Ben Patrick, known as the Knee Over Toes Guy, outlined his blueprint for mobility and long-term knee health, which trains strength and flexibility to build resilience.
My knees don’t hurt…so that the demand in life will not exceed my ability.
—Ben Patrick
Ben Patrick’s 10 Mobility Exercises
Build better joint mobility by training these exercises in order:
- Calf raises and toe lifts for ankle mobility
- Assisted/elevated split squats for knee depth
- Seated extensions for greater knee range of motion
- Groin and outer hip stretches for lateral ability
- Deep split squats for hip flexors
- Loaded hip hinges for hamstrings mobility
- Back extensions for lower back pain
- Side bends for the quadratus lumborum
- Push-ups and pullovers for upper body athleticism
Mobility from the Ground Up: Feet and Ankles
Ankle and foot mobility is the foundation for the rest of the lower body. “What I’ve done the most, 15 years of experimenting and practice, is calf raises with a straight leg,” Patrick explained. “Progress to one-leg calf raises, stand on the toes on an object for a greater range of motion, and hold a weight for more tension.”
If you’ve had ankle sprains, do reverse calf raises. “Rotate down to the pinky toe up, rotate down to the big toe up,” Patrick advised. “Transition to bent-leg calf raises, working toward the single-leg version.
Squat Mobility and Knee Ability
Mobility progresses to the squat. Emphasize unilateral work for greater depth to manage differences caused by past injuries or surgeries.
Lateral Hip and Inner Thigh Strength
Years of avoiding deep squats can cause tightness. You can loosen the inner thighs with hip hinges, weighted or unweighted.
To swing your legs in various directions without discomfort, practice spreading the feet wider apart via 90-degree seated stretches and glute stretches. Strengthening hip adductors and abductors has shown to reduce knee pain and improve function. (1)(2)(3)
Back Mobility and Longevity
Back health is a natural extension of the checklist. “Once I corrected inner thigh flexibility… back pain went away,” Patrick claimed regarding controlled spinal rounding with back extensions on a back extension machine.
Improve your ability to come out of a rounded back.
—Ben Patrick
Upper Body Versatility
Though Patrick’s checklist prioritizes knee ability, he stressed the necessity of full-body mobility. “For me, it was primarily working a push-up but not stopping short…lying on a bench, doing a pullover exercise.” Both are scalable for beginners.
References
- Thomas DT, R S, Prabhakar AJ, Dineshbhai PV, Eapen C. Hip abductor strengthening in patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis – a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022 Jun 29;23(1):622. doi: 10.1186/s12891-022-05557-6. PMID: 35768802; PMCID: PMC9241212.
- Sled EA, Khoja L, Deluzio KJ, Olney SJ, Culham EG. Effect of a home program of hip abductor exercises on knee joint loading, strength, function, and pain in people with knee osteoarthritis: a clinical trial. Phys Ther. 2010 Jun;90(6):895-904. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20090294. Epub 2010 Apr 8. PMID: 20378679.
- Ferber R, Kendall KD, Farr L. Changes in knee biomechanics after a hip-abductor strengthening protocol for runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome. J Athl Train. 2011 Mar-Apr;46(2):142-9. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-46.2.142. PMID: 21391799; PMCID: PMC3070501.
Featured image: @kneesovertoesguy on Instagram
