10 Strengthening Exercises For Your Knees

If you experience knee pain while exercising, strengthening the muscles that support the knees may help reduce pain and make exercise and daily movements more comfortable.1 The following exercises provide both strength and flexibility benefits for the quads, hamstrings, inner and outer thighs, and hip flexors to help support the knees.

If you experience knee pain or discomfort, see your doctor for a diagnosis and clearance before attempting these or any other activities.

Workout Suggestions

• Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes with some cardio. This might include brisk walking, marching in place, or any other exercise that raises your heart rate and makes your muscles heated.
• If you’re a novice, do 1 to 2 sets. To acquire a feel for the exercises, do them with no resistance.
• If you’re more advanced, do 2 to 3 sets. Just remember to take a brief break in between.
• As required, modify the exercises. Adapt these manoeuvres to your own requirements, talents, and goals.
• Stop doing any workouts that bring you pain. Pushing through pain or discomfort may result in or aggravate harm.

Required Equipment

You will need a step or platform, a chair, an exercise ball, and resistance bands for this workout.

If you’re a newbie, you might want to omit the resistance bands at first. As an alternative to using a resistance band, you can use ankle weights.

Resistance Band Leg Lift

1. Loop a resistance band around your ankles and stand sideways next to a chair or a wall for support.
2. Lift the left leg out to the side, flexing the foot and aligning the hip, knees, and foot.
3. Lift your leg without tilting your body.
4. Lower and repeat for one to three sets of ten repetitions.

Push Step

1. Place your left foot on a step or platform and stand with your left side to it.
2. Push into the step to raise it a few inches and then lower it again.
3. Continue with the push step, moving fast on the left leg for 30 to 60 seconds before switching to the right.
4. Repeat for one to three sets.

Wall Sit

1. Stand up against a wall and slide down as far as you can (no lower than 90 degrees), keeping your knees under your toes.
2. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, keeping your weight on your heels.
3. Repeat for one to three sets.

Pull-Through with a Resistance Band

1. Wrap a resistance band around a heavy item and stand with your back to it, straddling the band.
2. To add resistance, take a step away from the anchor point and stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart, holding the band in each hand.
3. Tip from the hips, keeping your back straight and shoulders down, and dropping your body as much as your flexibility will allow (you can keep a slight bend in the knees).
4. To stand back up, squeeze your glutes and pull the band through your legs. Consider tugging from your hips rather than your arms or lower back.
5. Rep for 1–3 sets of 10 reps.

Knee Lifting

Wrap a resistance band around your ankles, providing enough room for the band to be tight while your feet are roughly a foot apart.

Shift the band beneath the sole of the standing foot. If necessary, grab a wall or a chair for support.

Raise the right knee to the level of the hip (or as high as you can).

Lower and repeat on each side for 1 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Hamstring Curls

To balance, stand in front of a chair and bend your right knee, bringing your foot up behind you (as if kicking your own buttocks).

Lower slowly and repeat for one to three sets of ten repetitions on each leg.

Squeeze the inner thigh

1. Place an exercise ball or a rolled-up towel between your knees while sitting with proper posture.
2. Squeeze the ball by clenching your inner thighs and releasing somewhat, but not completely.
3. Rep for 1–3 sets of 10 reps.
4. Strengthening Exercises for the Glute, Hip, and Thigh

Straight Leg Raise While Seated

1. Sit up straight on the floor, with your left leg bent, your right leg straight, and your right foot flexed.
2. Wrap your arms over your left leg and engage your core.
3. Lift your right leg off the floor, maintaining it straight (but not locked). To stay upright, avoid leaning back and instead use your core and left leg.
4. Lower the leg till it is barely touching the floor.
5. Repeat for each leg.

Stretch Your Hamstrings While Sitting

1. Sit on a step and straighten your left leg (you may alternatively sit on a chair and rest the leg on another chair), maintaining your right foot on the floor.
2. Bend forward with your body erect until you feel a slight stretch on the back of your leg.
3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds before repeating three times on each side.

Lunge Stretch

1. Stand with your right foot forward and your left foot back in a staggered posture (you can hold onto a wall for balance if needed).
2. Bend both knees and press the rear hip forward until the front of the left thigh and hip flexor stretch.
3. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds.

Calf Stretch While Standing

1. Stand with your right foot forward and your left foot back in a staggered posture (you can hold onto a wall for balance if needed).
2. Bend your front knee and lean forward until you feel a stretch in your left calf.
3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds before repeating three times on each side.