Over 60? According to a trainer, these three exercises are non-negotiable for strong, healthy knees
The knee joint absorbs a significant amount of shock as we move, and over time, this can cause wear and tear, as well as conditions like osteoarthritis. Once the cartilage in your knee is worn away, the bones rub against each other when you move, which can cause pain.
One of the best ways to reduce knee pain as you get older is to build up the muscles around the knee. This can help alleviate some of the pressure on the knee joint, as the muscles will absorb some of the shock, and also help stabilize the knee.
If you're not sure where to start, read on.
The exercises are created by personal training duo Milad and Ryan, who run Tailored Fit PT, an online training platform that focuses on mobility and pain management.
As always, if you're new to exercise or you're recovering from an injury, it's always a good idea to seek advice from a personal trainer, who can ensure you're moving with good form.
For the exercises below, you'll need a weight of some kind. This can be a set of the best adjustable dumbbells if you're working out from home, or some weight plates if you're in the gym. The right weight will feel challenging, but not impossible, by the final few reps. If you find yourself wobbling or unable to finish the workout, it's probably too heavy. If you don't have weights to hand, use something heavy instead.
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Here are the exercises and how to do them:
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'This is the most important exercise for aging adults,' says Milad and Ryan. 'It strengthens every muscle you need to get up from chairs and toilets independently, and it builds the leg strength needed to prevent life-changing falls.'
Here's how to do a goblet squat:
'This is a game changer because it exposes and fixes hidden balance issues that cause falls, and strengthens each leg independently, which we need for walking and running,' says Milad and Ryan. They advise starting with regular split squats, then progressing to placing your front, standing leg on a foam pad or pillow to increase intensity and force your muscles to work harder against the unstable surface.
Here's how to do a split squat:
'This movement is crucial because most people only train muscles that help them move forward and backward, but neglect the muscles involved in moving side to side, which causes life-shortening muscle imbalances.'
Here's how to do a lateral lunge:
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