Knee exercises for strengthening your knees are very much needed for all individuals regardless of their age group who can continue to perform them as a part of their daily routine in their lifetime. Since, humans are certainly going to use their knees for performing several activities in their daily lives, ignoring their well being could significantly affect their performance, irrespective of the activities they might undertake. The whole body weight is being carried by our knees when we start moving our body in various ways to perform numerous activities that include walking, running and even while we are standing using our own legs. When the knees are not stable enough, it could pose a high risk for you, as you are most likely to experience falls, that may also include sustaining injuries on your body.
You can strengthen your muscles and joints by performing a few knee exercises that are suggested below:
1. Calf Raises
Calf Raises is one of the knee exercises that provide support to the knees starting from the bottom of your body. As the calf muscles are closely related to the hamstring muscle as well as the back of your knee, working towards strengthening this muscle would certainly benefit your hamstrings. In this way, your knee gets better support as well as stability.
By performing this exercise, the muscles around the knees are strengthened in addition to helping improve their mobility.
How to do this exercise?
- Stand in a straight position and place your feet a little apart from each other.
- You can take support by standing near a wall.
- Firstly, place the hands on the wall to take support from it and rise up on your feet.
- Now maintain the same posture for a few seconds and do not tilt forward.
- After remaining in the position for a few seconds, brings your legs back down on to the ground.
You can perform a minimum of 10 reps a day.
2. Standing Hamstring Curls
Standing hamstring curls is one of the body-weight exercises performed for toning your hamstring muscles. By constantly moving your feet, the knees of your body derive additional strength. This is one of the classic workouts that help in enhancing the strength of your legs and also for maintaining a proper balance.
How to do this exercise?
- Stand up and keep your feet hip-width apart. Put your hands on the waist.
- Now, bend one of your knees and bring your heel onto your butt. The thighs must be placed parallel.
- Stop for a few seconds and pull your leg back onto the ground.
- Now, repeat the exercise using your other leg to finish one rep.
You can perform a minimum of 15 reps a day.
3. Wall Squats
Wall squats is one of the best knee exercises that can be taken up to improve the strength of your thighs. By doing this exercise, the glutes, calves and quadriceps muscles are strengthened. These exercises also work on improving the stamina all through the entire leg.
How to do this exercise?
- Firstly, get onto a standing position and keep your head, back as well as hips against the wall and your feet must be placed about hip-width apart.
- Now, start bending your knees slowly by gliding down the wall till you arrive at a sitting position. Keep your thighs parallel to the ground.
- Hold on for about 10 seconds in the same position and subsequently come up slowly to the standing position. Now, one rep would be complete.
You can do about 10-15 reps in a day.
4. Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Single-Leg Glute Bridge is one of the variants of the glute bridge exercise that can be performed without the requirement for any gym equipment. This is a vigorous exercise in which you will have to lift each of your legs that would further put additional pressure to your hamstrings, including your lower spine. It also targets each of your glute muscles.
How to do this exercise?
- Firstly, you can start lying to your back by keeping your feet-hip width apart.
- Keep your left knee bent while you place your foot flat onto the floor. Make sure the right leg stands straight.
- Start pressing your glutes harder and push the hips towards the roof. Simultaneously, the right leg should be lifted upwards. Make sure to ensure that your hip as well as your knees is in a straight line.
- Take a few breaths and now bring your hips down again. Take care to ensure that your body is not touching the ground.
You can do about 10-15 reps with one leg and then move on to the other leg.
5. Sitting Knee March
Sitting knee march is one of the knee exercises that works on enhancing the strength of your quadriceps as well as hamstring muscles. Your knees can be strengthened by working on these muscles constantly.
How to do this exercise?
- First, sit down on a chair by keeping your back in a neutral position. Keep your feet a little apart from each other.
- Place your feet firmly and flat onto the floor.
- Start by raising your right leg in the direction of your chest. Take care to ensure that you do not lift your leg excessively. Just keep your leg about one foot above the floor.
- After lowering your leg, you can repeat the same using the other leg.
You can do about 15 reps in a day.
You can also do some knee extension stretches mentioned below in addition to your knee exercises.
How to do these stretches?
- You can perform these stretches by sitting on the edge of a chair or a table or a desk, whichever is comfortable.
- You can hang your legs freely, by placing any slim pad beneath your knee. Now, the knee would be a little higher than the hip.
- Start extending your knee in a gradual manner with your foot staying flexed till your leg is extended.
- Now, pause for a few seconds and subsequently lower your foot slowly under control.
You can do about 10-15 reps. Now, you can repeat the same using your other leg. Try to complete at least 3 sets every day.
By building your muscles that surround your knees, enough support can be offered for your knees, thereby lowering the stress on your joints. Therefore, it is never too late to start working on your knees.
Image Source: www.webmd.com
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
