10 Exercises to Do After a PRP Knee Injection
Content developed in collaboration with Dr. Alyssa Kuhn, DPT — physical therapist and arthritis specialist at Keep the Adventure Alive, Sandy, UT.
PRP injections for the knee work by amplifying your body’s own repair mechanisms — but the procedure is only part of the recovery equation. Rehabilitation matters. Movement teaches the healing tissue how to load, stabilize, and function properly. Skip this step, and pain patterns tend to return.
Here’s a progressive exercise guide designed specifically for knee PRP recovery, with exercises that match each phase of the healing timeline.
Why Rehabilitation Matters After PRP
Many knee injuries develop alongside movement compensations — a subtle shift in gait, a muscle imbalance, a pattern of guarding that develops over months or years of pain. PRP can address the tissue pathology, but if those movement patterns aren’t corrected, the same mechanical stress that contributed to the injury in the first place returns once activity resumes.
Physical therapy beginning approximately one week post-procedure is standard protocol at Albano Clinic. The exercises below are general guidelines — your physical therapist will individualize progression based on your specific injury and response.
Use pain as your guide throughout. Discomfort is expected; sharp or escalating pain is a signal to stop.
Days 1–7: Pain Management and Range of Motion
Goal: reduce stiffness, maintain circulation, begin gentle motion. Aim for 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps, two to three times daily.
1. Knee straightening — Lying flat, gently press the back of the knee toward the floor to achieve full extension. Hold briefly, release.
2. Knee bends with straight leg raise — Lying on your back, bend the knee slowly and lower, then straighten and lift. Move through a comfortable range.
3. Lateral kicks — Standing with support (counter or wall), gently kick the leg outward and return. Perform on both sides.
Weeks 2–3: Joint Loading and Balance
Goal: begin challenging strength and balance without overloading the joint. Aim for 10–15 reps once daily. If pain from the first phase hasn’t resolved, continue those exercises until it does.
4. Supported squat — Holding a counter or chair back, lower slowly into a partial squat and return. Focus on equal weight distribution between both legs.
5. Lateral step overs — Step sideways over a low object (a towel roll works) and back. Controlled, deliberate movement.
6. Alternating cone taps — Standing on one leg, tap a cone or household object with the opposite foot. Challenges single-leg stability.
Weeks 4 and Beyond: Strengthening
Goal: restore functional strength and single-leg control. Aim for 8–12 reps once daily. Progress only when the previous phase generates little to no pain.
7. Supported lunge — Step forward into a lunge with hands lightly on a surface for balance. Focus on controlled descent and return.
8. Tandem dumbbell swings — Standing in a staggered stance, hinge at the hip and swing light weights forward and back. Can be performed without weight initially.
9. Side step-overs — Step laterally over a progressively higher object. Perform on both sides.
10. Supported single-leg squat — On one leg, lower slowly into a partial squat with fingertip support. Perform on both sides.
Before Returning to High-Level Activity
Running, skiing, hiking, and sport-specific training require full single-leg strength, joint control, and confidence in the knee. If your goal involves any of these, continued physical therapy beyond the initial rehabilitation phase is strongly recommended. The goal isn’t just pain-free walking — it’s a knee that can handle what you’re asking it to do.