To take the strain off of bad knees it’s helpful to strengthen all your leg muscles, particularly the quads and hamstrings. Many leg exercises are performed using resistance machines, but using the wrong equipment or using the equipment incorrectly can make bad knees worse.
Leg Extension Machines
Leg extension machines are extensively used for knee rehab and leg strengthening because they effectively isolate the quadriceps muscles. From a seated position, with your feet anchored behind a roller below you, slowly raise your feet and unbend your knees until your legs are fully straightened, then slowly lower them back to the starting position. Make sure that your knees are aligned with the pivot point of the machine and that the foot roller rests on the top of your ankles. Start out with a light weight and work up to three sets of ten reps before increasing the weight. Cutting the weight in half and working one leg at a time can also be effective.
Leg Curl Machines
To maintain the muscular balance required to keep your knee joints protected, after working the front of your legs, the quad muscles, you should also work the back of your legs, the hamstrings. Leg curl machines isolate the hamstrings, can either be done seated or laying face down, and also serve to strengthen the soft tissues of the knee joint from behind.
Leg Press Machine
In addition to isolation exercises, compound exercises that challenge the quads, hamstrings and glutes together in a functional manner can be performed on the leg press machine. Exercising on a leg press machine involves sitting, with your feet placed on a platform, and either pushing it away from the seat and your body or pushing the seat and your body away from the platform.
Cardio Machines
Stair machines can sometimes place an added load on bad knees and cause irritation. Instead, try walking, not running, on a good flexible treadmill to help build muscular endurance. Indoor cycling on stationary or recumbent bikes can be a kinder, gentler choice for bad knees.
Warning
It’s normal to feel some tenderness in the knee joint while using leg equipment, but the level of discomfort should be kept to a minimum--less than a 5 on a scale of 1-10, especially when first starting. If the pain in the knee is greater than a 5, lighten the weight or stop.
References
- Program Design for Personal Trainers, Douglas S. Brooks, MS, 1998
- American Council on Exercise, Personal Trainer Manual, 1997
- Leg Extensions Illustrated
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