Knee Exercises

Before attempting these exercises, please see below for tips on how to safely stretch and use resistance bands.

Quadriceps Stretch

Keep the largest muscles around your hips and knees flexible to ease walking and other daily tasks with this quadriceps stretch. Stretch slowly, just until you feel a gentle stretch in your muscles. Gradually increase the depth of the stretch over time.

Bridge With Leg Extension Progression

Strengthen your lower back, abs, glutes and hamstrings by following these step-by-step directions for a bridge with leg extension.  

Sit-to-Stands

Each of these sit-to-stand exercises, provided by physical therapists from the American Physical Therapy Association, can improve your ability to get up from a chair, get in and out of bed or your car. If you’re just starting out, begin with level 1 (the easiest) and slowly progress to level 4 (the hardest).

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Step-Ups

Make climbing stairs and moving around and up and over obstacles safer and easier with a variety of step-up exercises provided by physical therapists from the American Physical Therapy Association. If you’re just starting out, begin with level 1 (the easiest) and slowly progress to level 3 (the hardest).

Side-Steps With Resistance Band

Add a resistance band to side-step exercises to increase your leg strength and stability. If you’re just starting out, begin with level 1 (the easiest) and slowly progress to level 4 (the hardest). These exercises were provided by physical therapists from the American Physical Therapy Association.
 

Speed Skaters With & Without Resistance Band

Increase the strength in your glutes and legs with this functional speed skater exercise provided by physical therapists from the American Physical Therapy Association. If you’re just starting out, begin with level 1 (the easiest) and slowly progress to level 4 (the hardest).

Leg Lifts

Work your quadriceps — a major muscle used for walking — with these leg lifts.
 

Leg Press With Resistance Band

Work your quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles with this leg press exercise to strengthen your legs.

Seated Knee Lift With Resistance Band

Strengthen muscles around your hips with this knee lift exercise.
 

Tips to Safe and Successful Stretching:

• Stretch just until you feel gentle pulling in your muscles, then hold the stretch.
• The stretch shouldn’t be painful.
• Stretch gently and smoothly. Do not bounce. 
• Breathe naturally as you hold the stretch. Don’t hold your breath. 
• Repeat stretches as needed, slowly increasing their depth over time. 

 

Tips to Safely and Successfully Use Resistance Bands:

• Use a resistance band or tube with foam handles. They’re easier to grip.
• Or add foam pipe insulation to bands or tubes to create handles.
• Handles not an option? Opt for resistance tubes. They’re gentler on hands. 
• Resistance tubes and bands come in many lengths and resistance levels. Don’t rely on their color to gauge these factors. Manufacturers use different colors to indicate them.
• Try different ones to find the best fit.
• The last few reps in a set should be difficult, but not impossible.