Exercising your knees in water takes weight off your knee joints while the water provides resistance for your thigh muscles that move and stabilize your knees to work against. Water exercises can make your knees stronger by improving your strength of your muscles and tendons and improving the alignment of the leg joints.
Hopping in Shallow Water
This hopping exercise strengthens your knees and requires proper alignment in the leg. Stand on your right leg with your left knee bent so that your leg is behind you. The biceps femoris of the quads works to keep your knee cap in place. Press off the ball of your right foot and hop into the air. Slightly bend your right knee as you land. Repeat on the left leg.
Knee Extension and Flexion with Buoy
This exercise uses a buoy between your thighs to keep your legs in alignment and strengthen your thighs. Stand with a buoy squeezed between your legs just above the knee. Flex your right knee to bring your leg straight in front of you without releasing the buoy. Extend your right knee to bring your calf behind you. Repeat on the left side by first flexing your knee, then extending it backward.
Standing Single-Leg Knee Extension
Your quadriceps get a workout in this exercise through knee flexion. This exercise is done in deep water, up to your neck. It also challenges your balance so that the leg that is not flexing has to work to hold up your body weight, which is easier in water than on land because of buoyancy. To do this exercise on your left leg so that your right knee flexes, hold your arms at your sides and bring your right knee up to your waist. Extend your right leg straight until it is parallel to the bottom of the pool. Flex your knee, but do not lower your leg. Keep your left leg straight with your knee in line with your ankle. Do a set of the desired number of reps, then switch sides.
Corner Knee Raises
Corner knee raises involve extending your knees to raise your legs up against gravity and the resistance of the water. This exercise also works your abdominals to keep your back against the side of the pool. The hip flexors lift your knees up and your hamstrings on the back of your thighs extend your knees as they bend. You'll also get some resistance as you lower your legs. Place your back in the corner of a pool and hold the sides with your arms out of the water. Squeeze your abs and bring your knees up to waist height without bringing your hips forward. Straighten your legs to complete a corner knee raise. Do the desired number of reps.
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