Ensuring the longevity and resilience of your knees through targeted exercises is essential for maintaining overall joint health and promoting an active lifestyle.
If you have been lucky enough to enjoy the outdoors, walk, jog, and hike without major knee issues, thank your lucky stars. But, to keep your knees healthy and protect them against injury, you need to include regular knee-strengthening exercises in your workout routine.
Knee-strengthening exercises are those that work the muscles that support your knees. Here are eight exercises to consider including in your routine:
Maintaining knee health requires a balance of proper exercise, strength training, and mindful movements to support joint flexibility and stability.
Squats
You may have heard that squats are a great lower-body exercise, but you may need to learn that they also work your quadriceps and glute muscles simultaneously. That combination helps to boost your metabolism and increase the amount of anabolic hormones released when you move, making squats one of the best bodyweight exercises for building muscle.
If you're new to squatting, start with small movements and build up to full squats over time. Make sure to focus on proper form, and don't let your knees cave inward or track further forward than your toes as you go down into the squat. Practicing with a mirror or watching yourself in a video can help you master your form.
If you have trouble doing squats without putting too much pressure on your knees, try using a chair or standing against a wall as you squat down. Once you've lowered yourself until your knees are parallel to the floor, push into your heels to return to the upright position.
Lunges
Lunges are a great exercise to add to your workout routine as they work various muscles in the lower body, core, and knees. They also provide a good challenge to balance and are a great way to increase your heart rate. This exercise can be done with just your body weight, but you can also hold a barbell or dumbbell for extra resistance.
Start with your feet hip-width apart and take a big step forward with your right foot into a lunge. Keep your left leg straight back and down in front of you to avoid a "runner's lunge." You should lower into the lunge until your right knee is about 90 degrees and hovers just above the floor, keeping your torso upright.
If you want to emphasize your hamstrings more, lean into the lunge slightly during the movement, Nieratka says. She says you can do two to four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions if you're new to lunges or working on building strength endurance.
Bosu Ball Exercises
Adding Bosu ball exercises to your workout routine is a smart move for building strong knees and better overall stability. With its half-dome stability platform, the Bosu ball makes things wobbly, making your muscles, especially those around your knees, work extra hard.
Squats on a Bosu Ball: Doing squats on a Bosu ball makes things tricky by adding instability. It's a great way to challenge and strengthen the muscles in your lower body, especially the ones around your knees. This exercise is like a double whammy – it improves your balance and works the muscles that keep your knees steady.
Single-Leg Balance on a Bosu Ball: Taking it up a notch, balancing on one leg on a Bosu ball kicks things up a level. This exercise is a winner for boosting stability and making those knee-supporting muscles tougher. You'll be wobbling a bit, but that means it's working.
Bosu ball exercises are awesome for folks looking to avoid knee troubles or ease discomfort. Doing these moves regularly helps beef up the strength in your lower body, fine-tune your balance, and toughen up the muscles that step in to protect your knees during everyday activities and more intense workouts. Remember to start slow and gradually ramp up the challenge based on how you're feeling – that's the key to safely and effectively making Bosu ball exercises part of your workout routine.
Calf Raises
Calf raises are a staple in every lower-leg workout routine, and it's essential to perform them with proper form. Performing calf raises with your feet off the ground can increase the range of motion and allow you to target your soleus muscle, a much smaller muscle that doesn't get worked as hard by the gastrocnemius as the other head.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart on a flat surface, lift your heels so you're on the balls of your feet, then lower them down slowly with control to complete one rep. You can also perform this exercise on a step or block to add resistance to the movement and hold dumbbells, kettlebells, or even water jugs in your hands to make the exercise more challenging.
You may not think of your calves often, but they are important in ankle stability and balance. Strong calves can help you run, jump, and walk up and down stairs more efficiently and can help prevent knee injuries. If you're a beginner, start with three sets of 10 to 20 reps and work up to higher reps as you strengthen your calves.
Step-Ups
Adding step-ups to your workout routine is great for building strength in your knees and lower body. This exercise targets critical muscles like the front of your thighs (quadriceps), hamstrings, and rear end (glutes), all of which support your knees.
Using a Step or Bench: Step-ups are pretty straightforward – you step onto a raised surface, like a step or bench, first with one leg and then the other. It's like climbing stairs, so it's good for your knees and helps with everyday movements. Using a step lets you control the movement to build strength without going too hard on your knees.
Benefits for Quadriceps and Overall Knee Stability: Step-ups work your quadriceps, those muscles on the front of your thigh, making your knees more stable. The up-and-down movement also targets your hamstrings and glutes, giving your knees a full workout. Doing this regularly helps tone and build endurance in these muscles, which is crucial for supporting your knees in different activities.
Making step-ups a regular part of your workout can lead to more robust and resilient knees. Just remember to keep it in check – make sure your whole foot is on the step, and take it easy to avoid any unwanted injuries.
Hamstring Stretches
While stretching is often viewed as the relaxing part of your workout (as opposed to the hard work), it's just as critical for your muscles and your knees. Hamstring stretches can help prevent injuries and keep your knees strong and flexible.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge at the hips to fold forward, reaching your palms to the floor (bending knees if necessary). It's not vital that you can touch your toes—try to reach as far as you can without overly bending your knees. This exercise will strengthen the quads, hip flexors, and glutes and stretch your hamstrings.
One-Legged Hamstring Stretch
For those who may not feel comfortable lying on the floor or cannot bend at the waist (e.g., pregnant women or those with a leg injury), this simple standing hamstring stretch can be done anywhere. Place one leg against a wall or doorjamb, then extend the other to a 90-degree angle. Hold for 30 seconds.
Hip Flexor Stretches
Keeping the flexors flexible will help prevent tightness that can lead to knee pain and weakness. The following exercises are great for stretching these muscles and are especially effective for plus-sized individuals.
Lie on the floor or a mat with both legs extended before you. Slowly move your left knee up to your chest while holding it with your right hand until you can feel a stretch in the iliopsoas, which is the muscle that stretches across the front of your body from the left side to the right. Hold this position for 10 seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat this exercise on the other leg.
This classic groin stretch will also increase the mobility of the hips and can be particularly useful for those who spend too much time sitting. To make this stretch easier, you can put a pillow or folded yoga mat under your back knee for support. Alternatively, you can perform this stretch by elevating one leg on a chair or stool.
Low-Impact Cardiovascular Exercises
Keeping your heart in good shape is super important, and if you're worried about your knees, it's smart to pick workouts that will keep them manageable. Easy cardio exercises are awesome because they make your heart happy without hurting your knees.
Riding a bike is a top pick for knee-friendly cardio. It doesn't bash your knees but still gives your heart a good workout. Whether on a stationary bike or pedaling around the neighborhood, biking is easy on your knees and helps them strengthen.
Swimming is another winner. It's like a dream for your knees because the water helps hold you up. Swim laps or join a water aerobics class for a gentle cardio boost on your joints. Swimming works many muscles and gets your heart pumping without stressing your knees.
Indoor workouts are cool, too, right? If you're into that, elliptical machines are a great pick. They're like walking or running but way easier on your knees. Elliptical workouts cover your whole body, working your heart and muscles without roughing your joints.
So, go for easy cardio exercises like biking, swimming, water aerobics, or elliptical workouts. They're awesome for your heart; your knees will thank you for not putting them through the wringer.
Tips for Safe Exercise
Keeping your workouts safe is essential, especially when focusing on your knees. Here are some simple tips to make sure your workouts are safe and effective:
Pay Attention to Your Body: If something doesn't feel right or hurts, don't ignore it. Adjust or stop the exercise and talk to a doctor if the pain persists.
Take It Slow: Don't rush into tough exercises, especially if you start or increase the difficulty. Gradually make things harder, so your body can get used to it and become stronger over time.
Do It Right: Using the right form during exercises is a big deal, especially for moves that work your knees. Good form reduces stress on your joints and makes the exercise more effective.
Ask for Advice: Before starting a new workout plan, especially if your knees have issues, talk to a doctor or a fitness pro. They can give you personalized advice based on your situation and fitness level.
Pick the Right Shoes: Don't forget about your shoes! Wearing supportive ones with good cushioning can make a big difference. They help absorb shock and keep you stable during your workout.
Mix It Up: Don't focus only on one type of exercise. Mix in different moves that work different muscles. This protects your knees from too much strain and makes you stronger and more flexible overall.
Warm-Up and Cool Down: Always start with a good warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints. After you're done, do a cool-down to help your muscles recover and avoid stiffness.
Follow these easy tips, and you'll create a safe workout routine that keeps your knees happy and lets you enjoy staying active.
The Bottom Line
The knees are the largest joint in the body but are also one of the most vulnerable to injury. This complex joint comprises bones, cartilage, and ligaments and is supported by muscles in the front of your thigh (quadriceps) and back of your leg (hamstrings). Over time, weak knees can lead to instability, overuse injuries, and osteoarthritis.
Although age and medical conditions such as arthritis can contribute to knee weakness, poor knees are often the result of mechanical issues. These can include sloppy exercise techniques, overworking your knees, and not stretching properly. Additionally, excess weight puts a lot of strain on the knees. Getting rid of extra pounds can prevent knee pain and damage by lessening the stress on the joints and bones.
Add low-impact exercises to your workout routine that build muscle around the knee to keep your knees healthy and stable. Moderate workouts like walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming are great for your knees. Swimming is especially good, as it strengthens the knee joint without putting it under much stress.
Begin each workout with a light warm-up. This can include cycling on a stationary bike, walking, or using an elliptical machine. Once your legs are warmed up, begin with knee-strengthening exercises such as half squats. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and slowly lower yourself until you are almost seated. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times.
