Knees are very important part of our body, we use them almost all the time. Many people have some kind of problems with knees. It does not have to be that way, it is possible to strengthen muscles around our knees and stabilize them.

Let me share with you 4 exercises for strong & healthy knees. You can do all the exercises anytime, anywhere, just using own body, on the mat or carpet, using a wall – whatever is available to you. I would recommend to add this sequence into your workout two times a week.

Exercises should be challenging, but please make sure you don’t feel any sharp pain in your knees. If you do, stop the exercise, decrease the range of movement or move to the next one. If you have any history of knee injuries, consult your physician before starting the exercise. If you have persistent pain in your knees, please note that some exercises can make it worse. The sequence here is not a substitute for a professional medical advice.

Some basics about knees in case you are interested:

Knee is a complex joint with two key functions – flexion and extension. Some small range of rotation is possible but it is very wise to avoid any big rotational movements, especially with load. Many knee injuries happen due to excessive rotation (some of us know well!).

Anatomy of the knee can be explained as four bones (femur, tibia, fibula and patella) joined together by several ligaments and supported by protective cartilage tissues. One of them being meniscus. Knee injury usually means damage of one of these ligaments or meniscus by excessive wear and tear and/or applying excessive force, namely rotational. There are many leg muscles interacting with the knee, I will save you all the latin names but you can learn more about knee anatomy for example here: Wikipedia – The Knee. By strengthening key muscles around the knee, we are able to stabilize them and help avoid many injuries.

Once we injure our knee (has happened to most of us with various degrees at some point of our life), we have to apply so called RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) and usually seek medical advice. Some injuries are possible to address with specific rehabilitation, others require surgery. My very good orthopedist and experienced knee surgeon in Dubai once told me that knee surgery should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. In any case, it is a good idea to seek a good physiotherapist after any knee injury and discuss what specific exercises will help to restore knee stability and your confidence in any movement.

Enjoy your knee exercises and have a great day! Please let me know your experience with knee pain and how did you solve it.