Knee exercises

Basic Knee Exercise

1. Quad sets.

Place a pillow under your knee. And press your leg down to press the pillow. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 20 times. This exercise can be done lying flat as shown.

2. Hamstring sets.

Lie on your back with knees bent and toes up. Dig your heels into the ground and press down. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 20 times.

3. Straight leg raise.

Tighten your thigh and pull your toes back, then slowly raise your leg 10 to 20 degrees. Slowly lower your leg., relax your muscles briefly, then repeat 20 times.

4. Knee Extension.

Sit upright in a chair, straighten your leg, tighten your thigh and pull your toes back. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 20 times.

5. Short arc exercises

Place a folded pillow under your knee. Straighten the bent knee and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat ten times.

6. Bridging

Knees bent and feet flat on the floor as above with your heels spaced comfortably from your bottom. Fold a bed pillow in half, and place it between your knees. Squeeze the pillow and hold on to it tightly. Raise your bottom upward slowly lifting one vertebra at a time from your exercise mat. Continue lifting your bottom upward until there is a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold this position 5-10 seconds. Repeat 6-8 times. Think of reaching your knees forward over your ankles.

Note: If this exercise is uncomfortable, just squeeze the pillow and hold it 10 seconds. This is called an adductor set, as it works the inner thigh muscles. Once you can do this (and knee exercises #1 and 2) 20 times with a strong effort, try bridging again.

bridging

7. Heel raises

Hold onto a chair or countertop only as much as you need to for safety. Go up on your toes as high as possible without leaning your body weight forward. Stay up and maintain your balance for 2-3 seconds. Repeat up to 25 times. Keep your weight over your big toes as you go up and down.Once you can easily do 25 repetitions, try lowering back down on one foot. Then progress to single leg heel raises.

heel raises

8. Butt kicks

Keep your knees in line and lift your heel as high as possible. Stand upright when you lift your heel. You will feel your hamstrings during this exercise, and you may feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Repeat up to 20 times on each side. Add an ankle weight to increase the challenge.

butt kicks