17 Best Knee Strengthening Exercises: Health Benefits, How to Do?

What are the Knee Strengthening exercises?

Knee strengthening exercises are a great exercise to make your knee joint & muscles more powerful to perform all your activity with ease without any extra strain and there are many health benefits of it.

Your knee are taking all your body weight during day-to-day activity like walking, sit to stand, stair climbing etc, if your knee is weak there are risk of injury, if you are health conscious and doing regular exercise is the best way to avoid knee-related injury.

The knee joint is the largest joint in the human body. we use it heavily in everyday activities as we walk, run, climb, or jump. As a result, this joint is also very prone to injury and pain. When pain or injury occurs, a doctor may recommend exercises to help you to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint.

Persons of all ages may experience knee pain. A type of knee pain called patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner’s knee, is the most common orthopedic condition in sports. In addition to being common in athletic persons, knee pain can also be a problem for persons who are suffering from arthritis.

People are tempted to avoid exercise when knee pain occurs, this is not always the perfect solution. many types of exercise also help to decrease existing knee pain and prevent future pain or injury by providing the knee with extra support.you can help to decrease the stress on your knee joint by regularly strengthening the muscles around your knee joint.

The knee joints are made up of the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). The smaller bone that runs alongside the tibia (fibula) and the kneecap (patella) are the other bones that made up the knee joint.

This joint is a hinge-type synovial joint, which mainly allows movement for flexion and extension (and a small degree of medial and lateral rotation). It is made by articulations between the patella, femur, and tibia. To strengthen your knee joint, you have to focus on movements that work your hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and hip muscles.

Health Benefits of knee strengthening exercises.

• This exercise is the most effective way to treat osteoarthritis without surgery.
• The strong and flexible muscles can keep the knees healthy and prevent injury.
• Regularly ding quadriceps strengthening exercises may help to make it easier to extend your knee and flex your hip.
• Helps to strengthen your quadriceps muscles.
• Helps to improve the stability of your kneecap.
• Helps to protect your knee joint from injury.
• Helps to increase your jump height.
• Helps to improve your overall athletic ability.
• Helps to decrease your risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.
• Helps to improve your balance and stability.
• Stronger knee make everyday movements easy such as walking, bending, and sitting, running.
• This exercise does not affect the knee joint directly, but this will strengthen the muscles located around it. Strong muscles near the knee can help to provide support for the knees. This support may decrease pressure and strain on the knee joints, which helps to relieve knee pain and help a person be more active.

• The following exercises can help to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee. If a person experiences pain during these exercises, they should stop performing them and consult a therapist. A person with severe knee pain should consult a doctor before doing this exercise.

• It is the best way to perform a warm-up with light exercise before starting any knee strengthening exercises. such as gentle exercises including walking, cycling, and using an elliptical machine, all of which put less stress on the knees. This activity will help improve blood flow to the muscles and allow them to be more flexible.

Knee strengthening exercises variations.

Half squat

How to do it?

• This is an excellent way to strengthen your quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings muscles without straining your knee joints.

• To perform this exercise you have to take a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Put your hands on your hips or out in front of you for balance.
• You have to Look straight ahead, slowly squatting down about ten inches. This is the halfway point to a full squat.
• Pause for two seconds, then stand up by pushing through your heels.
• Do 1 to 2 sets of 8 or 15 repetitions.

Calf raises

How to do it?

• To perform calf raises you to have to Stand with your shoulder-feet width apart. Position yourself next to a wall or hold on to the back of a chair for support.
• Raise both your heels off the floor so that you are standing on the balls of your feet.
• Slowly lower your heels to the initial position. Control is important with this exercise for strengthening your calf muscles.
• Do 1 to 3 sets of 7 to 10 repetitions.

Hamstring curl

How to do it?

• This exercise targets your hamstrings and glute muscles. It also needs good core strength to keep your upper body and hips steady.

• To perform this exercise you have to stand facing a wall or use a chair for support.
• Your feet should be hip-width apart. raise one foot, flex your knee, and elevate your heel toward the sky.
• Go as far as you can, while keeping your upper limb steady and hips pointing forward. Hold for 8 to 10 seconds.
• Relax and lower to the initial position.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on both legs.

Leg extensions

How to do it?

• To perform this exercise you have to Sit up tall in a chair.
• Put your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
• Look straight ahead, contract your thigh muscles, and straighten your one leg as far as possible without raising your buttocks off the chair.
• Pause, then lower to the initial position.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions on each leg.

Straight leg raises

How to do it?

• This exercise strengthens your quadriceps as well as your hip flexor muscles. If you flex your foot at the end of the movement, you should also feel your tibial shins tighten.
• This is a very easy exercise to perform you can also do this exercise at your place.
• For performing this exercise, you can use a mat to add cushioning under your back.
• Lie down on the ground with one knee flexed and one leg straight out in front of you.
• engage the quadriceps of your straight leg and slowly raise it off the ground until it is the same height as your flexed knee.
• Pause at the top for five seconds, then lower to the initial position
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions on both legs.

Side leg raises

How to do it?

• This exercise utilizes your hip abductor muscles as well as your glutes. Your hip abductor muscles, situated on the outside of your hips, these muscles help you for standing, walk, and rotate your legs with easiness. Strengthening these muscles can help you to prevent and treat pain in the hip and knee joints.
• To perform this exercise you have to take a side-lying position with your legs stacked on top of each other. Cradle your head in your hand, and place your other hand on the ground in front of you.
• Elevate your top leg as much as you comfortably can.
• Pause for two seconds at the top movement, then lower your leg.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions on both legs.

Prone leg raises

How to do it?

• This exercise utilizes your hamstrings as well as your glutes. As this exercise gets easier to do, you can add a five-pound ankle weight and gradually work up to a heavier weight as you build strength in your leg muscles.
• To perform this exercise, you can use a mat to add cushioning beneath you.
• Lie on your abdomen with your legs straight out behind you. You can let your headrest on your arms.
• Contract your glute and hamstring muscles in your right leg and raise your leg as much as you comfortably can without causing pain. Be sure to keep your pelvic bones on the floor throughout this exercise.
• Hold your leg in the lifted position for five seconds.
• Lower your leg, rest for 2 seconds, then repeat.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions on both legs.

Hamstring curls on a weight bench

How to do it?

• This exercise is a variation of the standing hamstring curl.
• you can try this version if you have access to a weight bench that is purpose-built for this exercise. It may be more challenging than the standing hamstring curl, depending on how much weight a person uses.
• To perform this exercise you have to Lie with face down on the bench with the knees close together. hold the handles for stability. Tuck the feet under the weight. The weight should sit just above the heels.
• Slowly flexed both knees, using the force of the legs to raise the weight up. Continue to raise the weight in a smooth motion until the knees flexed up to a 90-degree angle.
• Hold the weight up for five seconds and then slowly lower it back down.
• Perform up to 15 repetitions.

Step exercises

How to do it?

• To perform this exercise you can use a large, steady stool not taller than six inches.
• Step up onto the stool with the left foot and allow the right foot to follow behind. The right foot should not be on the stool but should hang behind it.
• Keep the body weight on the left foot and hold for up to five seconds.
• Slowly lower the right foot down and then follow it with the left foot.
• Switch legs, stepping up with the right foot first.
• Perform up to 15 repetitions.

Single-leg dip

How to do it?

• To perform this exercise you can Use two high-backed, stable chairs, placing one on either side of the body with the chair back next to the arms. Put a hand on the back of each chair for balance.
• Lift left leg about twelve inches from the floor. All weight should be on the right leg.
• Slowly bend down 2 inches, pushing weight onto the heel of the supporting leg.
• Hold for 5–7 seconds.
• Slowly straighten up.
• Repeat and do this on other sides.
• Perform up to 15 to 20 repetitions.

Sit to stands

How to do it?

• To perform this exercise you need one chair.
• Without using your hands for support, stand up and then sit down.
• Make sure every movement is slow and controlled. Repeat until you can not do anymore.
• Rest for 1 minute then repeat another 2 times. If the chair is too low, start by rising from a cushion on the chair and removing it when you do not need it anymore.

Quads exercise with roll

How to do it?

• To perform this exercise you have to Sit on the ground or sofa or bed, with your legs stretched straight out in front of you. Put a towel under one knee.
• Push down on the towel as if extending your knee.
• Move your toes and foot towards you, so that you feel your calf muscles stretch, and so that your heel raises off the ground.
• Hold for five seconds, then relax for five seconds.
• Do this ten times, then repeat the exercise with the right leg.

Leg cross

How to do it?

• To perform this exercise Sit on the edge of a table, seat, or bed and cross your ankles.
• Pull your front leg backward and back leg forwards against each other until your thigh muscles become feel tense.
• Hold this for as much as you can, then relax.
• Rest for 1 minute and then repeat another 2 times.
• Switch legs and repeat.

Lunges

How to do it?

• Forward lunges exercise to strengthen your thighs and hips and also maintain balance. To perform the lunges exercise you have to stand with feet- hip-width apart, reset your fists on your hips
• Now take a forward step. slowly lower your hips, flex your both knees but make sure that the front knee does not track over the toes
• hod for a couple of seconds, then push up off the front heel to return to the initial position
• repeat this exercise with the other leg

Hip Bridge

How to do it?

• To perform a hip bridge exercise you have to take a supine lying position with both knees flexed and heels flat on the ground, about 6 inches away from your buttocks.
• Engaging your core muscles, press into your heels, and raise your hips off the ground.
• Do not arch your lower back; instead, keep your ribs relaxed and a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Hold for 5 seconds, then lower down slowly.
• As you progress, raise one leg into the air to create a single-leg bridge.

Single leg Deadlift

How to do it?

• To perform this exercise you have to stand with both feet under your hips.
• Move your weight to the left leg, which should be nice and straight with a soft bend in the knee. start to drive your right foot back like you are stamping the bottom of your foot on the wall behind you, your leg should be straight.
• Simultaneously, slowly start hinging at the waist, tipping your trunk forward until it is almost parallel to the ground.
• Your arms should be straight, at shoulder height, and perpendicular to the ground at all times.
• At the bottom of the position, your body should be in a straight line from the top of your head to the bottom of your right foot.
• Then, start pulling your right leg forward while keeping it straight, and raise your trunk until you are standing again.
• That is one repetition. Repeat all repetitions on one side, then switch legs.

Split Squat

How to do it?

• To perform a split squat you have to come into a staggered stance with feet hip-width apart and one foot positioned several feet in front of the other, with a holding dumbbell in both hands.
• Engage your core muscles and flexed both knees to lower your body into a lunge (or split squat) until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
• Make sure to keep your core tight, spine straight (your trunk may need to lean slightly forward to achieve this, and that is fine), and shoulders back (not hunched up or rounded forward).
• Push through the heel of your front foot as you straighten that knee and return to standing.
• This is one repetition.
• Do 10–12 repetitions on the same side, then switch legs and repeat.

Post-exercise stretching

After doing any exercise, it is essential to stretch the muscles which are used. Stretching will helps to improve flexibility and decrease pain and injury.

Quadriceps stretch

How to do it?

• To do quadriceps stretch you can Hold on to the back of a chair or put one hand on a wall for balance.
• Raise the left foot behind the body and hold the ankle with the hand. your back should be straight and the knees close together.
• Pull the heel close to the glute region without forcing it or causing pain.
• Hold for up to thirty seconds and then slowly lower the leg.
• Complete 3 repetitions on the left side then go for the right leg.

Toe touches

How to do it?

• There have different techniques to stretch the hamstrings in the back of the legs.
• One is through traditional toe touching. With your feet close together, slowly flexed over at the hips and extend the arms downward.
• Your legs should be straight but don’t lock the knees.
• Reach the fingers to the top of the toes and hold for thirty seconds.
• In the beginning, it may not be possible to reach the toes. In this case, try to get the fingers as close as possible to the toes without causing pain.

Standing hamstring stretch

How to do it?

• This technique is also an effective way to stretch the posterior leg, and it is less strenuous for the lower back than toe touches. To perform this stretch Stand up straight with the feet no more than shoulder-width apart.
• Flexed from the hips slightly and extend the left leg out a few inches in front of the body. Allow the right leg to flex slightly.
• The back should be straight, slowly bringing the chest downward.
• Bend down as much as possible without causing pain. Hold for thirty seconds.
• Slowly bring the leg back toward the body and stand up straight.
• Repeat with the right leg.

When did you not do Knee knee-strengthening exercises?

• If you have a Hip injury
• If you have a Knee injury
• If you are Recently undergone surgery on your leg.
• If you feel any pain during this exercise.
• If you have a balance issue then go for easy variation in this exercise.
• If exercise will increase your pain.
• Do exercise gradually, and avoid jerky movement.