Although there are different reasons to do knee exercises, one of the most common reasons to do knee exercises is because the knee was injured and it needs to be rehabilitated. If this is the case, there are two types of exercises that can be done to rehabilitate the knee. The first type of exercise is a stretching exercise. The second type is a strengthening exercise.
Strengthening Exercises
Regardless of the kind of exercise you are doing, it is important to start off slow -- particularly after an injury. It is a good idea to do about 5 to 10 minutes of walking or cycling before doing strengthening exercises for the knee.
Lie on your back and lift one knee so that the foot rests flat on the floor. In the other leg, flex the thigh muscles and lift slowly until it is about 12 inches above the ground. Hold your leg in this position for 3 to 5 seconds. Gently place the raised leg back on the floor. Switch legs and repeat. In order to avoid back injuries, keep your upper body relaxed and flex your stomach muscles as you lift your leg. Do not arch your back and do not lift the leg too quickly, because this could contribute to a back injury.
A single-leg dip can also strengthen your knees. To do this, put one chair on your right side and one on your left side with the backs of the chairs next to you. Hold on to the tops of the backs of the chairs with your hands and lift up one leg so that it is extended in front of you. You only need to lift the leg up about 12 inches off the ground. Lower yourself a few inches and hold the pose for about 5 seconds. Raise yourself back up, switch sides and repeat.
Stretching Exercises
Do a hamstring stretch to make the muscles around the knee more durable. To do a hamstring stretch, sit up and place both of your legs extended in front of you. Do not point or flex the feet. Put your hands on the floor and slide them to your ankles. Hold this pose for 30 seconds. Remember to do your bending from your waist and not from your back or shoulders. If you can reach comfortably past your ankles, continue to reach until you feel the stretch.
The quadriceps muscle can also be developed to be more flexible. This can help you avoid knee injuries. To do a quadriceps stretch, hold on to the back of the chair for balance and lift one foot and bring your heel close to buttocks. Grab your ankle with your hand and pull the leg closer to your body. Keep your knees close together and stop pulling when you feel the stretch. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds.
Tags: your back, about inches, about seconds, back lift, backs chairs, extended front