Weak at the knees

Given the fast paced, high stakes, debt-driven society in which we all dwell, it’s no surprise we’ve grown weak at the knees. The global obesity epidemic only serves to transform this figurative pressure into a very real and physical stress, right around the infamous aforementioned space between the femur and tibia.

Anatomically, the knee just happens to be one of the most unstable joints in the body- Matthew Muscat Inglott

Anatomically, the knee just happens to be one of the most unstable joints in the body. Wherever we find structural instability in the body, we must strive to compensate for it by strengthening the supporting muscles and soft tissue structures to prevent injury and enjoy full functionality.

It’s not just excess weight however that stresses the knees. Many express their discomfort in this area due to a multitude of other causes including injuries to various parts of the body forcing inactivity, or loss of muscle mass and strength in the legs.

It is also possible to grow weak at the knees through normal inactivity not necessarily related to injury. Throughout our daily lives it is quite possible to perform routine activities like walking and getting up off chairs or in and out of cars without actually effectively engaging the muscles supporting the knee. Over time this may eventually lead to a loss of strength that manifests itself as feelings of instability or mild pain.

Regular readers will know precisely which magical exercise I might suggest to stop this modern affliction from bringing you to your knees. There are few fitness problems the squat cannot fix. From sedentary beginner to advanced athlete, the squat even in its most basic form can enhance functional fitness, boost performance, and help us achieve our goals, whatever they may be, faster and more effectively than perhaps any other single exercise out there.

The king of exercises has many advocates these days, with many fitness professionals now singing its deserved praises. Indeed, if the daily fitness-related conversations I have with people are anything to go by, the message certainly appears to be getting through.

Sometimes, however, the knees, or more precisely the muscles around the knees, must be prepared for even the most basic exercise programmes. So just as you wouldn’t jump in the power cage and try a 200 kg squat without appropriate preparation, neither would you jump into any other exercise variation beyond your physical capability.

If you wanted to try regular bodyweight squats but they just didn’t feel right, then read on, because today we will see how absolutely anybody can build up to the squat, and likewise a pair of strong, stable, and pain-free knees.

Chances are that the discomfort you may have felt while squatting was due to technique rather than strength. The simplest cues for correcting basic squat form are: weight on the heels, and sit back.

By keeping your weight on the heels you will avoid raising the heels and transferring your weight onto the balls of the feet, placing unnecessary mechanical stress on the knee joint itself, and not the muscles around it that we are trying to target.

By sitting back and down, as if searching for a chair that is too far behind you, you are maintaining balance and loading the muscles of the thighs and hips without creating undue loading on joint structures themselves.

If you’ve got your technique down to a tee, and you still don’t feel quite right at the knees, then lack of strength might very well be the case. To strengthen up, try these simple moves on non-consecutive days for as long as it takes for you to be able to perform correct pain-free bodyweight squats.

The first move is a basic un-weighted leg extension. Sit on a chair with your back straight and unsupported, knees bent to right angles, and feet rested on the floor. Pick your right foot up off the floor and straighten your leg.

When your leg is as straight as you can get it, flex or squeeze your thigh as if you were trying to raise your foot even further. Hold for about half a second, and resist on the way back down until your foot is once again rested on the floor. Repeat with the other leg.

Perform five repetitions with each foot, rest one minute, and repeat this sequence for a total of three sets. You will find the thigh muscles supporting the knee will quickly respond. Positive feedback at this point includes feelings of stiffness in your thighs the next day, a good indication that the muscles are adapting and getting stronger.

To make this move a little more challenging, let’s make a slight modification to the fully flexed position at the top. When your leg is straight, raise your entire leg from the hip, staying fully flexed at the knee, so that the back of your upper thigh is lifted just clear off the edge of your seat. Pause in this position for another half second, and resist slowly on the way back down. In this way you are stimulating most of the muscles of the front of your thigh.

When this exercise feels easy, you’re ready to squat. Stay on your heels, sit back, and don’t go quite so deep at first. Perform your first few repetitions perpendicular to a mirror and check your depth. Each week try to go that little bit deeper until you can perform a full squat where your upper thighs breaks parallel to the floor. Good luck!

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