Running is an excellent form of exercise that can help keep you fit, healthy, and strong. However, if your knees are weak or unstable, running can cause pain and injuries in the long run. Thankfully, there are plenty of exercises that you can do to strengthen your knees and make them more resilient against the rigours of running. Here are some exercises that you can do to keep your knees healthy and strong.
Side-Lying Leg Lifts
This exercise strengthens the muscles around your knee joint by targeting both the inner and outer thigh muscles. To perform this exercise, lie on one side with your legs straightened out in front of you and your bottom leg bent slightly. Then, lift the top leg up as far as possible while keeping it straight, then bring it back down slowly to the starting position. Repeat this 10 times before switching sides to complete one set. Do two sets on each side for best results.
Calf Raises
Calf raises target the calves—which are important muscles for running—and other small muscles around the knee joint which help support it when running. Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in your knees and toes pointing forward. Then raise yourself up onto your toes as high as possible before lowering back down again. Repeat this 10 times for one set; do three sets for maximum benefit!
Knee Raises
Knee raises help to strengthen the quadriceps—the large muscle in front of the thigh—as well as other smaller muscles around the knee joint that contribute to knee stability when running. To perform this exercise, start by sitting on a chair or bench with feet flat on the ground and hands on either side of the hips for support. Then raise one foot up so that your shin is parallel to the floor before bringing it back down again slowly. Repeat this 10 times before switching sides; do two sets per side for best results!
These exercises will help strengthen both large muscle groups like quads and calves but also smaller ones around knee joints which helps increase stability when running! Strengthening these muscles not only helps prevent injury but also improves overall performance when on track or trail! Doing these exercises regularly will ensure that you have healthy knees that can handle whatever running throws at them! So give them a try today – happy running!
