Side-Lying Leg Lifts can be performed with or without ankle weights while you lie on your side.

As you step up, remember to keep your knee in line directly over your foot. Repeat again on same foot or bring the right foot down and step up with the left, alternating sides for each repetition. You can step up onto the step with the right foot tap your left foot on the top of the step and then lower back down. Step-Ups can be performed using an aerobic step bench or stairs in your home. You want to make sure you keep your abs tight to improve core stability and make sure that your knees stay in line with your toes and behind the toes to decrease strain on the knees. Then, initiating the movement with and bending at the hips, slowly lower yourself down to the chair. Partial Squats are performed by standing about a foot away from the front of a chair with your feet about hip width apart and your toes pointed forward. These are the best exercises to target a variety of lower extremity musculature that can help to improve knee function and decrease knee pain. The best exercises that you can do to help improve strength, flexibility, and to improve knee function include partial squats, step-ups, side lying leg lifts, inner-thigh leg lifts, calf-raises, straight leg raises, short-arc leg extensions and hamstring stretching (focusing on perfect form, to the point of no pain, and with no extra resistance until injury is resolved). These exercises are especially harmful when not performed properly, which can also increase risk of injury.

The worst exercises for knee joints for people with bad knees include full-arc knee extension including using the machine at the gym, full-deep lunges, deep squats, and Hurdler’s stretches, because these exercises place excessive strain on the knee joints and can increase pain and cause injury. This includes when doing step exercises and when performing squats. So, what can you do to help improve bad knees (and what should you avoid)?įirst of all, whether you have knee problems or not, all of us should be mindful during any workout that - knees stay in line with toes, not wavering in or out of alignment during an exercise. It is important for all people to get physical activity and the health benefits of working out are important for many health conditions. Many people think that just because they have knee pain that they can’t workout or that they shouldn’t workout but that is not true. Sometimes it is hard to find workouts that don’t cause pain and that are sustainable. Many people with knee pain or knee problems have difficulty working out and finding ways to get physical activity.

I get on my knees video