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Knee strengthening exercises
How can exercises help to strengthen our knees?
Regular strengthening exercises can help to build up the muscles in and around our knees. This can help improve the support around them, which can help to prevent injury and pain.
When starting any new exercise, you should always begin slowly and gradually. And, only do as much as you can manage without feeling any pain. Speak to your doctor or physiotherapist beforehand if you have an existing knee injury, or if:
- your knee pain is severe
- you feel that your knee is locked or ‘giving way’
- the pain lasts for a few weeks
What types of exercises can strengthen knees?
Below is a series of exercises that you can try at home or in the gym. It’s a good idea to spend five minutes warming up before performing these exercises. You could try 5 to 10 minutes of walking or cycling, for example.
Bodyweight squat
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forwards.
- With your back straight, chest out, and shoulders back and down, slowly squat downwards.
- Don’t let your knees move in towards each other.
- Squat downwards as far as you comfortably can, then straighten your legs to return to standing.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Watch our video on bodyweight squats.
Single-leg squat
- Stand on one foot with your toes facing forwards.
- Lower your body by bending your standing leg at the knee. Keep your kneecap in line with your foot – try not to move it from side-to-side.
- Go as low as you can without any pain, then straighten your leg to return to standing.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg.
Watch our video on single-leg squats.
Stabilisation lunge
- Stand with your legs apart, with one foot in front of the other.
- Gradually bend one of your knees to a 90 degree angle, before slowly rising up.
- Keep your front knee in line with your foot.
- Aims for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg.
Watch our video on stabilisation lunges.
Glute bridge
- Lie on your back with both knees bent at about 90 degrees, with both feet flat on the floor.
- Slowly lift your bottom up by pushing through your heels and squeezing your glutes.
- Keep your knees in line with your feet.
- Try not to arch your back and slowly lower your bottom down towards the floor.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Watch our video on glute bridges.
Sitting knee extension
- Sit on the floor with one leg straight and the other leg bent at about 90 degrees.
- Place a rolled-up towel under your knee on your straight leg for support.
- Keeping your toes pointing upwards, clench the muscle at the front of your thigh and push down on to the towel so your knee straightens and your heel lifts off the floor.
- Hold for 10 seconds and slowly lower.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg.
Watch our video on sitting knee extensions.
Infographic: POLICE principles
Bupa's POLICE infographic (PDF, 0.5 MB), illustrates the ‘POLICE principles’ to reduce your pain and help you to recover. Click on the POLICE image below to download the PDF.
Infographic: HARM principle
Bupa's HARM infographic (PDF, 0.6 MB), illustrates the ‘HARM principle' of things you should avoid doing in the first three days after your injury. Click on the HARM image below to download the PDF.
If you have a muscle, bone or joint problem, our direct access service aims to provide you with the advice, support and treatment you need as quickly as possible. If you’re covered by your health insurance, you’ll be able to get advice from a physiotherapist usually without the need for a GP referral. Learn more today.
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