You might have been told you are "knock-kneed" or you have stepped off a curb and feel less than secure as you felt your knees swivel inward or outward. In either case, you might benefit from doing specific corrective exercises that will help you strengthen the muscles and tendons around your knees to keep them healthy.
If you have any serious injuries, always get medical clearance before doing any type of exercise.
Use Resistance Exercise Bands
Work the quadriceps, the muscles at the front of the thigh, and the hamstrings at the back to act as "stirrups" that will stabilize the knees. Consider using a stretchy exercise band for corrective exercises that are gentle to do and can be made progressively more difficult.
Lying on your back, set your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and knees bent. Pull in your lower abdominal muscles to support your lower back. Hook the stretchy band over your right foot and hold an end in each hand. Keeping your back and head on the floor, bend your right knee and flex your foot. Imagine a book resting on the sole of your foot as you press it up toward the ceiling, using the resistance of the stretchy band to actively contract your thigh muscles. Repeat three to five times and do the same for the left foot. Avoid locking your knee.
Leg Extensions With Exercise Band
Increase the challenge by sitting in a straight-backed chair. Set your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and hook the stretchy band over your left foot. Bend your left knee and holding an end of the exercise band in each hand, extend your leg out straight by pressing the heel of your foot away and contracting your quads and hamstrings. Do eight to 10 repetitions and repeat on the right side.
Double-Leg Extension Machine
Use a double-leg extension machine in a gym to increase the work significantly. Sitting in the exercise machine, select a very low weight or no weight at all. Slide your feet under the ankle bar and holding the hand grips at the side, extend your legs out straight. Pause when your legs are nearly straight and emphasize the contraction of the fronts and backs of your thighs before bending your knees and lowering your feet down. Do eight to 12 reps for one set. Gradually build up to doing three sets.
Each of these exercises engages the largest muscles responsible for safeguarding the kneecaps.
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