5 Knee-Friendly, Lower-Body Exercises

Squats are one of the best lower-body strength exercises. But, if you have knee pain, have had knee replacement, or any knee surgery, they may not be appropriate for your condition & may even cause more pain.

What are some exercises that give you the same benefits as squats, but without extra pressure on the knees?

These 5 exercises can also help build muscle around the knees and reduce joint pain.

5 Knee-Friendly, Lower-Body Exercises:

1-    Straight Leg Raises: 

Sit or lie on your back, tighten your thigh muscle (quadricep), and lift your straight leg about 18 inches off the ground. Hold for a few seconds and lower slowly (do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps). This strengthens the quads without bending the joint.

2-    Glute Bridges: 

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips by squeezing your glutes, creating a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, then lower slowly. This works the posterior chain and takes pressure off the knees.

3-    Sit-to-Stands: 

Sit on a sturdy chair, lean forward slightly, and stand up using your leg muscles without pushing off with your hands if possible. Sit back down with control. Do 5 to 15 repetitions.

4-    Side Leg Raises (Hip Abduction): 

Lie on your side, bend your lower leg at the knee, resting it on the floor for support. Top leg is straight with knee slightly bent, raise your top leg to hip height, hold 2 seconds, lower slowly with control. This same exercise can be done in standing position. And you can use a chair to hold on to for support if needed. This strengthens hip stabilizers that control knee alignment.

5-    Wall-Lean Heel Raises: 

Stand facing a wall for balance, slowly rise onto your toes, and lower back down. This strengthens your calves to help absorb walking impact.

Safety Tips:

• Keep pain low: Stop if an exercise causes sharp pain. Aim to keep discomfort at a mild level (0 to 5 out of 10).

• Check medical guidance: Always check with your doctor before starting any exercise routine.

Don’t let knee pain stop you from reaching your health & fitness goals.

Keep it moving!

XO,

Stacy

H3 Fitness

Healthy. Happy. Habits.