Weak in the Knees? Try These Exercises
Sorry to tell you, but it’s an unavoidable truth that knees naturally weaken with age. Many factors, such as genetics, injuries, and overuse can speed up this process. However, there are many things you can do to slow down that process, keep your knees strong and healthy, rehabilitate any injury, and support a pain-free quality of life.
Our trainers at Get F.I.T. run through various exercises that will help your weak or painful knees. We know that knee pain can be debilitating, so we want to help you return to health and vitality ASAP (but safely, of course). Keep reading for the steps to take.
Why Do My Knees Hurt So Badly?
Knee pain is a relatively common complaint, especially when we experience general wear and tear from activities such as bending, walking, standing, and lifting. It’s important to practice moving functionally in a controlled environment, such as fitness studio, so that your body moves functionally in everyday life.
There are many potential knee injuries since this joint is quite complex. If you believe you’ve suffered an injury, you may need a medical exam such as an x-ray or MRI. Visit Get F.I.T. for a movement assessment, and we will recommend you to a doctor if need be.
Knee Exercises for Strength & Stability
Oftentimes, knee pain is simply the result of overuse and poor habits. The good news is lifestyle choices and movement routines can help relieve us of this kind of discomfort and prevent serious injury.
Try these exercises, each for three sets of 10 repetitions, to improve knee strength, joint stability, and overall support:
Calf Raises
Get your calves burning with calf raises that can be deceptively challenging. Place your hands on the wall or a counter for support when first beginning. With your feet hip-width apart, slowly begin shifting your weight into your toes and lift your heels off the ground.
Focus on engaging the calf muscles and keeping the ankles steady. Aim for your weight to be between your second and third toes and prioritize stability over how high you can lift your heels. To make it more challenging, do one foot at a time or hold dumbbells.
Hamstring Curls
Properly strengthening the hamstrings can help relieve tension and stiffness in the knee. With your hands on the back of a chair, slowly bend each leg behind you with your heel trying to touch your glute. Make sure your knee stays in line with your other knee and you keep your core engaged and pelvis gently tucked.
For a more challenging variation, use a resistance band or wear ankle weights.
Wall or Chair Squats
If you have weak knees, first, stand in front of a chair or against a wall for support. With your feet shoulder-width apart, slowly squat up and down. Go down as far you comfortably can, but stop when your knees begin to creep past your toes. You don’t need to do a full squat for it to be effective. Start with a quarter or half squat and slowly build up over time if you need to!
Chair Sits-to-Stands
This exercise is pretty straight forward. Simply sit in a chair and slowly rise to stand. We recommend starting with a higher chair and increasing the difficulty over time. To throw yourself a challenge, hold weights or do the exercise with just one leg.
Lunges
Adding forward and backward lunges into your routine is a great way to get your thighs and hips in beast-mode while improving your balance. It is important that you perform lunges with proper form. Follow these steps:
Start with your feet hip-width apart, place your fists on your hips
Take a big step forward or backward, slowly lowering your hips and bending your knees
If the front knee starts to go over the front toes, pause and push off the front heel or back toes to reposition at the start
Repeat with the other leg
Straight Leg Lifts
With your feet flat on the floor while sitting in a chair, engage the muscles in your right thing to extend your right foot straight out in front of you. Pause, and slowly lower your leg. Complete 10 reps and then proceed with the other leg. Avoid locking your knees when you straighten your leg.
Hip Bridges
Hip bridges can help you strengthen the core and glute muscles, providing support for the hips and therefore the knees. Lie down with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Tighten your core muscles and feel your lower back press into the ground before lifting your glutes. Create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees instead of arching your back.
Hold this for several seconds before slowly lowering. As you get stronger, incorporate straightening one leg at a time while you are in the bridge pose.
Learn More > What is Integrated Physical Training?
Stand Strong and Get F.I.T.
At Get F.I.T., our goal is to help you feel strong and secure in your body and its incredible capabilities. We want to show you that it’s possible to feel amazing instead of just accepting chronic pain and aches. With our functional movement screening, we’ll assess where your body needs support.
When you join our community, we’ll provide the accountability and flexibility you need to make your fitness goals a reality. We will help you get strong safely with as little risk as possible. Call our studio today and Get F.I.T. with our trainers - (813) 445-3027.
Disclaimer: Our personal trainers at Get F.I.T. are not medical professionals. If you believe you have suffered an injury, consult your doctor before participating in exercise.
