According to Arthritis Today, exercising is one of the best things that you can do for your knees. By maintaining the range of motion in your knees and strengthening the muscles that support them, you can reduce the risk of knee osteoarthritis and knee pain when running. Proper exercise and strengthening will also reduce your risk of knee injury from running and will help you to recover faster if surgery is needed, reports Arthritis Today.
Quadriceps
Your quadriceps run from the front of your thighs to the front of your shinbones, just below your knees. According to Bigkneepain, your quadriceps control kneecap movement and the straightening of your knees.
An exercise to strengthen your quadriceps is leg lifts. Lying flat on your back, bend one knee to a 90 degree angle with your foot flat on the floor. Keeping your opposite leg extended straight on the floor, slowly lift this leg to the level of your bent knee. Hold for three seconds, and repeat 10 lifts before switching legs.
Hamstrings
Your hamstrings extend through the back of your thighs down to your shinbones. According to Bigkneepain, your hamstrings bend your knees and provide the power needed in your legs to push against something.
To strengthen your hamstrings, do bridge exercises by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent and arms at your side with your palms facing up. Slowly lift your trunk and hips off of the floor; hold this position and breathe deeply for three seconds before lowering your hips back to the floor and repeating the motion. The Walking Site recommends working up to two sets of eight to 12 repetitions for maximum benefit.
Glutes
Your glutes, the buttocks muscles behind your hips, can also be strengthened in order to stabilize your knees. To strengthen your glutes, try the backwards leg swing. Holding onto a chair or counter for support, swing one leg back at a diagonal until you feel your glutes tighten. Tensing your glutes as much as possible, swing this leg back a few more inches; return this leg to the floor, and repeat 10 times before switching legs.
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