The complex structure of the knee joint leaves it more prone to injury than other parts of the body. If runners do not strengthen the supporting muscles, knees are left susceptible to injury and pain. Performing exercises to build strength and flexibility in the legs will help keep knees safe.
Supporting Muscles
The quadriceps, located at the front of the thigh, and the hamstrings, located at the back of the thigh, are the two main muscle groups supporting the knee. They control kneecap movement and help absorb shock as runners push off of the ground. The glutes, calf muscles and inner and outer hip abductors also work to stabilize knees. Knee exercises target these supporting muscles.
Quad Exercises
Running helps to build quadriceps, but strengthening exercises aid in developing quads to their full potential. Squats are a common and effective exercise runners use to build quadriceps strength. The versatility of a squat also makes it easy to perform and modify. You can do traditional chair squats, one legged squats or squats against a wall to vary the intensity. You can also change the position of your feet to target different parts of the muscle.
Hamstring Exercises
Because quadriceps are relatively easy to strengthen, a runner's quads are typically more developed than his hamstrings. Quads should normally be about 25 percent stronger than hamstrings, but too much of an imbalance can cause weakness in the knee. You can strengthen hamstrings by doing hamstring curls. To perform a standing curl, stand on one leg and bend the nonstanding leg at the knee, lifting the foot toward the buttocks. You can also do this exercise on the floor by lying on your stomach and lifting your heel toward your buttocks.
Knee Stabilization
Knee stabilization series exercises target the other supporting muscles; the glutes, calves and hips. To do this exercise, stand beside a chair and rest your hand on the back of it for balance. Lift the outside leg slightly, tighten your muscles and move it in front of the other leg. Hold for three to five seconds. Change your positing by standing behind the chair, moving the leg back and forth instead of side to side. As you grow stronger, let go of the chair to increase the intensity.
Stretches
Perform knee stretches before and after running to warm up and cool down. Stretches can also help ease knee pain. You can stretch your knees while standing, lying down, or sitting in a chair. Chair stretches are particularly helpful as you can do them throughout the day to relieve pain or improve flexibility.
Warning
Be careful when performing knee exercises not to cause additional stress to your knees. Never let your knees move ahead of your toes when doing squats, as this causes unnecessary knee pressure. If you are experiencing knee pain, consult a physician before exercising.
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