Live Longer Habits

To make your knees stronger, focus on exercises that build the muscles around your knee joint, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Effective exercises include squats, lunges, leg extensions, and hamstring curls. 

Here’s a simple overview of these exercises: 

1. Squats: 

- Why: They strengthen the muscles that help keep your knees stable. 

- How: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outwards. Lower your body as if you are sitting in a chair, keeping your chest up and your knees behind your toes. Go as low as you can comfortably, then push back up through your heels. 

- Progression: Start with wall squats or chair squats for support, and then move on to regular squats. 

2. Lunges: 

- Why: They help improve knee stability and strengthen the surrounding muscles. 

- How: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at about a right angle. Push back to the starting position. 

- Progression: You can try stepping forward, backward, or sideways to work different muscles and enhance stability.

 3. Leg Extensions: 

- Why: They target your quadriceps, important for extending and stabilising your knee. 

- How: Sit on a chair or bench with a towel or pillow under your knee to lift it slightly. Slowly extend your leg until it's straight, feeling your thigh muscles work. Repeat 10-15 times for each set. 

- Progression: As you get stronger, you can use light ankle weights or resistance bands. 

4. Hamstring Curls: 

- Why: They strengthen the hamstrings, which help the knee bend and stay stable. 

- How: Lie on your stomach or back and slowly curl your knees towards your bottom. Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down. Repeat 10-15 times for each set. 

5. Straight Leg Raises: 

- Why: They activate and strengthen the quadriceps. 

- How: Sit on a chair or bench, tighten your thigh muscles, and slowly raise your leg as high as you can. Hold for a few seconds, then lower.

- Progression: You can add ankle weights as you become stronger.

6. Wall or Chair Squats: 

- Why: These are gentler squats for people with knee pain or limited movement. 

- How: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back against a wall or near a chair. Slowly lower your body as if sitting, keeping your back straight against the support. 

- Progression: Start with shorter squats and gradually increase how low you go as you improve. 

Important Points to Remember: 

- Warm-up: Before each session, do some light exercise and stretches to get your muscles ready. 

- Cool-down: After exercising, stretch gently and hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. 

- Listen to Your Body: If you experience any pain, stop and check with a doctor or physical therapist if necessary. 

- Progress Gradually: Increase the difficulty and duration of your workouts little by little. 

- Be Consistent: Try to exercise regularly for the best results.

For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.