Exercises For Creaky Knees

Your knee joint contains three bones -- the thighbone, or femur; the shin-bone, or tibia; and the knee cap, or the patella. The bones are connected to each other with an assortment of tendons, cartilage and ligaments, with fluid filling in the gaps. With so many moving parts moving in a variety of directions, it's no wonder that things sometimes go wrong. Check with your doctor first when trying to pinpoint the cause of your creaky knees before beginning exercises to strengthen the entire knee joint.

Types of Exercise

If you notice that your knees ache and creak more after certain types of exercise, cut back on that exercise. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends physical activity for osteoarthritis but advises that you avoid high-impact exercises as well as exercises that require quick twists and turns, like racquetball and tennis. Substitute low-impact exercise, like stretching, cycling and walking.

Straight Leg Exercises

Vivian Grisogono, author of "Sport Injuries," suggests a variety of exercises to do while sitting on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Begin with knee-bracing, and press your knee down to the floor as hard as you can while flexing your ankle and pulling your foot back toward you. Hold for a count of five, and then relax. Grisogono recommends doing this 10 times, three times each day. For leg lifts, keep your knee locked and lift your leg just above the floor rapidly, for 10 lifts. Build up to 30 lifts at a time.

Bent-knee Exercises

Grisogono also recommends bent-knee exercises. Begin on your back and pull one knee up to your chest. Place your hands over the top of your shin. Gently and slowly pull your knee toward your chest. Do this 10 times. Roll over onto your stomach to bend your knee again. With your hand, pull your foot forward and hold the stretch for a count of 10. Repeat five times. Continue bent-knee exercises on an exercise bike with no resistance, working up gradually to some resistance.

Quadriceps Muscles

Strengthening your quadriceps or thigh muscles not only helps support your knees themselves but can also prevent cartilage loss in certain areas of the knees, according to the John Hopkins Arthritis Center. In the gym, use the leg press machine with your feet low on the pushing plate and close together. As with all exercise, begin with light weight and work up slowly to heavier weight.