
Hold the position for five to ten seconds and then slowly come up. Slowly bend your knees, and glide down the wall until just before you reach a sitting position. Stand with your head, back and hips against a wall, your feet about hip-width apart. This is a fantastic exercise that will benefit both your knees and your ankles at the same time. This will isolate the outer portion of the calves. Then try turning your toes out and bring your heels close together, and raise up vertically. This isolates and strengthens the inner part of your calf muscles. Do 10 repetitions and 2-3 sets, as needed.Ī great variation of this exercise is to to turn your toes inward (heels away from each other) and raise up vertically. Raise vertically up as high as possible onto your toes and slowly lower down. Make sure your body is balanced you can hold onto a support such as the wall or another stabilizing surface. Place the toes and balls of your feet on the board, with your heels on the floor. Stand barefoot (or wearing socks) on a 2 inch board or aerobic step. Strengthening the calf muscle will greatly benefit your hamstrings, and provide your knee with greater support and stability. The calf muscle is intricately related to the hamstring muscle and the back of your knee. In this exercise, your hamstring muscles get stronger, while you stretch out your quads. You can do 2-3 sets as needed.Īs you get stronger, you can add light ankle weights to increase the resistance. You can keep your thigh pressed against a table, to ensure that it stays in line with your trunk.ĭo 10 repetitions, and repeat with the other leg. Keep your foot flexed throughout the movement. Keeping your thigh in a straight line with the upper body, bend your knee to a 90 degree angle and slowly lower down. Your kneecaps will love you for this one! Your hamstring muscles will also get an excellent stretch in the process, as you strengthen your quads.

Do 10 repetitions and repeat with the other leg. Extend the knee slowly with the foot flexed, until the leg is extended hold 3-5 seconds, and then lower slowly under control. Sit on a table or desk with your legs hanging freely, and place a thin pad under your knee, so that the knee is slightly higher than the hip. The expert advice of a trained professional, with no referral needed, can save you time, allow you to work more efficiently and guide you toward the best exercises for your own unique situation.


5 Exercises to Help Strengthen Your Kneesīefore embarking on any kind of training regimen, consulting with a certified physical therapist is a small investment that can pay huge dividends down the road. Stretching after knee strengthening exercise will alleviate muscle soreness and keep the muscles long and elastic. A tight muscle will constrict the knee joint and be more prone to injury. Knee strengthening exercises develop the muscles around the knee, but they can also cause the muscles to get tight, if not stretched properly. Knee exercises and stretches that promote both power and flexibility are of the greatest benefit, because they can help you prevent injury. Strength and flexibility go hand-in-hand: a fluid muscle is a happy muscle. Why Is Exercise to Strengthen Your Knees Important? One of the best ways to develop stronger knees and ward off future injuries is to build strong, fluid and solid muscles around the knees and in your legs and core.īy incorporating precise knee stretches and targeted exercise for knee pain into your routine, you can revamp and enhance the strength of those achy knees that have been bothering you for years.
