Struggling with knee pain? Here are 5 knee strengthening exercises by Yasmin Karachiwala that can help

Although knee issues are often associated with older adults, even the younger population could face problems due to everyday wear and tear or exercise related injuries. A knee injury, if not taken care of, could aggravate quickly and affect your day-to-day life. 

This however is no reason to panic as you can reduce knee pain with some simple exercises. To help you strengthen your knees, celebrity fitness instructor Yasmin Karachiwala is here to share some basic knee strengthening exercises and she recently took to Instagram to share some useful tips. 

“The most effective thing to do is Ice it for 15-20 mins. Next, consult a doctor to evaluate the cause of the pain. Whether it’s due to overuse, tight muscles around the knee, a sudden injury which has caused a tear or any underlying condition like arthritis, bursitis, chondromalacia patella,” writes Karachiwala in her Instagram post.

She adds that while she is sharing some basic knee strengthening exercises, the window has an advanced version of the exercise.

Check out her Instagram post here:

 Performing the exercises

1. Bridging with Pillow

• Lie down on your back, knee bent, and toes facing forward. 
• Put a pillow between your knees.
• Brace your core and raise your hips, forming a straight line from your shoulder to your knees.
• Now, lower back down to return to your starting position. 
• Complete at least 15 reps.

2. Double Leg Kick

• Lie flat on the mat on your belly and keep your legs together.
• Turn your right cheek onto the mat. Place hands clasped and high up on back, widen your elbows dropping towards the mat.
• Lift the legs together and kick the heels towards your hips three times. 
• Now, extend both the legs together and extend your hands towards your feet while you lift your upper body high off the mat.
• Lower down your torso and place your cheek on the mat. Repeat.
• Complete 10 reps.

3. Modified Clams

• Lay on your right side and bend the knees together at 90 degrees. 
• With your head resting on your right arm, join your heels together and lift your left leg as far as you can to open the knees without rotating your hips. 
• Hold the position and slowly lower your knees.
• Now, switch the side and complete 20 reps on each side.

4. Leg Extension

• Sit on a chair and place your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
• Straighten your back and extend your right knee to lift the right leg until it’s parallel with the floor.
• Now, bring down your leg and repeat the movement with your left leg.
• Complete 5-10 reps on each side.

5. Staggered Sit to Stand

• Sit down on a chair with a pillow on it. Knees should be bent, feet flat, and shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your back and neck straight, with your chest slightly forward.
• Shift the weight on your feet and breathe out as you slowly stand up.
• Breathe in as you sit down slowly, bending your knees. Tighten your core while sitting and standing.
• Complete 5 reps.

In the end, Yasmin suggests that if you have pain or swelling in your knees, then consult your doctor first before doing these exercises. So, take care of your knee health and try these exercises for stronger knees.