An athlete's ability to sense and adjust the alignment of her knees is crucial to his ability to prevent bone, joint, muscle and ligament injuries. Balance training, in conjunction with leg muscle strengthening exercises, enhances knee ligament stability and improves the athlete's coordination and power, while preventing potentially career-ending injuries.
Tripod
The tripod provides basic balance training for your core and your knees. It also indicates whether your knee balance is better on one side than the other. Your athletic skills might reflect this imbalance. Kneel on all fours, and simultaneously lift and extend your right leg and left arm, and then your left leg and right arm. Remain centered on your supporting knee. Once you master the exercise on stable ground, practice it while kneeling on a BOSU, or half ball, or a balance disc.
Single Leg Squat
The single leg squat provides sport-specific balance training while strengthening the muscles that support the ligaments of your knees.This exercise targets the vastus medialis, an important knee stabilizer that activates during the last few degrees of leg extension. Stand upright and lift one of your legs from the floor. Bend your standing leg, then straighten it with control. Progress the exercise by performing it with your eyes closed or while standing on a balance board.
Adductor Slide
Your adductors or inner thighs support and stabilize the medial portion of your knee. Strong adductors prevent common athletic knee injuries, such as medial collateral ligament tears. Place a rubber balance disc on the floor, position a bath towel next to the disc and place a 3- to 10-pound weight at the far end of the towel. Stand upright with your left foot on the balance disc and your right foot toward the far end of the towel. Contract your right inner thigh, draw your right leg toward your left, and drag the towel along the floor. As you drag the towel with your right foot, the inner and outer thigh of your left leg stabilize your left knee. Repeat on the opposite side.
Kneel and Pitch
This softball-specific knee and core exercise requires advanced balance skills, a training partner and a spotter to catch you if you lose your balance. Softball Team USA star Monica Abbott uses this exercise as part of her training regimen. Place one knee at a time on a stability ball, and kneel in an upright position. Ask a training partner to hand you a weighted medicine ball. Play catch with your partner while maintaining your kneeling balance on the stability ball.
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