What are Some Knee Strengthening Exercises?

At some point in a person’s life, it may become necessary to protect their knees from pain or injury. To do this, there are many knee strengthening exercises a person can do regularly to help protect against any current or future knee problems.

One set of knee strengthening exercises are focused on the quadriceps. Exercises that deal with strengthening and building the quadriceps are necessary to avoid knee pain and injury because they are the group of muscles that deal with the way the knee cap moves and the straightening of same. Knee strengthening exercises for the quadriceps muscles can be achieved through leg lifts, knee squats and muscle contractions.

To do a leg lift, lie on the floor with one knee bent with the foot flat on the floor. Ideally, the knee should be bent at a 90 degree angle, however, do what is most comfortable when first starting out. The other leg should be kept straight as it is lifted to the same angle as the bent leg. Hold this position for a few seconds before lowering it back down to the original position. Repeat for a series of 10 repetitions and then switch legs.

Knee squats are also effective knee strengthening exercises, and can be conducted by standing with a slight bend to the knee and toes pointing straight ahead. Balancing on one leg, lift one and lower the body a few inches. Make sure that the knees and toes continue to point forward and not inward. Repeat for a set of 10 repetitions and then switch legs.

The muscle contraction exercise should be done on a chair that enables the knees to be straight and the heels to comfortably touch the floor. Then tighten the muscles in the thigh for a count of 10 and loosen for a count of three. Repeat for a series of 10 repetitions.

Another set of muscles that effect the knees are hamstrings. They affect how the knees feel and work when they are in a bent state. To perform knee strengthening exercises with the hamstrings, a person can do leg curls and contractions.

The contractions exercise for working out the hamstring is similar to the exercise performed for the quadriceps. The same position, sitting in a chair with heels comfortably touching the floor, will be used. To feel the tension in the hamstring, push down on the heels without moving them. Hold this position, or contraction, for a count of ten and loosen for a count of three. This exercise can be repeated 10 times for a series of repetitions.

To execute the leg curl, lie face down on the floor. Next, place the right foot on the heel of the left. Bend your left leg toward you, using the right foot to provide resistance to the movement. Hold this position for a count of 10 and then relax it for three counts. Repeat this knee strengthening exercise for a series of 10 repetitions.

Another way to easily practice knee strengthening exercises for the hamstrings is to simply walk backward. This exercise allows the hamstrings to develop more fully by evenly allocating body weight and reducing the stress upon the knees.