Can knees be strengthened?

As someone who’s had their fair share of knee problems, I can attest to the fact that it’s not an easy ride. Whether you’ve injured your knee in a freak accident, or your knees have simply started acting up now that you’re getting older (ahem), there’s no denying the pain and discomfort that comes with a weak and wobbly joint.

But can knees be strengthened? That’s the million-dollar question. Well, actually, it’s more like a $20 question (I hear that’s what they charge for physiotherapy these days). Regardless of how much it costs to fix our creaky joints, let’s dive into this topic as if our lives depended on it.

Starting With The Basics: What Are Knees Anyway?

Before we get all scientific about ways to strengthen our knees(more on that later), let’s take a moment to understand what exactly we’re dealing with here. Your knees are essentially two movable joints made up of three bones:

  • The femur (thigh bone)
  • The tibia (shinbone)
  • The patella(kneecap)

So far so good?

Why Do Our Knees Get Weak In The First Place?

Ah yes, the eternal why-question rears its head yet again! While there’s no one specific reason why everyone experiences knee weakness and pain – sorry folks I know some of us were hoping for just one universal answer – here are some potential culprits:

1) Age: As previously mentioned (ahem twice!), aging may play a role in weakening the cartilage within our knee joints.
2) Injury: This might be pretty obvious but worth mentioning; injuries such as torn ligaments or fractures could cause permanent damage leading to biomechanical changes thus causing weak spots.
3) Carrying around extra junk in your trunk: That’s right; excess weight exerts a lot of stress on your knees leading to strain on the joint
4) Overuse: Exercising strenuously for long periods of time can cause wear and tear in our bodies especially within the knee joints.

Can Exercise Help Strengthen Your Knees?

Now we’re getting into the real nitty-gritty! So, without any further ado, here are some exercises that may help you in strengthening your knee:

Squats

Who knew squats could do anything other than make us walk like stiff robots for days on end?

Jokes aside though, squats are excellent at building quadruple strength (that’s right all four!) which will put less pressure on your knees when moving around. However, if done incorrectly or overdone they could very well worsen pain rather than three stooges.

Cycling

If you don’t have access to one of those fancy-schmancy gym bikes aka stationary bikes( I’m not jealous…I swear!), then mount up an actual bike- just make sure it fits you properly first!– go peddle off into the sunset sky

Cycling is low-impact exercise so its great non-strenuous way to get those muscles pumping without exerting unnecessary pressure onto our delicate little kneecaps.

Step-ups.

Step-ups involve stepping up onto a raised platform with one or both legs alternately targeting glutes and quads while also helping develop balance skills.. Make sure to use proper form (think: good posture and controlled movements)when using this exercise as improper technique can lead to disaster(as seen particularly in montages from previous seasons)

Those these Stairs maybe never-ending…. It’s best recommended significantly lowering how high you step-up initially ensuring safe techniques ensure safety.

The Jury Is Out On Whether Supplements Work Or Not

While there is some evidence out there attesting to the efficacy of seemingly miracle supplements, other common claims are pure hogwash – or at least still unproven. In general, you should consult your doctor before starting on any new supplement regimen.

Final Thoughts

There’re currently no guarantees that our knees can magically be fixed (unless there’s a fairy godmother out there who’s into orthopedics). However by performing exercises that promote strength and mobility along with good form throughout those movements…you may just find yourself enjoying life again in no time!

Plus, look on it this way – after all of the hard work involved in rehabbing your knee joint will make us better bad-aes for having gone through it; nobody likes an underused Joe!

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