Different Exercises To Strengthen The Knees
The knee is one of the joints most prone to injury. The best way to take care of it is by strengthening the muscles of the legs from the exercises that we discuss here.
The knees are made up of cartilage, ligaments, bones, menisci, and muscles, among other components. It is a fundamental structure for many movements that a person performs on a daily basis, and more so in the case of athletes. In addition, they also bear the burden of body weight. How to strengthen your knees to keep them healthy?
It is precisely this amount of components that expose them to suffer various ailments. Among them, we can find torn ligaments, damage to the menisci, atrophy of the patella and problems of a muscular nature.
8 exercises to strengthen your knees
There are a series of physical exercises that allow us to work our knees and strengthen them. From this improvement in muscle strength and capacity, it is possible to prevent future injuries or rehabilitate the joint after existing damage. Here are the best exercises to strengthen your knees.
1. Buttock stretch
To do this exercise, which is actually a warm-up stretch, you must first lay out a mat or some support surface on the floor. When you’re ready to start, lie down and bend your knees toward your chest, adopting a fetal pose with each of your legs.
From there, take the knee with your hands and pull towards the chest, without using excessive force. According to a study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine , stretching before and after a training session helps prevent certain injuries and reduce post-exercise pain.
2. Squats
Now we move on to the strengthening exercises. This first job is quite well known, and to do it you must start by standing up and opening your legs at shoulder height. Then bend your knees a little and slowly lower yourself.
To be clear, the exercise mimics the action of getting up and sitting in a chair. It is important to always keep your back straight and that your knees do not go over the balls of your feet.
In addition to strengthening the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings, squats also allow you to exercise the middle zone, thanks to the stability they demand. This is explained in a Harvard Health Publishing publication.
3. Low squat
Low squats are a very similar exercise to the normal squats mentioned earlier, but in this case, the thighs are broken parallel to the ground; in other words, it descends even further, as you can see in the video above.
4. Medicine ball
Medicine ball exercises have become very popular in recent years, as they have proven to be very effective in recovering from injuries. Balance work on the medicine ball is used for strengthening the knees by health professionals.
Likewise, other exercises with this element contribute to the development of the muscles and physical capacities of the legs, according to a study by Faigenbaum and Mediate (2005).
5. High leg trot
This jog in place is complemented by raising the legs slightly higher than normal. In this way, the joints and internal muscles of the knee are worked with greater demand with each step that is taken.
Regarding this exercise, it is necessary to clarify that the impact when falling can affect those who do not have sufficient stability in this joint, or even more so to people who are overweight, as explained in a study published by Osteoarthritis and Cartilage . If you think you are in these groups, consult a professional before doing so.
6. Stationary bike
Cycling exercises are a low-impact aerobic activity that provides increased resistance to the ligaments and muscles that make up the knees. This exercise is very good for burning calories, as long as it is done with an appropriate intensity for the individual’s characteristics.
In addition, it is necessary to supplement it with a balanced diet if the purpose is to lose weight. As a study published by the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism explains , spending more calories than you consume is paramount if you want to reduce your body’s weight and fat mass.
7. Lunges
Lunges are another of the good exercises to strengthen the knees and, incidentally, tone thighs and glutes. Likewise, the Harvard Health Publishing publication cited above details that it also works the core muscles.
To do this, you must stand with your feet together. Then bring your right leg forward and lower your body until your front thigh is parallel with the floor. The hip and knee joints should be at a 90 degree angle with the rest of the body upright.
Then push through your right foot, while contracting your leg muscles to return to the upright position. Then move your left leg forward for another lunge.
8. Exercises in the water
Swimming is a discipline that helps to strengthen many muscle groups without putting too much pressure on the joints. In fact, a recent study published by the Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation indicates that, especially if practiced before the age of 35, swimming can prevent diseases such as osteoarthritis in the future.
Therefore, if you are a lover of this water sport, try to do this exercise more frequently to have healthy knees. Swim in different styles to work different muscle groups and, in turn, strengthen other areas of the body.
Strengthening your knees is gaining health
As we can see, strengthening the knees is directly associated with sports practice and regular physical exercise. In addition, avoiding or reducing overweight is very important to protect this joint, which has the difficult task of carrying a large part of the body weight.
Therefore, we can conclude that strengthening the knees and complying with what is necessary to keep them healthy also entails great benefits for health in general. Anyway, if you feel pain or discomfort in this area of the body, do not hesitate to go for a consultation with a health professional.
