- 1. Bridge
- 2. Leg extension, in the air
- 3. Leg extension in 3 supports
- 4. Squat
- 5. Squeeze ball between knees
Exercises to strengthen the knees can be indicated for healthy people, who wish to practice some physical activity, such as running, but also serve to combat the pain caused by arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatism, for better muscle strengthening due to the wear of the cartilage.
The exercises should be prescribed by the physical educator or physiotherapist in person after checking the need that the person presents, because they can be very varied, and depend on whether there is an injury or not, but here are some examples of exercises that can be useful for strengthening the quadriceps, which are the thigh muscles.
1. Bridge
- Lie on your back, bend your legsLift your torso off the floor, keeping your pelvis elevated. Then it should descend slowly. Repeat the exercise 10 times. Rest a few seconds and then perform another series of 10 repetitions.
2. Leg extension, in the air
- Lying on your back with your hands at your sidesBend both legsLift only one leg, keeping it straight Repeat 12 times with each leg
3. Leg extension in 3 supports
- In the position of 4 supports, with your elbows and knees on the floorBend one leg and raise this bent leg, as shown in the imageRepeat 10 times, being careful to keep the leg that is in motion, always straight. Remember to imagine that you are pushing the ceiling upwards, using the heel, because it facilitates the movement at the correct angle. You should do 2 sets of 10 repetitions with each leg.
4. Squat
The squat is a great closed kinetic chain exercise for strengthening your knees.
- Standing, you should imagine that you will sit in a chair flexing your knees up to a 90ยบ angle. When doing this exercise, you should be careful that your knees do not extend beyond the big toe, so as not to create knee injuries. To facilitate movement, you can stretch your hands in front of your body, as shown in the image. 20 squats in a row are recommended.
5. Squeeze ball between knees
This isometric exercise consists of:
- Remain lying on your back, bend your knees while keeping them flexed and slightly apart. Putting a medium-sized ball between your knees. The exercise consists only of squeezing the ball between your knees for 10 times in a row. You should repeat this exercise for 10 times, totaling 100 grips, but with rests every 10 repetitions
In case of knee arthrosis, other more specific exercises can be indicated, check out what they are and other care needed to recover faster in this video:
