The knee is one of the hinge joints in our bodies that gets injured so often due to the total compression force being put on it during the day.
It allows flexion and extension movements on our legs.
Whether you are an active athlete with knee pain, a teenager struggling with knee achying, or just a regular adult experiencing some sort of discomfort, you want to get rid of the knee pain.
We are strong advocates of a pain-free active lifestyle, so today, we are showing you how to make your knees bulletproof...
Why Having Strong Knees Is Important?
Your knees support the bulk of your body weight and take most of the impact from regular activities such as walking, running, and jumping.
Having strong knee joints is a major part of living a pain-free life when performing an activity.
There are millions of people suffering from knee pain in one way or another.
Moreover, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 1 million people replace their knee joints every year in the US.
Yet, surgery should be your last option if you experience any sort of knee pain.
In fact, keeping healthy knees should be our priority for living a fulfilling life.
Strengthening the muscles in our legs will help support the knee joint.
Having strong front muscles (quadriceps) and back muscles (hamstrings) on our legs helps our knee joint absorb stress.
Flexibility also plays a big part in having stronger knees.
Stretching before and after a workout is a great way to reduce stress on our knee joints.
Stretching does not only help with reducing stress, it also helps with decreasing soreness of the muscles.
Now, let’s look at some of the best exercises to make your knee joints strong and flexible.
Top 5 Best Exercises To Bulletproof Your Knees
- Quad Set
Sit on the ground with your feet pointing forward. Start flexing your quadriceps and imagine that you are pushing your knees down. Mind muscle connection is very important when doing this exercise!
Repeat for 2-3 sets x 10 reps per leg and hold 3-4 seconds on each rep.
- Straight Leg Raises
Sit on the ground as in the previous exercise. Flex your quadriceps hard and lift one of your legs. Try to keep your foot as straight as possible without bending your knee. Reach a position where you start to feel the burn in your hamstring and hold for 3-4 seconds.
Repeat for 2-3 sets x 8-10 reps per leg.
- Bridges
The simpler version of the Hip Thrust.
Lay on the ground with your feet touching the ground, banded in the knees. Lift your torso until you reach a horizontal position and squeeze your glutes.
If this is too easy for you, lift one of your legs and hold it straight as you reach a horizontal position.
Repeat for 3 sets x 10 reps.
- Quadriceps Foam Rolling
Put your hands in a push-up position, shoulder width, and lay on a foam roller with one of your legs on top. Rollback and forth and keep a slow pace while performing the exercise.
You can adjust the pressure with your hands or even lift your other leg to make it harder.
Repeat for 2 sets x 10 reps per leg.
- Single-Leg Calf Raise
Put one of your feet on an elevated platform. You can use a weight disc or even a staircase for this purpose. Start raising your leg until you are fully extended. Slowly return to starting position.
Repeat for 3 sets x 15 reps per leg.
Final Thoughts
Preventing knee injuries is only possible by maintaining decent strength and flexibility in your legs.
Having strong knee joints is vital for your everyday life and shouldn’t be neglected as it could have consequences.
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