Strong knee: online training after injury

The program is for you if:

• your doctor said you can exercise after a knee injury, but the knee still doesn't feel like your own: you don't trust it, the strength is not back, squats or going down the stairs are hard;
• you want to run, ski, dance or play team sports again and you are afraid to get injured again;
• the knee gets tired and aches after long walks, and you want stronger muscles around it;
• you trained with videos or apps, but you are not sure about the technique.

The program is not for the first days after an injury or right after surgery. Your doctor decides when you can start and how much load is OK, and we work within these limits.

Many clients say the language is a big plus for them. They don't need to look for a coach in their city and explain in a foreign language where and how the knee feels wrong. Sessions are in Russian or English.

The weeks are approximate. We go to the next stage when your knee handles the load well, not because of the calendar.

Every session is 40–45 minutes one to one on video: Google Meet, Teams, Telegram or WhatsApp. I watch how you do the exercises and correct the technique right away: the knee over the foot, the position of the pelvis, the depth of the squat.

Between sessions you do a short home routine and can send me videos of your exercises. Usually I reply within 3 hours. If the knee reacts to the load, we change the plan at once and don't wait for the next session.

You need a mat, a chair and a resistance band.

A normal session in the strength stage: 8–10 minutes of warm-up ("bicycle" lying on your back, hip circles, calf raises), 25 minutes of main work (squat to a chair, reverse lunge with support, glute bridge on one leg, knee straightening with a band, step-ups), and 5 minutes of stretching for the front and back of the thigh and the calves. The reps and the level of the exercises change every week.

Nobody can honestly promise a result. It depends on your injury, your doctor's advice and how regularly you train. But these are the goals we work for:

• you walk and use the stairs with confidence and without fear;
• full comfortable range in daily movements;
• leg strength close to the healthy side;
• a confident squat and lunge with good technique;
• you are ready for running or your favourite sport, and we check this with clear tests, not by feeling.

The tests before running: a squat on one leg to a chair without the knee going inside, 30 seconds of balance on one leg, calf raises on one leg, a slow step down from a step, light jumps on the spot without discomfort. We compare every test with the other leg. When the difference is small and you move with confidence, we make a plan to come back step by step: first walking with short fast parts, then short running intervals, then your usual distance.

Before we start, you need your doctor's clearance for exercise. During the program, talk to your doctor if:

• the knee swells after sessions and the swelling doesn't go away;
• you feel sharp pain, painful clicking, or the knee feels unstable;
• the knee gets stuck and doesn't straighten.

In these cases we take a break. You can pause the program for up to 3 months.

The program costs €900 for 3 months: 24 sessions of 40–45 minutes, so it is €37.50 per session. This is cheaper than single personal training sessions. The price includes the first check, the plan between sessions and support in the chat.

Not sure if the program is right for you? Start with a first session. I check how your knee moves and tell you honestly which format you need. If you want general leg strength and mobility and don't plan to go back to sport, joint mobility sessions can be enough.