Most people will experience knee or hip pain at some point because these large joints have the demanding task of bearing the body’s entire weight. Exercise Physiologist Kathleen Alleaume reveals some easy exercises to keep your knees and hips strong.
Top tips
Don’t ignore pain – it’s your body’s way of protecting you from hurting yourself even further. Start these exercises slowly to gradually build up your strength.
Hip joint
Healthy hip muscles are important for maintaining balance, keeping good posture and providing effective movement. There are four major muscle groups that support and stabilise the hip joint: the abductor muscles (outside of the hip and thigh); the adductor muscles (inside of the hip and thigh); hip extensor muscles (buttocks); and the quadriceps muscles (front of the thigh).
Knee joint
Although the knee joint may look simple, it is one of the most complex joints in the body. Moreover, the knee is more likely to be injured than any other joint. Two major muscle groups stabilise each knee joint: the quadriceps (front of the leg) and the hamstrings (back of the leg).
Common causes of knee and hip injuries
The most common causes of knee and hip injury stem from arthritis, dislocation, tendinitis (inflamed tendons), bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sack around the joint) or muscle strain. Most of these conditions are treatable with time and a change in activity.
The following exercises are designed to specifically help prevent strain or injury and also increase mobility. Perform each exercise three times per week on non-consecutive days (to avoid overuse injury).
If you are new to exercise, start with five repetitions, or less if the exercise is difficult. If you do not experience post-exercise pain, slowly add a couple of repetitions each week until you reach 10–15 repetitions. Perform three sets for each exercise and rest for about 30–60 seconds between sets. If you are not sure which knee or hip exercises are safe for you to do, see your doctor or physiotherapist to assess your condition and get a customised treatment.
Knee strengthening
1. Walking lunge
Targets quadriceps, hips, hamstrings, buttocks
- Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips.
- Take a full stride forward with your right leg.
- Drop your left knee down, keeping your torso upright, hips tucked and your front right knee over your ankle (you should be able to see your toes).
- Push off with your left foot and lunge forward with your left leg.
- Use your quadriceps and outer hip muscles to stabilise the forward knee. Repeat with other leg.
2. Wall squat
Targets quadriceps, hips, hamstrings, buttocks
- Stand with your back against the wall and place your feet roughly 60cm from the wall’s base.
- Slowly bend your knees down to 90 degrees, so they are parallel with the floor.
- Hold the squat for 20–30 seconds, and then return to standing position.
3. Calf raises
Targets buttocks, calf muscles
Do these if you have an existing knee injury.
- Stand facing a wall or the back of a chair.
- Stand with your feet hipwidth apart.
- Slowly raise your heels off the floor and rise on your toes. Hold for a few seconds.
- Slowly come down. Repeat.
Hip strengthening
1. Hip abduction
Targets hips, buttocks
To maintain balance, do this exercise standing near a chair.
- Lift one leg out to the side. During the lift, focus on contracting your core abdominal muscle to maintain correct posture and strengthen your lower back to reduce the risk of lower back pain.
- Slowly lower leg back to the starting position.
2. Hip extension
Targets hips, inner thighs, hamstrings, buttocks, lower back
- To maintain balance, do this exercise standing near a chair.
- While standing, slowly lift one foot and swing your leg backward.
- Hold for 2–3 seconds and return the foot to starting position.
3. Walking
Do this if you have an existing hip injury.
Walking is a great exercise for strengthening worn hip joints (you can do it both in and out of water). You’ll need good walking shoes if you are walking outdoors. Use a walking aid if you need it, and walk at your own pace. Start out walking for a few minutes and gradually increase your speed and time as you progress. Pool walking involves getting into waist-deep warm water and walking as many laps as you can comfortably.