Beginner Knee Exercises

 Sit on the ground and keep your torso and head up high.  Move the soles of your feet together to form a triangle in your legs.   Drop your knees to the sides as far as you can. You can use your arms to push down on your knees for a deeper stretch.  

Lean forward, keeping your torso and head aligned as best as you can. You should feel this stretch in your inner thighs.  Hold for 30 seconds.

Stand on one leg to stretch that IT band. Cross the other leg in front of the standing leg and lean to the side of the standing leg. Reach the arm over the body to counterbalance and get a deep stretch.

Sit on a chair high enough that your feet don’t touch the ground. Raise the thigh 3 inches. Allow for gravity to open up the knee space. Pause, lower the thigh and repeat on the other side. Repeat 10 times for 3 sets. 

Bonus: Move your arms like you are walking. Raise up the right arm in synchronization with the left thigh then raise up the left arm in synchronization with the right arm. 

Raise the thigh, foot off of the ground. You may hold onto a chair for support. Move the foot side to side 10x without pain. Then font to back 10x. Then move the foot in a circular motion 5x. Then move the foot in a counterclockwise motion 5x. 

Lower the leg in a lunge stance. Both feet are on the floor, facing forward. The back leg is extended and the working knee has a slight bend. Move the knee in a clockwise direction while the foot stays planted on the ground 5x. Then reverse, move it in a counterclockwise directions 5x. 

Now move the toes 45 degrees away form the body. Move the knee in a clockwise direction while the foot stays planted on the ground 5x. Then reverse, move it in a counterclockwise directions 5x. 

With this action, you are "setting" these quadriceps muscles by holding them tight. Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions for each knee. Sit on the floor with your injured leg straight out in front of you.

Tighten the muscles on top of your thigh by pressing the back of your knee flat down into the rolled towel. Hold for about 3 seconds, then rest up to 6 seconds.

Begin lying flat on your back, one leg bent with the other extended straight in front of you, along the floor. Flex your foot and pull your toes toward you, keeping your knee straight. Lift your foot roughly six inches off the floor, hold for 3-5 seconds, then lower. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 repetitions.

Progression: Once your knees feel stronger, place an object by the calf and raise your leg over the object. Also, you can try adding weight in the form of a shoe or ankle weight.

Begin lying on the floor with your legs bent and feet in line with your hips. Engage your glutes, lift your butt toward the sky and hold for a beat. Avoid arching your back. Lower to just above the floor and repeat for 10 repetitions

Progression: Once you’re easily doing standard bridges with no knee pain or weakness, add a band. Also, try out single-leg bridges by extending one leg out in front of you as you raise and lower.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider for more of a power stance) and toes pointing forward. You can hold onto something when squatting to help with balance issues otherwise your hands can be placed in front of you or across the chest. Sit your bottom back like you are going to sit in a chair (this is a hip hinge).

Your knees should stay behind your toes and the weight is in your heels. Keep the back straight and chin up looking straight ahead. Put shoulders back and avoid rounding of the middle or lower back areas. Return to full standing. Repeat 10 times rest 3 sets total. 

Progression: add a band just above the knee. Focus on pushing the knees out to the side as you descend. 

Begin standing against a wall or other flat surface. Step your feet out, hip-width apart, roughly two feet in front of you. Slide your butt down until your hips are parallel with your knees.Hold for 20 to 60 seconds and repeat 2 to 3 times.

Note: In this exercise, don’t slide down below your knees or let your knees come over your toes. This will actually end up putting more strain on your knee joints.

Stand 1-2 feet away from the wall and then lean your upper body/arm to support your body weight. Bring your hips toward the wall, then move your hips away from the wall. The contraction is bringing your hips away from the wall. Repeat 10x for 3 sets. Alternate after each set to the other side.