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Knee Strengthening Exercises That Work

Knee pain doesn’t discriminate. It can affect any person regardless of their age, gender, and race. The most common causes of knee pain are injuries, torn ligaments and cartilage, and medical conditions like arthritis, gout, and certain types of infections. While minor knee aches and pains can be managed with self-care measures like compressions and rest, the more severe ones need interventions like exercises and surgery.

Doctors and physiotherapists recommend strengthening the knees with the help of exercises and saving them from being replaced.

Our team of physiotherapists has put together these easy and simple knee-strengthening exercises to help you reduce pain and improve comfort levels. And suggest that if done regularly in the correct way, they can prevent further knee-related complications.

The best part of these exercises is that they don’t require a gym or any specific equipment and can be easily done at home.

However, the experts do advise consulting a doctor or an expert if any pain is experienced while doing these exercises.

Simple and Effective Knee Exercises

1. Leg lifts– This simple knee exercise works on the quadriceps which are the muscles in the front of the thighs and also on the abdominal muscles.

What to do

• The person has to lie down on their back preferably on a mat or a towel for comfort.
• Keep their right leg flat and straight on the ground and slightly bend the left leg.
• Raise their right leg without bending the knees and while doing so pull the stomach muscles in by pushing in the belly button. This helps to push the lower portion of the back toward the floor for more support. The person can place their hand below their lower back for more support and ensure there is no space between the back and the floor. 
• Keep the toes of the raised leg pointed toward the ceiling and lift the leg to a height of around 12 inches from the floor. A good way of determining how much the leg should be lifted is to bring it to the level of the bent knee.
• Hold the leg in the same raised position for 5 counts and slowly bring it down to the floor. Repeat two more times with the same leg and then move on to the other leg.
• Do 2-3 sets with three reps on each leg.
• Don’t drop the leg hard on the floor after raising it or lift it too high.

2. Knee flexing– This exercise works on the hamstrings which are the muscles present at the back of the thighs as well as on the buttock muscles.

What to do

• The person needs to stand straight with the knees around 1–2 inches apart. 
• They have to hold a chair or any other stable object to get their balance and picture right.
• They have to slowly bend one knee to an angle of 90 degrees and while doing so they need to ensure that their thighs are aligned with one another. (The knee of the bent leg should not thrust forward and be ahead of the knee of the bent leg)
• The other leg has to be kept straight without bending.
• Hold the bent leg for 5 seconds and lower it slowly to the floor. Repeat two more times and then switch to the other leg.
• They can do 3 sets of 10 reps each.
• They must avoid pointing the toes of the bent leg toward the floor and let it remain in a straight neutral position.

3. Leg extensions– This exercise works on the quadriceps.

What to do

• The person is required to use a chair and sit up straight.
• Tighten their thigh muscles.
• Slowly lift one leg and keep the knees straight.
• Count till 5 seconds while squeezing the knee muscles and then lower the leg.
• Repeat on the other leg and do 3 sets of 10 reps for each leg.
• They must avoid swinging the leg while lifting it.

4. Step exercises– This exercise involves the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, and buttock muscles.

What to do-

The person has to use a stepper, a low-level platform, or a low stool.

Step on the platform with one leg and keep the other foot straight and hanging behind the leg on the stepper.

The weight of the body should be on the leg on the stool and the person has to hold for 5 seconds.

Slowly lower the leg from the stepper and repeat with the other foot.

5 reps are recommended for each leg.

The knees shouldn’t be locked and kept slightly bent for this exercise.

5. Swimming– This exercise is a boon for all the people who love water and are looking to strengthen their knees.

Treading water, front crawl, backstroke or just kicking laps with a flutter board help solidify the knee joint and are a great cardio workout as well. Opting for hydrotherapy which includes exercises such as water jogging, water aerobics, and other routines can serve as an effective knee-strengthening technique.