Rachel Hunter is used to putting in strenuous leg work from her days on the catwalk.

But the 38-year-old showed off a new fashion accessory in the form of a heavily bandaged knee while out and about in Los Angeles yesterday.

She visited her local pharmacy complete with large plasters covering what appeared to be two separate wounds.

Injured: Rachel Hunter airs her bandaged knee as she steps out in Los Angeles

Battle at wounded knee: Rachel appears to have large plasters on two separate injuries

The New Zealander's knee injury may have been exacerbated by her recent appearance on American reality TV show Celebrity Circus.

The star was recently left devastated when she was voted off the physically-exhausting programme, during which she performed on the trapeze and walked the tightrope.

Rachel also looked tired and slightly bloated during her low-key shopping trip.

She cut a chunkier figure when she appeared on Celebrity Circus, and recently complained that the athletic nature of the show caused her to gain muscle and made her look bigger.

Frumpy: The mother-of-two looked scruffier than usual

The 5ft 10in model's weight has fluctuated over the years. At 11st she was at her heaviest following the birth of her second child, Liam who is now 13.

She then followed a gruelling diet and rigorous exercise regime to shed the weight.

Her reward was to become the face and body of underwear brand Ultimo - replacing ex-husband's Rod Stewart's latest wife Penny Lancaster.

Last year Rachel - who previously dated singer Robbie Williams - signed up to be the face of diet drink SlimFast.

'As I've gotten older, I can't eat as much as I used to,’ she said at the time.

Booted out: Rachel was devastated when she lost out on a place in the final of Celebrity Circus

Rachel on Celebrity Circus (left) and pictured in 2004 (right)