Recovery in motion – how Helena Gilson rebuilds her knee with smart stability training

DM Training
Mar 31
3 min read

Rehab boring? Not if you do it smart. These movements help Helena come back stronger after a knee injury — and you can try them too.

Training without injuries takes more than strength or endurance.It takes control. Awareness. And knowing what your body really needs right now.

After her knee injury in 2023, volleyball player and physiotherapist Helena Gilson has been rebuilding step by step — with exercises that aren't about going harder, but about moving better.

🎥 What you see in the video below isn’t classic “core training”, but a smart routine built around control, coordination and knee support — with a leading role for her hamstrings, ankles and hips.

3 lessons from Helena’s recovery routine

1. Slower = smarter strength

Think you need to jump fast or sweat buckets to get stronger? Think again. Helena trains slowly, with full focus. That’s exactly why her muscles switch on the right way — and why her knee gets the support it needs.

For example: by lifting her knee higher during an exercise, she activates her hamstrings more intentionally.

Why? Because they work directly with the ACL. If that ligament ever fails again, her hamstrings will take over part of the job. Smart, right?

2. Stability is key — from ankle to hip

Your knee doesn’t work alone. Helena knows: when her ankle or hip lacks control, her knee takes the hit. That’s why you’ll often see unstable surfaces (like a half ball) in her training, forcing her to stabilize from foot to core.

Whether she’s jumping, balancing or standing — her focus is always on body alignment. That prevents her knee from collapsing inward (a common issue after injury).

3. Form > numbers

You won’t see Helena pumping out hundreds of reps. It’s all about awareness: how you stand, how you breathe, where the effort comes from.Quality over quantity. That’s what she teaches her patients too.

“You don’t have to suffer to train well,” Helena says.“You just have to listen to what your body really needs.”

“It’s not how heavy the exercise is that counts — it’s how consciously you perform it.” – Helena Gilson

4 exercises from Helena’s routine

No fancy machines — just focus and precision. These are 4 movements Helena uses regularly in her rehab.

1. Split Stand Press with resistance bar

With one foot on a platform and a bar held between her legs, Helena controls her movement as she gently presses up with her front leg.

Why it works: It strengthens the hip and trains knee alignment. Key for long-term joint stability.

👉 No bar? Try with a light dumbbell or filled water bottle..

2. Lateral Bound with bar & balance

Standing on one foot on an unstable surface, Helena taps her glutes to engage her hamstrings, then jumps to the other side and switches.

Why it works: This builds coordination and ankle-hip-knee control — and strengthens her hamstrings, a vital support for the ACL.

👉 A perfect drill for athletes — or anyone who wants to train balance and movement awareness.

3. Single Leg Reach with side bend

Holding a ball, Helena leans forward with one leg back, then steps up on a platform and bends sideways toward her front leg.

Why it works: It activates the full chain — hamstrings, glutes, obliques — without impact. Ideal to correct imbalances after injury.

👉 Try it yourself. Your hamstrings will feel it tomorrow. Promise.

4. Gliding Plank with rotation & kickback

In a high plank with hands on a platform, Helena glides one leg underneath her body, then kicks the other leg up.

Why it works: It targets obliques and glutes — both crucial for rotational control and knee stability in dynamic moves like jumping or twisting.

👉 No gliders? Use a towel on a smooth floor.

💛 Relatable?

Maybe you’re also in a recovery phase. Or you just want to move better, not harder. Helena’s routine may look simple, but it’s effective — and real. That’s what smart rehab looks like.