Our knees are essential for stability, mobility, and various bodily functions. Healthy knees are critical for activities such as maintaining balance, running, and walking. Our knees also allow for bending, rotating, and straightening our legs.

Our knees are the biggest joint in our bodies and support 80 percent of our weight. They support up to 1.5 times our body weight when walking on level ground. Having strong knees is therefore essential for day-to-day activities.

Below, we take a look at 5 knee strengthening exercises designed to help you develop stronger knees and avoid future injuries.

How Do You Strengthen a Weak Knee?

If you’ve ever wondered about how to strengthen knees, you’re in the right place. Below are 5 exercises for the best workout to strengthen knees.

The exercises are designed to improve strength, stability, and mobility in the muscles and tendons around the knee. Be sure to consult with a health professional prior to embarking on any workout regimen to protect your health.

1. Knee extensions/ thigh contraction

This workout is excellent for stretching the hamstrings, strengthening the quads, and stretching the knee joint.

Sit on a table, desk, or chair with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Lift your right foot, keeping it flexed. Extend the leg and hold for about 5 seconds. Lower the leg slowly, ensuring full control. Repeat this for 10 repetitions. Repeat this with the left leg.

As you grow stronger, incorporate ankle weights to make the workout harder and improve your strength.

2. Hamstring stretch and thigh contraction

Similarly to the previous exercise, this workout works to strengthen the quads while stretching the hamstrings and the back of the knee.

Sit on the edge of a chair with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Place the heel of your right foot on the ground with your foot pointing upward and slightly outward.

Bend at the waist, bringing your head towards your right knee, keeping your back straight. Hold for up to 15 seconds and repeat the same on the other leg.

3. Squats

This exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. It is a great way to build stamina and strength throughout the entire leg.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be pointing slightly outward. Bend at the knees to bring them to a 90-degree angle as if you were sitting.

Keep your back straight throughout the movement and ensure your knees don’t go past your toes. Stand up straight and repeat for about 12 repetitions.

4. Lunges

This is one of the best knee stability exercises. It helps to build strength and improve mobility from the hips through to the rest of the legs.

Start in a split stance with your left leg forward and your right leg back. Bend your left leg and lower your right knee to the ground. Do this until both knees are at a right angle, keeping the majority of your weight on the heel of the left leg. Straighten your legs and stand back up. Repeat for 12 repetitions on each leg.

5. Swimming

Swimming provides a full-body workout while strengthening the muscles throughout the body.

Practice different strokes from treading water, backstroke to freestyle. All swimming styles recruit all the muscles in the body, including those around the knee.

Address Knee Pain with the Help of Experienced Health Professionals

Knee strengthening exercises will help you build strength in the muscles surrounding the knee. They can also help you avoid knee pain.

However, they may not be suitable for you if you’re already suffering from knee pain. Dr. Chris Boone is committed to helping patients address the root cause of their knee pain.

Contact us to schedule an appointment and get an accurate diagnosis. We can help you determine the best approach to addressing your knee pain.