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Knee Strengthening Exercises

If you’ve suffered a knee injury, or are just trying to prevent one before it happens, knee strengthening exercises can help.

By strengthening the muscles around your knee, you can ensure the joint is properly supported. This will reduce strain on the joint, which relieves knee pain and lowers your risk for injuries.

Here are some simple exercises knee strengthening exercises that you can use right away:

Hamstring Curls

This exercise strengthens muscles in the back of your thighs and buttocks.

  1. Find a countertop, chair, or another object to hold on to for balance.
  2. Stand with your knees close together, only about 1-2 inches apart.
  3. Slowly bend one knee, lifting your foot behind your body until your shin is parallel with the ground.
  4. Avoid locking your other knee by keeping it slightly bent.
  5. Hold the knee bend for up to 5 seconds.

Seated Leg Raises

This exercise will strengthen the muscles in the front of your thighs.

  1. Sit in a chair and adjust its height or put pillows on the seat until your feet dangle just above the ground.
  2. Hold onto the sides of the chair to stabilize yourself.
  3. Slowly extend one leg until it’s almost parallel to the ground, and try to keep it as straight as possible without locking your knee.
  4. Pause briefly before lowering your leg.


Wall Squats

This exercise strengthens muscles in the front of your thighs and buttocks.

  1. Stand with your back flat against a wall.
  2. While keeping your back and shoulders against the wall. Step your feet forward. about 24 inches away from the wall, no wider than hip-width apart.
  3. By bending your knees slowly, slide your back down the wall, until you are just above normal seated position.
  4. Hold that position for 5 seconds, extend your knees to slide back up the wall.

Step Exercises

This exercise will strengthen muscles in your hips, buttocks, and the front and back of your thighs.

  1. Use an exercise platform or stool that’s no taller than 6 inches.
  2. Step up on the platform with one foot and keep your other foot slightly behind you so it’s hanging in mid-air.
  3. Hold that position for up to five seconds.
  4. Slowly lower the hanging foot back to the floor, and then step off the platform.
    Alternate to the other leg.

Exercising With a Knee Injury

You may find knee injuries make it difficult to get exercise since you rely on your knees whenever you walk, run, jump, or climb. However, there are a few things that can help you be more active despite a knee injury—and can help you heal faster.

One example is physiotherapy. Physiotherapists can analyze your injury and create a personalized exercise plan that will speed your recovery safely. 

Another example is a functional knee brace. These braces can provide some added support and prevent the knee from making unnatural movements while allowing you to be active. That means there’s less risk of aggravating your injury through exercise.

To learn more about how exercise can help with knee injuries and pain, speak with your doctor.