Knee injuries can be difficult to deal with, and after experiencing one, you may want to know proper ways to make your knees stronger. However, if you are afraid to work out your knee for fear of more pain caused, you actually may be missing out on an opportunity to improve the performance of your knee after an injury. Keeping your knees strong and supporting them through exercise is actually a way to make your knee come back to its original capabilities prior to becoming injured. The key trick is to start slow and do not rush the exercise plan. You can expect some muscle soreness when exercising, but if that soreness crosses over into excessive pain, you may need to consider an exercise break and contact your physician for assistance.
9 Stretches on How to Make Knees Stronger
1. Wall Quad Stretch
All that is required for this stretch is a wall. Facing away from the wall, you want to lean up against it using a lunge. Your back foot, in an upwards position, should lean up on the wall, and your back knee works to control this stretch. If you want a deeper stretch, move your knee closer to the wall. Pushing your hips away from the wall can also help this stretch.
2. Hamstring Flossing
Having a box or ball can help this stretch. You can do this stretch sitting on a box or chair. Extend your knee out, and then bend it while putting pressure on the knee area. A ball can be used to go up and down your leg while you do the bending and straightening.
3. Band TKE
Wrap your band around something sturdy and step into it, leaving the band just above your knee. Make sure you get the band tight, and then bend and extend the knee. The key is to get your knee totally straight while you focus on a hard contraction of the quad.
4. Glute Bridges
On your back, with your feet down, bend your knees upward. Then, lift your bottom as much as possible, avoiding an arched back and stay aligned. You want to actually hold this position for a few seconds, and try to then lift up one leg, and hold again. Then, you can drop back down and continue, using the other leg to lift.
5. Wall Slides With Ball Squeeze
If you want to learn how to make knees stronger, wall slides will help. For this exercise, you will be standing at shoulder-width apart and facing away from the wall. Use a small ball and keep it between knees to help balance your legs, then move up and down the wall with your back, using your legs for movement. Try holding the position for 5-10 seconds before repeating.
6. Straight Leg Raises
You can do this either sitting or lying, but start with lying if sitting is too hard. Bend your left leg with your foot on the floor. Lift your leg off the floor, making sure the quads are active and allowing for a bend in the knee. Hold and then repeat, switching legs. This is a great way to help your knees, if you have been wondering how to make your knees stronger.
7. Calf Raises
Calf raises are done standing, but you probably want to hold onto a chair or wall for some balance. Keeping your legs straight, the goal is to rise onto your toes, and then lower back down. If you find this quite easy, try using only one leg.
8. Hamstring Curls
These can be done lying down on your stomach. Curl and bend your knee up, bringing your heels close to your bottom. Hold the position for a few seconds. You can also use a chair and do this exercise standing up if you wish. If you find this easy, you can add some weights to your ankle. But do it slow, starting from 1 pound then increasing it gradually.
9. Jumping
This movement really is an often overlooked, simple exercise that can greatly benefit the knees. Using a mirror can to help you keep an eye out on how you are doing your jump. Remember to land with your knees bent as straight knee landing can really harm the knee. You want to land almost as if you are going into a squatting position. Jumping is a very effective way to benefit the knees, if you have been searching for how to make your knees stronger.
How to Make Knees Stronger with Lifestyle Changes
Besides all the exercises above, you can also make some lifestyle changes to strengthen your knees:
What You Eat Matters
- Anti-inflammatory foods are great options when your knee joints are painful and weak due to inflammation. Include olive oil, fish, flax seeds, avocados and fruits and vegetables to your diet.
- Vitamin E rich foods such as spinach, peanuts, mango, broccoli and kiwi can be of help as they can impede capillary-breaking enzymes.
- Foods rich in calcium are important for bone health. And a healthy bone is essential for stronger knees. Include yogurt, cow milk, cheese and goat milk, leaf greens and almonds to your diet for better health.
Recreational Activities Can Help
Wondering how to make knees stronger in your daily life? There are several recreational activities available that you can get involved in to benefit your entire body, as well as your knees. These are just a few:
- Yoga. If you need something that is low-impact, yoga can really help. Not only will you be stretching and working out your whole body, several traditional yoga poses help focus on the knees.
- Swimming is a great full body workout that can build up overall strength. It’s also commonly suggested as a way to promote active physical therapy.
- Take a walk. Walks are simple, free, and really a great workout for the legs. They let you get out of the house while benefitting your body.