Wall squats are great for strengthening the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. You engage these muscles in walking, sitting, jumping and standing. You can alleviate knee pain caused by weak tendons and unevenly strong leg and core muscles with wall squats. It will take some time, however, to strengthen the connective tissue and make your knee joints stronger.
Knee Pain and the Patellar Tendon
A thick tendon covers the kneecap. You can feel it when a doctor tests your reflex by tapping on the patellar tendon. The tendon keeps the kneecap in place, originates at the bottom of the quadriceps and inserts at the top of the tibia. Loose and weak tendons and an unstable patella can be painful. Resistance training will gradually strengthen the tendon, and larger muscles from training can help keep the patella in place.
Wall Squats
You can perform wall squats anywhere that it's convenient. Wall squats flex the glutes, hamstrings, and knee joint on the descent. They extend the knee joint on the ascent. The quadriceps flex on the ascent. This combination of primary and opposing muscle movements is a simple and effective way to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint as well as the patellar tendon.
Ball Squats
A squat against the wall requires a lot of control for the descent and ascent. For people such as the elderly, those with very stiff hips, or a back injury, it is better to use a ball during wall squats. The ball rolls up and down against the wall and takes some of the workload away from the lower back and hips. The knee still goes through a full range of motion, so wall squats with a ball are still a way to start strength and flexibility training for the lower body.
Tendinitis
Some kinds of knee pain are because the patellar tendon is inflamed, in which case squats will make the pain worse. If you have acute pain in the knee joint that gets worse when attempting a squat, consult with a licensed physical therapist or your doctor. If you receive a patellar tendinitis diagnosis, follow a course of rest and rehab under the directions of a licensed professional. A certified personal trainer can then continue with you to finish the rehab and start you on a path of health and strength so that the knee pain does not recur.
