set with a towel roll?
A rolled-up hand towel that is a couple inches in diameter will work just fine. The purpose of the towel is to prop your ankle up a few inches so your knee isn’t in contact with the table. This is what will allow you to get your knee fully straight again instead of having a little bend in your knee. Start with it behind your knee, but then as you start feeling better move it down toward your ankle. You can also benefit from a nice thick yoga mat to perform these exercises on. The Thick Yoga Mat can be found in the link below.
6. Bridges with a Band
How to perform the bridge exercise for prepatellar bursitis.
Begin lying on your back with both knees bent and feet planted on the table or floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling and squeeze your bum at the top position. Hold this position for 3 seconds and then lower back down to the start. Perform 10 repetitions, take a 30 second break, and repeat for 2 sets.
Professional tip: “It is normal to feel this exercise in your back, butt, hamstrings, and even quads. However, we want the primary mover to be your buttock, so make sure to ‘squeeze your cheeks’ in that top position”.
“Once you have become accustomed to this exercise after about a week, you can add a resistance band to increase the difficulty. Place the band just around your knees and as you lift your hips off the table, gently push your knees apart to create a bit of tension on the band”.
What is the best equipment for performing the bridge.
A loop resistance band is the easiest way to increase the effectiveness of this exercise. You can simply slide the band over your feet and move it up to position it just above your knees. The band increases the amount of muscle recruitment, which will make your hips and butt stronger. The Loop Resistance Bands can be found in the link below.
Helpful equipment for prepatellar bursitis: Ice and TENS
How to use Ice and TENS on prepatellar bursitis.
I like to have my patients lie on their back with their leg propped up so the knee is above heart level, this will also help with getting rid of the swelling. Then I place the pads of the TENS unit on either side of the knee cap. If you have a specifically tender area, then place one of the pads on that spot. I then wrap the knee in a pillowcase to place a barrier between the skin and the ice, and then I’ll place one ice pack behind and one on top of the knee so the whole joint is surrounded.
Professional tip: “Turn up the TENS until you feel a comfortable tingling sensation. This isn’t one of those “the stronger the better” scenarios, so only increase the TENS until it is at a very comfortable level for you. Keeping the ice and TENS on for 10-15 minutes at a time seems to be the optimal timeframe for reducing pain and inflammation”.
What is the best ice and TENS for prepatellar bursitis of the knee?
It’s pretty hard to beat the TENS units we have in the clinic. But considering those units are over $3,000, this portable unit with great reviews for under $50 is an excellent alternative. This unit comes in a travel case, with two channels allowing for 4 electrode placements, and runs on a 9-volt battery. Consider this simple but effective pain relief. The TENS Unit can be found in the link below.
These ice packs are exact replicas of the ones we use in the clinic, and our patients love them! I have had so many patients ask for a recommendation on where they can get the ice packs that we use. They are sick of hard ice packs that don’t conform, or using bags of peas from their freezer that just don’t work as well as they want them to.
These ice packs are large, reusable, and conform to various body parts so you can use them over and over again on any aching joints. I suggest you get a small and a medium so you can wrap your entire knee, front and back. Some people like to get a handful of the ice packs so they can keep one sets in the freezer, nice and cold, while they’re using the other set. The Ice Pack can be found in the link below.
Best Exercises for Prepatellar Bursitis Final Thoughts
Having prepatellar bursitis can be painful, annoying, and truly limit your functional ability. I have seen firsthand how this can negatively impact people’s lives. This is the reason I created the exercise program above. I have helped many patients use this program to successfully treat their prepatellar bursitis.
The trick is to be diligent with your exercise routine and perform it consistently every day. In a matter of a few weeks, I have faith you will be back to all the activities you love to do, and hopefully pain-free!
Why trust Physical Therapy Simplified for prepatellar bursitis exercises?
At Physical Therapy Simplified, our mission is to provide an easily accessible and highly reputable source of physical therapy information that anyone can understand, follow, and benefit from. We want you to feel confident that you are getting the best content and information that will help to reduce your pain and restore you to your highest functional potential.
The author of this article, Andrew Harkins, DPT, has demonstrated expertise in the field of physical therapy and is certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. He has over ten years experience as a licensed physical therapist and is an expert in treating conditions related to the knee.
Andrew has worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Pittsburgh in their Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Specifically, due to his expertise in treating knee conditions, he assisted in musculoskeletal coursework and provided instruction on how to treat patients with knee pain.
