These simple movements can help protect and strengthen your knees.
As an orthopedic surgeon, Howard Luks treats painful and aging knees. At 63, he also has them. Over the decades, his knees suffered meniscus tears, morning stiffness, thousands of miles of hiking, biking and running, and long days in the medical clinic or surgery.
But a few years ago, he started to worry about it. Always active and fit, a frequent runner and weight trainer, he was beginning to see some of his older friends and patients turning away from activities they once loved, for fear of straining their knees. Their knee health has actually deteriorated.
“I didn’t want that,” he said. So he started to reconsider his workouts. In his 60s, he was still bench pressing and lifting as much weight as many 20-year-olds. He was strong. But he wasn’t agile. His balance seemed fragile.
He decided to strengthen his ability to move well. He began working with Brett Poniros, a performance coach in upstate New York, and Poniros Partners to develop a new resistance training routine that would protect and strengthen his knees by improving his body’s ability to move.
“You want the knee to experience a full range of motion,” Poniros said. “But you also want to develop your speed and balance and make sure you can move in all directions under different loads. It’s good for the knees and for long-term quality of life. If you can’t catch yourself when you trip, you’ll fall, maybe fracture your hip or wrist, and your life will suddenly become very different.”
Luks regularly performs these seven exercises in a gym. But they can be done at home, with minimal equipment.
Consult your doctor before trying these movements if you are concerned about your physical condition. And if you’re new to strength training, start with just one repetition of each exercise, Poniros said. Experienced exercisers should repeat each movement until their muscles are tired but not exhausted. Adjust the difficulty up or down by adding or decreasing reps, weight, or speed.
1. Goblet squat
This move targets the quadriceps (thigh muscles), which “are so important” for knee health, Luks said, and might be more comfortable than a standard squat. “Holding the weight in front of you helps keep your torso stiff and your core engaged,” Poniros said. Use a kettlebell, like Luks, or a medicine ball, a light dumbbell, a filled gallon jug or even a heavy book, Poniros said.
- Stand with your feet at least shoulder-width apart, pointing slightly outward.
- Hold the weight with both hands, high on your chest, close to your body.
- Lower as if you were sitting, spine straight, weight stable, until thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Return to the starting position.
- Breathe normally and keep your weight close to your chest throughout.
2. Jump and squat
This squat variation adds a quick, powerful up-and-down movement, as healthy knees and legs should be able to “create movement quickly and also absorb it quickly,” Poniros said. Luks holds light dumbbells in each hand, but you can start without weights. For beginners, jumping an inch or two – or barely leaving the ground – is acceptable.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, pointing slightly outward.
- Lower as if you were sitting, until thighs are almost parallel to the floor.
- Press your feet up, push off, and jump as high as you can.
- Land lightly with your knees slightly bent.
- Keep your head stable, look forward and keep your spine straight and not rounded.
3. Step up
It’s a simple movement that strengthens balance and muscles throughout the leg, Poniros said. This requires a sturdy box, short step or staircase. Have a wall or chair nearby to steady yourself. Increase the difficulty by going faster.
- Stand a few inches from the box with your arms at your sides.
- Step up with one leg, followed by the other, bringing your arms toward your chest.
- Come back down with your next leg first, arms at your side.
- Try to keep your eyes focused in front of you, without looking at the step.
- After a few reps with one leg leading, switch to the other.
4. Twisted Jumps
Being able to twist and turn when needed helps prevent falls and protects the knees by keeping us agile, Luks said. This requires a box or thick cushion. To start, step down and twist after hitting the ground, to dial in the movement pattern, Poniros said.
- Start with the box or cushion, facing forward.
- Descend by twisting in the air to land sideways as you started.
- Land lightly with your knees bent, arms at your side.
- Jump by pressing down on your feet and turning in the air to face the cushion.
- Land lightly on the cushion, facing your starting position.
- Turn around and repeat.
5. Fast feet
This movement develops balance, coordination and the ability to quickly shift your center of gravity, Poniros said. Luks uses a weight plate, but you can use any thin object that will stay in place. Even a mark on a rug can work.
- Start next to the weight or other object.
- Get on and off as quickly as possible.
- Land lightly. Let your arms hang down.
- Keep your eyes looking forward and not at the weight.
6. Sitting on the wall
This is another variation of the squat. It works the calf and gluteal muscles, as well as the quadriceps. Although it may seem easier than a standard squat, during prolonged wall sitting, “your quads are going to burn,” Poniros said.
- Start with your back to a wall, with your feet several feet in front of you.
- Slide into a seated position with your feet flat on the floor.
- Cross your arms in front of you and hold the position for as long as possible.
- Go back up the wall.
- If your knees hurt, move your feet away from the wall.
7. Split squat (rear foot elevated)
“Exercises using one leg at a time increase strength, stability and balance,” Poniros said. If you can do 10 standard squats, you’re ready for this variation, he said. Have a wall or chair nearby for balance, if necessary.
- Stand upright, then bend one leg and hang that foot behind you on a bench or other object at about knee height.
- Bend your other leg as you squat, thigh parallel to the floor, hands clasped in front of you.
- Hold the squat for a few beats, if you can.
- Return to the starting position.
- Switch legs and repeat.
This story is part of a week-long series on Knees. Tomorrow: The scientific race to find a cure for arthritis.
About this story
Training demonstrations by Howard Luks. Video by Ryan Weber. Video editing by Billy Tucker. Design and development by Junne Joaquin Alcantara. Additional design by Beth Broadwater. Story editing by Emily Codik and Theresa Tamkins. Design editing by Christine Ashack. Copy edited by Jeremy Lang. Filmed at Velo University in Pleasantville, New York.
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