Kneecap pain is a common complaint among athletes and men and women of any age or activity level. That’s why there are the best exercises to strengthen your knees. Knee pain is the third most common injury for basketball players, after ankle and hamstring injuries. It’s also one of the most difficult to treat because knee pain can result from several factors. Overuse, a pre-existing condition such as arthritis, or direct trauma to the patella or some other part of the knee may all lead to knee pain. However, not all knee problems need to be permanent. You can strengthen your knee and prevent further damage with the right precautions and with the best exercises to strengthen your knees.
Kneecap or patella inflammation can be treated. The patella tendon runs directly underneath the kneecap. When overloaded by too much stress, it begins to ache and inflame. The condition usually develops gradually over weeks or months due to overuse, but it can also happen more acutely from a single accident.
A lot of times, what happens with knee pain is a vicious circle. You get knee pain, you do less, you get more deconditioning that can be cardiovascular or strength-wise, and then you get more knee pain again. The cycle then continues indefinitely. We want to do what we can to maintain and improve the strength around that knee joint to help overcome that knee pain. This is important when it comes to overcoming any knee arthritis.
If you have knee pain, these 5 best exercises to strengthen your knees will help you relieve it.
Exercises to Strengthen Your Knees
1. Monster Band Walk
For this exercise, use a mini band.
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Wrap the mini band just above your knees, enough to create resistance. Slightly bend your knees and hinge through your hips. Take a big step on one side, return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side. Perform the exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light to moderate. This exercise aims to work on balance, hip stability, and single-leg standing.
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Alternative Exercise:
For this exercise, use a mini band.
Begin in an upright sitting position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Take a big step on one side, return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Wrap the mini band just above your knees, enough to create resistance.
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2. Hip Hinge
Begin upright on the floor with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Ideally, your back should be parallel to the floor. Slightly bend your knees and pivot through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Raise yourself back up and repeat the movement.
The purpose of this exercise is to work on your glutes and hamstrings. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions. Perform the exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light.
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Alternative Exercise:
For this exercise, use a resistance band or tube.
Begin in an upright position on the center of the tubing on the floor, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a handle in each hand, creating resistance on the tubing. Slightly bend your knees and pivot through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Ideally, your back should be parallel to the floor. Raise yourself back up and repeat the movement.
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3. Static Lunge
Begin in an upright standing position, keeping your head, shoulders, hips, and legs in good alignment. Take a big step back with one leg, then lower your back knee to the ground. Raise yourself back up to return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite leg.
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side. Perform the exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light. The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen the muscles around the knees and work on the lunging movement.
If you feel knee pain, start by lowering your back leg halfway to the ground until you reach your full, pain-free range of motion.
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4. Banded Leg Press
For this exercise, use a resistance band or tube.
Begin in an upright sitting position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Loop the resistant tubing under one foot, holding the handles of the tubing in each of your hands. Lift your knee, then extend your leg out in front. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite leg.
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side. Perform the exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light to moderate. The purpose of this exercise is to work on the range of motion in the knee.
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5. Glute Bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your arms at your sides, relaxing your upper body. Tighten your core, then push from your heels to lift your hips. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Lower your hips down and repeat the movement.
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions. Perform the exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light to moderate. The purpose of this exercise is to work on the glutes.
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You know when you have moments where you can’t get going, you’re running late, or you’re just plain sick of your life and kicking yourself for being a loser? That’s the feeling you get when you’ve got knee pain. It’s like the floor has been kicked out from under you. Or it’s like you’ve just taken a huge step forward, and the door jams unexpectedly. You feel awful, and there’s not much you can do about it. And this is where exercise comes in. These best exercises to strengthen your knees will help relieve pressure on your knee joint and alleviate pain associated with knee problems.
