One common question I frequently hear of is how to strengthen knees, whether it is for athletic performance, going on hikes, or going up and down the stairs. This article has stated that one in four adults suffers from chronic knee pain. With the increasing prevalence of knee pain, it is important to address common concerns and how to help reduce knee pain conservatively. This post will address how to strengthen knees for various concerns and levels of performance.
How to Strengthen Knees for…
Daily Life
Think about the activities you have to do in your daily life. This can include sitting and standing, going up and down stairs, running errands, taking care of others, etc. You body needs to be able to withstand all of this activity on a daily basis. Consider how much time we spend on our feet. You should be training your body based on the types of activities it needs to be able to withstand.
Common exercises include strengthening the quads and glutes while also paying attention to form. Form can play a big part in helping reduce added stress to certain areas of the knee, particularly to the front and inside parts of the knee.
Active Living
The knee joint sits between the ankle and the hip meaning both can act on the knee. While knee pain can come directly from the knee, sometimes it can also be caused from issues with either the ankle or the hip. When you live a more active lifestyle (hiking, frequent workout classes, cycling, etc.) you have to make sure all portions of the lower extremity are working synergistically. That is, every part needs to contribute in some way. You shouldn’t have too much stress going to one area of the leg.
This is something we frequently see with the knee joint. Lets take cycling for example. Some cyclers have bouts of knee pain. Increased stress to the knee can occur if the setup on the bike is not adequate for the rider. Other common faults are lack of mobility in the ankle and hip joints. Now why would this cause an issue to the knee?
If the hip or ankle joint is stiff and doesn’t move well, your body will most likely compensate for the lack of mobility by adding extra stress onto the knee joint causing it to either overwork or move too much in a direction you don’t necessarily want. Now a few revolutions of this may not cause any issue. But if you frequently ride during the week or you take long bike rides here and there, the repetition of stress to the same area through the knee will add up over time.
As discussed earlier, form is important to pay attention to. When dealing with repetitive stress to the knee, you have to break down the form to figure out what is the “break in the chain” that is leading to the knee feeling weak, painful, or both.
Athletic Performance
An athlete needs to be able to withstand lots of force through the entire lower extremity. Based on the sport they are returning to, an athlete needs to be able to jump and land, react at a moments notice, change direction quickly, sprint, throw, etc. The body needs to be able to withstand these intense loads, absorb impact, and function at much higher levels than the typical activities of daily living. Click here to learn more about function vs performance.
Strengthening knees for athletic performance combines form, high levels of dynamic strengthening and endurance, and stability.
Tera Sandona is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and the founder of PT Complete. She helps high-achieving women break out of cycles of chronic pain, stress, and burnout through her Regulate and Rebuild Method, a sequenced approach that addresses the nervous system first and builds strength second. Her work focuses on helping women finally understand their bodies, rebuild strength, and create lasting resilience that fits real life.
