10 Quad Exercises for Bad Knees

Quad Exercises for Bad Knees

This article will guide you toward good quad exercises for bad knees. Many people want to strengthen their quads but cannot do traditional exercises due to knee pain.

Today, I introduce ten exercises for the quads for people with knee pain. These exercises should be relatively easy on the knees but still improve quad strength.

Remember, this does not substitute for medical advice. If you have knee pain, see a doctor or physical therapist for a complete gradated training plan that is customized for you.

Here are ten great quad exercises for bad knees.

1. Quad Sets
2. Straight Leg Raise
3. Short Arc Leg Extension
4. Terminal Knee Extension
5. Close Stance Squat to Box
6. Wide Stance Squat to Box
7. Spanish Squat
8. Single Leg Sit Down
9. Single Leg Squat to Box
10. Reverse Lunge

Let’s discuss each of these exercises in more detail and why they are great for bad knees.

Quad Sets

This exercise helps restore mind to muscle connection to strengthen your quads. This exercise does not require you to bend your knees or bear weight, making it a great exercise for people with bad knees.

Perform this exercise while lying down, face up. Focus on straightening your legs and squeezing your thighs. Hold 1-5 seconds before relaxing. Try 3 sets of 10 reps.

Straight Leg Raise

This exercise challenges you to contract your quad and lift your thigh, improving your strength and muscle control.

You can perform this exercise while seated or lying. Aim to keep one leg straight and lift your leg, squeezing your quad throughout. Slowly return to the start position. When this exercise gets easier, you can add an ankle weight to your working leg. Try 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Short Arc Leg Extension

This exercise builds quad strength. However, the short range of motion eliminates any positions that usually cause pain.

This exercise looks like a partial leg extension. Sit with good posture at a hip high surface. Start with both feet under knees. Keep hips square. Extend leg straight. Squeeze quad and pause at the top. Then return to the start position. Try 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps.

Terminal Knee Extension

The ability to fully straighten your legs is key for good movement mechanics and to properly disperse joint stresses across the knee joint without overloading one area. This exercise helps you gain the strength to fully straighten your knees.

Loop a band around a fixed surface at knee height. Face the fixed surface. Place band around one knee. Step back so you have tension. Start with a bent knee and heel elevated. Use quad to extend leg and flatten heel. Other leg should be straight with foot flat. Try 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps.

Close Stance Squat to Box

This quad-specific exercise helps you to establish a good squat pattern. Sitting back to the box can help eliminate knee pain.

To perform this exercise, start in front of a box about hip height. With neutral spine and focal point forward, sit down to the box. Return to the start position. Try 2-4 sets of 6-12 reps.

Wide Stance Squat to Box

This exercise builds strong quads without a lot of stress on the knees.

Additionally, this exercise strengthens the abductors and adductors. Assume a wide stance in front of a bench. Sit back to the box, opening knees up laterally. Reverse to the start position. Try 2-4 sets of 12-15 reps.

Spanish Squat

This squat uses a band around the lower legs or knees and allows you to sit back. This can reduce knee pain during the squat movement and helps you control your knee position. This exercise strengthens the quads without causing knee pain.

To perform the Spanish Squat, loop a band at knee height at a cable or fixed surface. Face the cable. Loop both feet through the band. Assume a squat stance. Sit back into the band. Then reverse to stand up. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps.

Single Leg Sit Down

This exercise improves strength and knee control on one leg. Better knee control can help reduce knee pain during quad exercises. Additionally, this movement builds the strength for the single leg squat.

Face away from a hip height box. Perform a single leg, controlled sit down to the box. When your hips touch the box, put your other foot down and stand up with both legs.

Single Leg Squat to Box

This exercise helps build amazing hip and knee control. It also strengthens the little muscles around the hip that play a crucial role in knee function and stability.

To perform this movement face away from a hip high box. Perform a single leg squat to the box before returning to the start position.

Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge reduces the stress on the knees compared to the forward lunge position, making it a good quad exercise for those with knee pain.

To do this move, stand with feet hip width apart. Keeping core neutral, step back about 1 to 2 feet. Sit down, bending both legs to 90 degrees. Forcefully return to the starting position.

Final Thoughts

Did you enjoy this article? Hopefully it helped you find some exercises to train your quads without upsetting your knees. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.