How to Strengthen Knees for Running

To strengthen your knees for running, you need to work on the muscles all around your knees, including your thighs, calves, and buttocks. Once those muscles are stronger, they give your knees a break! Try doing strength training for your knees 2-3 times a week. You can even do the exercises before or after a run to make it more convenient.^[1]

EditSteps

EditWorking on Basic Squats

1. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Stand up straight with your arms at your sides. Position your toes so they point slightly to the outside instead of straight ahead.^[2]
   
   • If you need to, you can put your arms in front of you for balance.
   • This exercise works your thigh and buttocks muscles.
2. Bend your knees to lower yourself toward the ground. As you lower yourself, keep your chest up. Bring your hips back and put your weight on your heels as you bend down.^[3]
   
   • Keep your knees behind your toes. Try not to go past a right angle with your knees.^[4]
   • Keep your squat shallow if you have any knee problems, such as patella femoral syndrome.
3. Push from your heels to return to the starting position. Lift yourself up with your knees and thighs to go back to standing. When you come up, contract your glute muscles.^[5]
   
   • Try 10 reps and 3 sets.
   • To make this exercise harder, try jumping squats where you jump as you come up. You can also try a wider stance to make this more difficult. Don’t try this if you have problems with your knees.

EditDoing Knee Bends

1. Turn your back to a wall. Stand about out from the wall with your back to it. Place your feet hip-width apart. Point your toes slightly out to the side instead of directly in front of you.^[6]
   
   • Some people turn these into wall sits by stepping out from the wall instead. That will make the exercise more difficult but will increase it's strengthening power. Don’t try wall sits if you have knee pain or pre-existing problems.
   • This exercise works your calf, thigh, and buttocks muscles.
2. Press your back against the wall and slowly bend your knees. Slide your back down the wall so that your knees are bent. Make sure your knees line up vertically above your ankle so your shins are straight.^[7]
   
   • For a wall sit, aim for a 90-degree angle with your knees. If you have knee pain, then try to bend your knees at a slightly smaller angle. You may need to move your feet in or out slightly to achieve this. Hold it for 30-60 seconds.^[8]
3. Contract your knee and buttocks muscles as you lift back up. Push yourself back up to the starting position. As you do, make sure you tighten the muscles just above your knees and the ones in your back end.^[9]
   
   • Do 3 reps of this exercise.

EditPerforming Hamstring Bridges

1. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your knees bent so they’re directly over your ankles, and place your feet shoulder-width apart so they’re flat on the floor. Place your hands on the ground next to you so your palms face down.^[10]
   
   • Use a yoga mat or another comfortable pad so you don’t hurt your back while you lay on the floor.
2. Press down on your heels to raise your hips off the ground. Push down against the floor with your heels so your lower body lifts off the floor. Tighten your hamstrings and buttocks so your torso forms a straight line toward your knees.^[11]
   
   • If you want to make your bridge more difficult, try only using 1 leg to lift your body instead.
3. Hold the bridge for 20-40 seconds. Maintain the bridge position for at least 20 seconds to work your hamstrings. Keep your body straight and then slowly lower your hips back down to the floor.^[12]
   
   • Try to do 2-3 sets of 5-10 bridges.

EditWorking on Lunging Steps

1. Take a large step forward. Start with your legs hip-width apart. Step forward with one leg, going 2-3 times as far as you normally would when taking a step. You're going to need room to bring your back knee down to the ground as you step.^[13]
   
   • This exercise works the muscles all through your legs and buttocks.
   • Take a shorter stride if you already have pain in your knees. Make sure you don’t feel pain throughout your range of motion.
2. Bring your back knee almost to the ground. As you step, aim for a 90-degree angle with your front knee. Take your back knee as close to the floor as you can. It should almost touch the floor.^[14]
   
   • If you can't go very low right now, just do what you can.
3. Return to the starting position and do the same with the other leg. Bring your back leg up to meet your front leg. Switch legs, and repeat the lunge. You can do this standing in place, or you can move forward as you do your lunges.^[15]
   
   • Try 3 sets of 10 reps each.

EditDoing Calf Stretches

1. Place yourself about away from a wall. You can also stand in front of a piece of exercise equipment or anything else sturdy. Put your feet about shoulder-width apart.^[16]
   
   • This stretch helps loosen your calf muscles and take pressure off your knee.^[17]
2. Step back with one leg. Hold on to the wall or the furniture in front of you. Put one leg behind you about or so. Keep the knee straight in this leg with your heel against the floor.^[18]
   
3. Bend the other knee as you lean forward. Move your hips forward and slowly bend your knee. This will start to stretch the calf muscles on your back leg. Make sure to keep that knee straight.^[19]
   
4. Hold the position to stretch your calf muscle. When you start to feel the calf muscle stretch in the back leg, stay in that position for 30 seconds or so. As you're holding this position, press down into the heel in back.^[20]
   
5. Move to the other leg. Once you've stretched one leg, switch the positions of your legs. Bring your hips forward enough to stretch the calf muscle in the other leg and hold this position.^[21]
   
   • Try 2 sets of this stretch.

EditDoing Laterals

1. Begin with your feet hip-width apart. While standing up, spread your feet apart so they're directly under your hips. Shift the weight to your left foot so you can lunge out with your right foot.^[22]
   
   • Laterals are a type of lunge. Doing lunges this way will help work the muscles on the side of your knee.
   • You can also lift your right foot off the ground and balance on one leg before lunging. That will increase the difficulty of the exercise.^[23]
2. Step out to the right as far as you can. You'll need to step and turn slightly to complete this move. As you do, dip your left knee to the ground and reach out to your right toes with your left hand. Keep your chest high. Put your weight on your heels.^[24]
   
   • Don't push your right knee out in front of your right toes.
3. Return to the standing position. Press down into your right leg to go back to the original position. Complete the same exercise to the left by stepping out that direction.^[25]
   
   • Try doing 10 reps for 3 sets.

EditPerforming Straight Leg Raises

1. Sit in a chair or on a bench. Straighten up your back and place your feet flat on the floor in front of you. Put your knees at a 90-degree angle and place your hands on your hips.^[26]
   
   • This exercise works the muscles above your knee.
   • To make this exercise more difficult, use an ankle weight.
2. Lift one leg out in front of you. Bring it up so it's straight out in front of you. As you do, make sure to tighten the muscles above your knee so you work those muscles. Point your toes up and a little bit to the outside.^[27]
   
3. Lower and lift your leg while tensing the muscle. Bring your leg back down but don't let it touch the floor. Keep lifting it up and down, making sure to contract the muscles above your knee while you do.^[28]
   
   • Try 10 reps before moving to the other leg. Do 3 sets this way.
   • For a different variation, lift your leg and hold it for 15 seconds. Do 3 reps of 15 seconds, making sure to keep your leg tense the whole time.

EditTips

• If you are having pain from runner's knee, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or naproxen can help alleviate the pain or swelling.
• Apply the RICE method if you feel knee pain, which includes resting it, icing it for 20 minutes at a time, using compression bandages, and elevating it.^[29]
• Try applying heat with gentle movements to help heal minor injuries.

EditReferences

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