Table of ContentsView AllTable of Contents1. Seated Knee Extension2. Squats3. Standing Hip Hinge4. Leg Lifts5. Standing Hamstring Curls6. Step ExercisesPostexercise Stretches

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

  1. Seated Knee Extension

  2. Squats

  3. Standing Hip Hinge

  4. Leg Lifts

  5. Standing Hamstring Curls

  6. Step Exercises

Postexercise Stretches

Having bad knees does not mean you can’t be active. Strengthening the muscles around yourkneescan improve mobility and decrease pain. You can do many exercises at home without any fitness equipment to strengthen the surrounding muscles. Stretching after exercise can improve your flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.As with any new exercise program, check with your healthcare provider to ensure exercising with bad knees is OK. If you have knee pain that makes standing difficult, some of these exercises might not be appropriate for you. To decrease pressure on your knees, trywater walkinginstead.Consult aphysical therapistfor an individualized exercise program—particularly if you have an underlying medical condition, such asosteoarthritis(joint disease in which the cartilage that protects the knee wears away) or a recent knee injury.1. Seated Knee ExtensionThe seated knee extension targets thequadriceps—rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis—a group of four muscles on the front of your thigh that straighten your knee.Do a seated knee extension as follows:Sit up straight on a firm chair with your feet flat on the floor.Keeping your toes flexed (toes pointed toward the ceiling), straighten your knee fully.Hold for five seconds, then lower back down.Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.2. SquatsSquats strengthen the quadriceps andhamstrings,which include the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus—a group of three muscles on the back of your thighs that bend your knees and straighten your hips. Squats also target thegluteus maximusmuscle in your buttocks.Do squats in this way:Stand up straight with your legs hip-width apart.Hold your arms straight out in front of you or place your hands on your hips.Hinge forward at your hips, pushing your buttocks backward as if you are going to sit in a chair.Lower as far as you can comfortably until your thighs are parallel to the ground.Hold for five seconds, then stand back up.Perform 10 repetitions.If you have difficulty with your balance, hold on to a stable surface, such as the back of a chair or a table, while you squat.If you have knee pain when standing, try mini-squats, lowering yourself a short distance before standing back up.3. Standing Hip HingeThe hip hinge exercise strengthens your hamstrings and gluteus maximus muscles. Your quadriceps contract to maintain knee stability during this movement. It’s important to keep your back straight during the hip hinge to avoid unwanted pressure on your spine.Do a standing hip hinge as follows:Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.Shift your weight back onto your heels and hinge forward at your hips—do not bend over at your waist. Allow your knees to bend slightly as you hinge.Bend at the hip 45 degrees forward. Stop when your torso is halfway between upright and parallel to the floor.Hold for a couple of seconds, then squeeze your buttocks, push your hips forward, and stand back up.4. Leg LiftsLeg lifts can be performed in several positions to target muscles on all sides of your knees.SupineSupine leg lifts target the quadriceps muscles. Do them in this way:Lie flat on your back with one knee bent and the other leg straight.Tighten your thigh muscles on the straight leg, then lift it 6 to 10 inches off the ground.Hold for five seconds, then lower back down.Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.ProneProne leg lifts target your hamstrings and gluteus maximus. Do them as follows:Lie on your stomach.Squeeze your buttocks and tighten the muscles around your knee.Lift your leg a few inches and hold for five seconds.Lower back down.Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.Hip AbductionHip abduction leg lifts target muscles that cross the outside of your knees. Do these lifts in this way:Lie on one side with your legs stacked on top of each other. Bend your bottom knee.Keeping your top knee straight, lift it toward the ceiling. Keep your toes pointed forward throughout the movement.Hold for five seconds, then lower back down.Repeat on the opposite side.Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.Hip AdductionHip adduction leg lifts target muscles that cross the inside of your knees. Do it as follows:Lie on one side.Bend your top leg and plant your foot on the ground in front of your knee on the bottom leg.Lift the bottom leg several inches.Hold for five seconds, then lower back down.Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.5. Standing Hamstring CurlsStanding hamstring curls strengthen the muscles that bend your knees. If you have difficulty with your balance, hold onto the back of a chair for support.Do them this way:Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.Bend one knee, bringing your heel toward your buttocks. Do not lean forward.Hold for five seconds, then lower back down.Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.6. Step ExercisesStep-ups strengthen your quadriceps muscles and help improve your balance. Use a stair step or another sturdy surface approximately 6 inches high. Do them as follows:Stand at the bottom of the stairs, facing them.Bend one knee and step onto the stairs, and then bring the opposite foot up onto the stairs.Carefully step backward off the stairs.Perform 10 repetitions on each leg.Exercises to Build Strength in Arthritic KneesPostexercise Stretches to Reduce Knee PainStretching can help your muscles recover faster after exercise. It also improves your range of motion, making it easier to move.If you try the stretches below, hold each for 30 seconds and repeat three times on each leg. Do not stretch to the point of pain.Quadriceps StretchThis stretch targets the front of your thigh.Do it in this way:Hold on to the back of a chair for support.Bend your right knee.Reach back with your right arm and grab your right ankle.Gently pull your foot toward your buttock until you feel a stretch along the front of your thigh.Toe TouchesSeated toe touches stretch your hamstrings.Do them this way:Sit on the ground with your legs straight in front of you.Keep your knees straight, hinge at your hips, and reach your fingertips toward your toes.Stop and hold when you feel a stretch along the back of your thighs.Calf StretchYour calf muscles also cross the knee joints, and it’s important to include them in your stretching program.Do the calf stretch as follows:Stand facing a wall and place your hands on the wall at shoulder height.Step one foot back about 12 inches.Straighten your back leg.Slowly bend your front leg and lean in toward the wall until you feel a stretch along the calf of your back leg.How to Stretch Tight HamstringsSummaryIf you have bad knees or a history of knee injury, you might need to find different exercises to help you stay fit. Leg exercises for bad knees can help you strengthen the surrounding muscles and ease aches and pains that may develop. As with any new activity, consult a healthcare provider before exercising with bad knees. See a physical therapist for individualized treatment.

Having bad knees does not mean you can’t be active. Strengthening the muscles around yourkneescan improve mobility and decrease pain. You can do many exercises at home without any fitness equipment to strengthen the surrounding muscles. Stretching after exercise can improve your flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.

As with any new exercise program, check with your healthcare provider to ensure exercising with bad knees is OK. If you have knee pain that makes standing difficult, some of these exercises might not be appropriate for you. To decrease pressure on your knees, trywater walkinginstead.Consult aphysical therapistfor an individualized exercise program—particularly if you have an underlying medical condition, such asosteoarthritis(joint disease in which the cartilage that protects the knee wears away) or a recent knee injury.

As with any new exercise program, check with your healthcare provider to ensure exercising with bad knees is OK. If you have knee pain that makes standing difficult, some of these exercises might not be appropriate for you. To decrease pressure on your knees, trywater walkinginstead.

Consult aphysical therapistfor an individualized exercise program—particularly if you have an underlying medical condition, such asosteoarthritis(joint disease in which the cartilage that protects the knee wears away) or a recent knee injury.

The seated knee extension targets thequadriceps—rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis—a group of four muscles on the front of your thigh that straighten your knee.Do a seated knee extension as follows:

Squats strengthen the quadriceps andhamstrings,which include the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus—a group of three muscles on the back of your thighs that bend your knees and straighten your hips. Squats also target thegluteus maximusmuscle in your buttocks.Do squats in this way:

If you have difficulty with your balance, hold on to a stable surface, such as the back of a chair or a table, while you squat.

If you have knee pain when standing, try mini-squats, lowering yourself a short distance before standing back up.

The hip hinge exercise strengthens your hamstrings and gluteus maximus muscles. Your quadriceps contract to maintain knee stability during this movement. It’s important to keep your back straight during the hip hinge to avoid unwanted pressure on your spine.Do a standing hip hinge as follows:

Leg lifts can be performed in several positions to target muscles on all sides of your knees.

Supine

Supine leg lifts target the quadriceps muscles. Do them in this way:

Prone

Prone leg lifts target your hamstrings and gluteus maximus. Do them as follows:

Hip Abduction

Hip abduction leg lifts target muscles that cross the outside of your knees. Do these lifts in this way:

Hip Adduction

Hip adduction leg lifts target muscles that cross the inside of your knees. Do it as follows:

Standing hamstring curls strengthen the muscles that bend your knees. If you have difficulty with your balance, hold onto the back of a chair for support.Do them this way:

Step-ups strengthen your quadriceps muscles and help improve your balance. Use a stair step or another sturdy surface approximately 6 inches high. Do them as follows:

Exercises to Build Strength in Arthritic Knees

Postexercise Stretches to Reduce Knee Pain

Stretching can help your muscles recover faster after exercise. It also improves your range of motion, making it easier to move.

If you try the stretches below, hold each for 30 seconds and repeat three times on each leg. Do not stretch to the point of pain.

Quadriceps Stretch

This stretch targets the front of your thigh.Do it in this way:

Toe Touches

Seated toe touches stretch your hamstrings.Do them this way:

Calf Stretch

Your calf muscles also cross the knee joints, and it’s important to include them in your stretching program.Do the calf stretch as follows:

How to Stretch Tight Hamstrings

Summary

If you have bad knees or a history of knee injury, you might need to find different exercises to help you stay fit. Leg exercises for bad knees can help you strengthen the surrounding muscles and ease aches and pains that may develop. As with any new activity, consult a healthcare provider before exercising with bad knees. See a physical therapist for individualized treatment.

4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee conditioning program.American Council on Exercise.Hip hinge.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee exercises.American Council on Exercise.Seated toe touches.

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee conditioning program.American Council on Exercise.Hip hinge.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee exercises.American Council on Exercise.Seated toe touches.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee conditioning program.American Council on Exercise.Hip hinge.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee exercises.American Council on Exercise.Seated toe touches.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee conditioning program.

American Council on Exercise.Hip hinge.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee exercises.

American Council on Exercise.Seated toe touches.

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