Your knees are important joints that you use every day. You need them to walk, run, and bend your legs. If your knee joints are weak or don’t move as well as they should, it can cause pain and limit your ability to do daily activities like playing sports or walking up stairs. Strengthening your knees may improve their strength and ability to handle stress from everyday activity, which is good for everyone but especially helpful if you have arthritis or a previous injury that affects your knee movement.
Straight Leg Raise
Lie on your back and bend both knees. Keep your lower legs parallel to the floor and draw in your abs.
Quickly extend one leg out of the hip socket, keeping it straight and raising it as high as possible without bending at the knee or hip. Slowly lower down after holding for a count of two seconds and repeat 10 times, alternating legs each set.
Wall Sit
The wall sit is a great exercise to strengthen your knees.
Sit with your back against a wall and bring your feet out in front of you, with knees bent at 90 degrees.
Lean your head and upper body forward until you are sitting upright on the floor. Hold for as long as you can, then release and rest for 30 seconds before starting again. Repeat 5-10 times each day until you can hold for 2 minutes straight (or longer).
Step-ups
To perform a step-up, you will need to use a bench or step that is high enough to challenge your knees. Make sure it’s stable and secure so you don’t fall off! You can find them at home or in the gym.
Once you’ve got yourself all set up, start by walking up and down the step slowly until you feel comfortable with the height of it—if it’s too low, it won’t be challenging enough for your knees; if it’s too high, your knee could get hurt because there isn’t enough support underneath them (this is more likely if they are weak).
Precautions
Before starting any knee-strengthening exercise program, it’s important to check with your doctor first. If you have a history of knee injuries or other medical conditions, such as arthritis or diabetes, your doctor will be able to recommend specific exercises that are safe for you.
In addition to consulting with your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen, it’s also recommended that you wear knee wraps and/or compressa knee sleeves during certain types of training—especially when performing exercises that put strain on the knees (e.g., squats or lunges). Despite popular belief, these accessories aren’t just for those who use them as part of their job—they can actually help protect the muscles and ligaments in your knees while strengthening them at the same time!
If you suffer from knee pain, these exercises are a great place to start. I’ve outlined some of the most effective ones here along with their benefits and precautions. Some of them may not seem like much at first glance but they can be very helpful when done regularly over time. This is why it’s important not only to find something that works for you but also stick with it until your knees feel better.
