Your knees aren’t just a round bone at the front of your leg. Your knee also consists of delicate, vital connective tissues that bind your leg bones and muscles together at the knee. Healthy knee joints will give your body the power to engage in sports, run, jump, and dive. But healthy knees are also necessary in order to get in and out of bed, sit down, stand up, use the restroom, and do other important daily tasks.

No matter you age, you’re never too young to care for your knees. Joint replacement doctors in Jacksonville, FL, have seen troubled joints in people of all ages, whether conditions like arthritis are responsible for joint tissue damage, or an injury is responsible for knee problems. Don’t suffer from pain, discomfort, or limited mobility in your knees. Try these four knee exercises that joint replacement clinics recommend to maintain healthy knee joints.

Walking

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise because it’s low-impact, doesn’t put unnecessary stress on joints, and is easy to do. Walking also warms up the muscles for more intensive exercise, ensuring that they can support your bones and joint tissue as you move. Always walk for a few minutes as a pre-workout warm-up to prevent placing unnecessary stress on your joints.

Leg Raises

A great exercise for those with delicate knees and low leg strength, this workout can be done at home or at a gym. Lie on your back on a flat surface. Support your hips with a soft workout mat. Bend one knee and put your foot flat on the floor. Extend the other leg straight without locking your knee. Raise the straight leg to the height of the bent leg’s knee, then lower to the ground. Repeat about 15 times, then switch legs.

Hamstring Curls

Lie on your stomach, straighten your legs behind you, then bend your knees and bring your heels as close to your hamstrings as possible. Hold this position, then relax. Repeat up to 15 times, then switch legs. If you develop strong legs, you can add weights so make this workout more challenging.

Wall Squats

If you’re ready for a challenge, try this exercise that uses your own body weight as resistance. Stand with your back to a wall, then bend your knees and slide down the wall and walk your feet forward until your thighs are parallel to the ground and you’re in a seated position. Hold this position as long as you can, then relax.

Why Exercise Works

Exercises like the above regimen are excellent for protecting vital joints like your knees. Why does exercise encourage healthy joints? Strengthening the muscles around your knees keeps your legs flexible and prevents tears and other injuries. Muscle supports your joints, so they stay healthy and intact for many years.

However, some people may already have too much pain, discomfort, or mobility limitations to perform the above exercises. If you don’t feel that these exercises are right for you, talk to joint replacement doctors in Jacksonville, FL. The doctors at Southwest Orthopedic Specialists are experts at diagnosing and treating joint issues, like knee pain. Make an appointment today to learn more about how to protect your knee joints and what you can do about current joint issues like pain and swelling.