Knee pain is one of the most common reasons people visit Elite Physio Clinics in Northampton. Whether you are a runner, recovering after a sprain, or noticing stiffness after a long day at a desk, strong muscles around the knee are one of the best protections you can give the joint. This is today’s daily medical advice from our physiotherapy team.
At Elite Physio Clinics we do not treat the knee in isolation. We look at how you walk, squat, and load the joint, then build a plan around your sport, work, and goals. The exercises below are a starting point many of our patients use at home — they can help protect the knees from injury, keep them strong, and support recovery after a knee problem. They are particularly useful if you run often.
How can exercises help to strengthen our knees?
Regular strengthening work builds the muscles in and around the knees — especially the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Better support around the joint helps reduce pain and lowers the chance of another injury. This is the same principle we use in clinic: load the tissues gradually, with good control, rather than resting for weeks and hoping the pain disappears.
When starting any new exercise, begin slowly and only do as much as you can manage without pain. If you already have a knee injury, or you are unsure which movements are safe, speak to the team at Elite Physio Clinics first. You should also book an assessment if:
- your knee pain is severe
- you feel that your knee is locked or ‘giving way’
- the pain lasts for a few weeks
What types of exercises can strengthen knees?
These five knee strengthening exercises are ones we regularly teach at Elite Physio Clinics. You can try them at home or in the gym. Warm up first — five to ten minutes of walking or gentle cycling is enough. If any movement reproduces sharp pain, stop and get it checked with us rather than pushing through.
1. Bodyweight squat
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing forwards.
- With your back straight, chest out, and shoulders back and down, slowly squat downwards.
- Don’t let your knees move in towards each other.
- Squat downwards as far as you comfortably can, then straighten your legs to return to standing.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
2. Single-leg squat
- Stand on one foot with your toes facing forwards.
- Lower your body by bending your standing leg at the knee. Keep your kneecap in line with your foot – try not to move it from side-to-side.
- Go as low as you can without any pain, then straighten your leg to return to standing.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg.
3. Stabilisation lunge
- Stand with your legs apart, with one foot in front of the other.
- Gradually bend one of your knees to a 90 degree angle, before slowly rising up.
- Keep your front knee in line with your foot.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg.
4. Glute bridge
- Lie on your back with both knees bent at about 90 degrees, with both feet flat on the floor.
- Slowly lift your bottom up by pushing through your heels and squeezing your glutes.
- Keep your knees in line with your feet.
- Try not to arch your back and slowly lower your bottom down towards the floor.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
5. Sitting knee extension
- Sit on the floor with one leg straight and the other leg bent at about 90 degrees.
- Place a rolled-up towel under your knee on your straight leg for support.
- Keeping your toes pointing upwards, clench the muscle at the front of your thigh and push down on to the towel so your knee straightens and your heel lifts off the floor.
- Hold for 10 seconds and slowly lower.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg.
How often you should do these depends on your knee health, training load, and any existing injury. Adults are generally recommended to take part in muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week. At Elite Physio Clinics we tailor the dose for each patient — some people need a quieter start, others can progress more quickly once control and swelling have settled.
I have a knee injury — how should I look after it?
If you have just injured your knee, the first days matter. The advice we give at Elite Physio Clinics follows the POLICE principles: a simple set of steps to settle pain and swelling, then get you moving again safely.
- P – protect. Protect your injury from further damage. Rest immediately after the injury but not for long. Consider using some form of support or crutches.
- OL – optimal loading. Get active sooner rather than later. Start to put weight on your knee and build up your range of movement gradually, and only do what feels right for you.
- I – ice. Place a cold compress such as a bag of ice or frozen peas wrapped in a towel onto your knee for around 20 minutes every few hours for the first two to three days to help reduce swelling.
- C – compression. Compressing your knee with a bandage will also help to limit swelling.
- E – elevation. Elevate your knee above your heart to help reduce swelling. Sit or lie on a chair and use a cushion to raise your leg.
If your knee injury is serious, or is not getting better, seek medical attention. This is especially important if you think you could have a broken bone. Elite Physio Clinics can assess ligament, tendon, and joint problems, and refer you on if imaging or another specialist is needed.
What should I avoid doing with a knee injury?
For the first few days after hurting your knee, you can help prevent further damage by avoiding HARM. This is part of the same daily medical advice we share with patients after an acute knock or twist:
- Heat. Avoid hot baths, showers, saunas, heat rubs or heat packs.
- Alcohol. Don’t drink alcohol as it can slow down your recovery and increase your chances of hurting yourself again.
- Running. Don’t run or do other types of moderate activity as this may cause further damage.
- Massage. Massaging the area can cause more swelling and bruising, so avoid this for the first day or two.
Advice from Elite Physio Clinics
Your knees carry you through work, sport, and family life, so they are worth looking after properly. General exercises help, but they are not a substitute for a personal assessment if pain, swelling, or instability is lingering. Book with Elite Physio Clinics in Northampton and we will examine the joint, explain what is driving your symptoms, and give you a strengthening plan that matches your goals — from walking comfortably again to getting back to running.
