Knee injuries are the most common injury for athletes, and often result from weak muscles, overuse, or impact. Athletes need to strengthen their knees to stay in the game.
Strong knee muscles – quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes – are key to injury prevention, stability, and overall performance. Proper knee strengthening exercises protect the ligaments around the knee joint and improve range of motion, flexibility, and power during athletic movements.
If you can’t do traditional strengthening exercises because of knee pain or injury, Motive is a great alternative to strengthen the muscles around the knee with minimal strain. Our app-controlled, FDA-cleared therapy can help athletes in their recovery journey.
In this article, we’ll cover knee-strengthening exercises for athletes to build strength and stability.
Common Knee Injuries in Athletes
Athletes across all sports are susceptible to knee injuries due to the stress and impact on their joints during activity. Below are some of the most common knee injuries in sports.
1. ACL Tears
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament that stabilizes the knee joint. ACL injuries are common in high-impact sports like soccer, basketball, and football where athletes are constantly pivoting, jumping, and changing direction. An ACL tear can occur when the knee is twisted beyond its range of motion or hit with sudden force.
Strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes can help prevent ACL injuries by improving knee stability and controlling the movements that lead to tears.
2. Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee)
Athletes who play sports that require repetitive jumping like basketball and volleyball are at risk for patellar tendonitis also known as jumper’s knee. This occurs when the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap to the shinbone, becomes inflamed due to overuse.
Strengthening the quads and hamstrings distributes the workload during activities like jumping and reduces the strain on the patellar tendon. Exercises focusing on controlled movements and knee flexion can also help athletes avoid overloading the tendon.
3. Meniscus Tears
The meniscus is the cartilage that cushions and stabilizes the knee. It’s highly prone to injury during twisting or squatting movements, especially in sports like rugby and tennis. A meniscus tear occurs when the knee is twisted or lands awkwardly.
Strong knee muscles – especially hamstrings and hip flexors – can absorb shock, stabilize the joint, and reduce the risk of meniscus injuries.
Working on hamstring stretches and controlled flexion movements can keep the knee flexible and protected during high-intensity movements.
4. IT Band Syndrome
The iliotibial (IT) band is a thick tendon that runs from the hip to the outside of the knee. IT band syndrome is common in runners and cyclists and is caused by repetitive knee motion. This can cause inflammation and pain on the outside of the knee.
Strengthening the glutes, quads, and hamstrings will help stabilize the knee joint and correct any misalignment that could be contributing to IT band syndrome. Flexibility exercises like hamstring stretches and hip width movements will also help prevent tightness in the IT band.
The Importance of Knee Strength for Athletic Performance
Having strong knee muscles is essential for optimal athletic performance.
Here’s how knee strength affects your performance in specific sports:
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Power: Athletes generate power from their lower body and the knee joint is at the center of that. Strong quads, hamstrings, and glutes are the foundation for explosive movements like jumping, sprinting, and lifting. For sports like track and field, basketball, and weightlifting, being able to push off the ground with force is key to performance and that starts with strong knee muscles.
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Agility: In sports like soccer, tennis, and football, agility is key for quick changes of direction, sidestepping opponents, and balance during rapid movements. Strong knee muscles provide stability for these lateral movements and reduce the risk of injury. Athletes with stronger quads and hamstrings can stabilize the knee joint during these movements and have better control over their body to move freely.
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Speed: Speed is important in almost every sport from running to cycling to team sports like basketball or soccer. Athletes use their knees for the repetitive motion of running and knee strength plays a big part in stride efficiency and endurance. Stronger knee muscles, especially the hamstrings, calves, and glutes reduce fatigue during long sprints or distance running and allow athletes to maintain top speed for longer.
Here’s how it can make an impact in individual sports:
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Basketball and Volleyball: Athletes need strong knees for repetitive jumping. Quad and hamstring exercises are key to building leg power for high jumps, quick sprints, and landing safely without putting stress on the knee joints.
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Soccer and Tennis: These sports require quick direction changes, constant movement, and lateral agility. Single-leg exercises like step-ups and lunges improve knee stability and allow athletes to pivot, accelerate, and decelerate smoothly.
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Running and Cycling: Endurance athletes need strong knees to handle the repetitive stress of running or pedaling. Exercises that target the hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles ensure long-term knee stability, reduce the risk of knee pain, and improve performance through efficiency and reduced injury risk.
Effective Knee Strengthening Exercises for Athletes
Here are some of the best exercises tailored to different kinds of athletes to improve their knees.
Quadriceps Strengthening
The quads at the front of the thigh are key for knee stability and power in sports that involve jumping, sprinting, or cycling.
Lunges are a dynamic way to engage the quads and improve balance and coordination. They are great for basketball and soccer athletes where strong quads are needed for quick sprints and direction changes.
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Stand with your feet hip-width apart, step out with your right foot, and bend your knee to 90 degrees keeping your back straight.
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Push off with your right foot to return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg.
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Aim for 3 sets of 12 reps on each side.
Step-ups mimic the action of climbing and are great for endurance athletes like runners and cyclists to boost quadriceps power.
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Stand in front of a bench or platform.
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Step up with your right foot, drive through your heel to lift your body up, and bring your left foot to meet your right.
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Step back down with your right foot and then your left.
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Do 10-12 reps on each side for 3 sets.
Hamstring Strengthening
The hamstrings at the back of the thigh help with knee flexion and prevent knee injuries by balancing out the strength of the quads.
Romanian deadlifts are great for hamstring strength and knee stability in sports like football and sprinting.
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Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
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With a slight bend in the knees, hinge at the hips, lowering the dumbbells towards the knees while keeping the back straight.
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Engage the hamstrings and glutes to return to the starting position.
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Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
Hamstring curls build the strength to reduce the risk of knee injuries like ACL tears which are common in soccer and rugby.
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Attach a resistance band to a stable surface and loop it around your ankles.
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Lie face down and slowly curl your legs towards the glutes, squeezing the hamstring muscles.
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Lower your legs back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
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Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps.
Calf Strengthening
The calf muscles work with the knee joint and are crucial for running, jumping, and overall mobility.
Calf raises are important for basketball, volleyball, and any sport that requires frequent jumping or sprinting to have stronger leg muscles and stability.
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Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
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Slowly lift your toes up, lifting your heels off the ground.
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Hold for a second, then lower your heels back to the ground. To make it more challenging, hold a dumbbell in each hand or do the exercise on a raised platform.
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Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
Hip Flexor Strengthening
Strong hip flexors help athletes maintain stability in the lower body and reduce stress on the knee joint.
Leg lifts target the hip flexors, and are great for runners and sprinters to improve their stride and reduce knee stress during repetitive movements.
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Lie on your back with one leg bent and the other straight.
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Lift the straight leg to about 45 degrees while keeping the rest of your body still.
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Lower it back to the ground slowly.
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Do 3 sets of 15 reps on each leg.
Mountain climbers engage the core muscles and hip flexors.
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Start in a plank position with your body weight on your hands and toes.
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Quickly alternate bringing each knee towards your chest in a running motion.
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Do this for 30 seconds.
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Rest and repeat for 3 sets.
Core Strengthening
A strong core helps with good posture and balance and reduces pressure on the knee joint during athletic movements.
Planks stabilize the whole body and are key for injury prevention, helping athletes control and balance during quick movements.
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Start in a push-up position with your arms extended and back straight.
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Engage your core and hold for 30 seconds to a minute, don’t let your hips sag.
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Do it 3 times.
Russian twists build core and rotational strength. They’re a great exercise for sports like golf, tennis, and basketball where twisting and turning are frequent.
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Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet off the floor.
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Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands and twist your torso from side to side.
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Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
Creating a Personalized Knee Strengthening Program
Keep in mind that every athlete has different physical demands, fitness levels, and injury risks, so exercises need to be tailored to your individual needs and goals. A well-structured knee strengthening program can help you perform at your best while minimizing the risk of injury.
Here’s what to consider.
1. Sport-Specific Demands
Different sports put different stresses on the knee. Tailor your knee strengthening program to the specific demands of your sport so you’re targeting the right muscle groups and movements.
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Running and cycling need strong quads, hamstrings, and calves to handle repetitive movements and high impact on the knee joint.
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Basketball and soccer players benefit from plyometric exercises to improve explosive power and knee stability, for quick changes of direction and jumps.
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Tennis and golf require rotational strength from the core and hips to help athletes balance and reduce knee stress during quick changes of direction.
2. Injury History
If you’ve had a knee injury in the past, you need to include exercises that address your specific recovery needs and prevent further injury.
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ACL injuries require focus on building strength in the hamstrings, quads, and glutes to support the knee ligaments.
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Athletes with patellar tendonitis need to limit high-impact exercises and focus on strengthening the surrounding muscles with low-impact options like swimming or cycling.
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For those recovering from meniscus tears, exercises that promote knee stability like lunges and single-leg exercises are important for rehabilitation.
3. Fitness Level
Beginner athletes may want to start with bodyweight exercises like lunges, step-ups, and squats, focusing on proper form and lower repetitions to build a foundation of strength.
Intermediate and advanced athletes can start with more challenging exercises like weighted leg presses, Romanian deadlifts, and plyometrics, gradually increasing the intensity with resistance bands or weights.
4. Rehabilitation Goals
For athletes recovering from knee injuries, a personalized program is key to getting function, mobility, and strength back in the knee joint.
If you’re looking to get your knee’s range of motion back after an injury, include exercises like leg swings, straight leg raises and hamstring stretches to increase flexibility and joint mobility.
For strength recovery, focus on exercises that engage the major muscles around the knee, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Use ankle weights or light resistance bands to help build muscle without overloading the knee.
The Role of Motive in Knee Strengthening for Athletes
Motive is a revolutionary tool to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint.
Motive uses electrical stimulation technology to target the quadriceps muscles around the knee. By applying controlled and personalized stimulation, the device engages this muscle group without requiring intense physical activity.
Athletes from any sport can benefit from using Motive in their training and recovery in the following ways:
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Motive allows you to strengthen the muscles around the knee without the strain of traditional resistance exercises. It’s perfect for athletes with previous injuries or those who want to avoid overloading the joints.
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After a tough workout, athletes experience muscle soreness and fatigue. Motive can be a recovery tool to relax and rejuvenate the muscles around the knee. Low-impact stimulation increases muscle recovery and prevents injury.
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Many knee injuries such as ACL tears or patellar tendonitis come from weak or imbalanced muscles. With Motive, you can strengthen these critical muscle groups and reduce the risk of future injuries.
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Motive can increase your power output by strengthening the quadriceps, getting you faster sprint times, higher jumps, and more controlled movements during games.
Don’t take our word for it. Motive has been endorsed by top sports medicine and physical therapy experts. Here are a few testimonials:
“What Motive does is break the vicious cycle so you can do something about your arthritis. If we can strengthen the muscles, we can start improving the muscle strength, stiffness, and the pain. These things are extremely important to keep your knee healthy and maintain that active lifestyle. - Vinod Dasa, MD
“My favorite memory is seeing patients go from being in pain on the table to watching them at a sporting event and seeing them be able to participate…Watching them achieve their goal makes me and my profession very happy.” - Jessica Paparella-Wachtel PT, DPT
FAQs about Motive
Is Motive safe for athletes?
Yes, Motive is safe for athletes of all levels. It provides personalized stimulation that can be adjusted to your needs so you get the right amount of muscle activation.
Can Motive replace traditional exercises?
While Motive is a great tool for strengthening muscles, it should be used in conjunction with traditional exercises for the best results. It’s perfect for when athletes can’t do high-impact exercises due to pain or injury but also as a supplement to existing strength training.
How often should I use Motive?
It’s recommended to use Motive 30 minutes a day for optimal results; however, the frequency depends on your goals and current condition. For recovery, Motive can be used after intense workouts to reduce muscle soreness. For strengthening, it can be added to your regular training schedule.
Additional Tips for Preventing Knee Injuries
Knee injuries are critical for athletes who rely on their knees for stability, power, and performance. Here are more tips to help you protect your knees and avoid ACL tears or patellar tendonitis:
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Warm-ups: A proper warm-up increases blood flow to the muscles, improves range of motion, and reduces the risk of injury. Focus on dynamic stretches that target your hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, and calves.
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Cool-downs: Cooling down after exercising is just as important. It allows your heart rate to normalize and prevents muscle stiffness. Stretching exercises like hamstring stretches and calf stretches promote flexibility and can reduce soreness.
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Rest and Recovery: Recovery allows your muscles and ligaments to repair and strengthen. Overworking the knee joint without enough rest can cause strain, fatigue, and long-term damage. Add rest days into your training and listen to your body when you feel discomfort or soreness in your knees.
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Technique and Form in Sports: Proper technique and form are key to preventing knee injuries in sports. Whether you’re doing a squat, step up or leg press, alignment is everything. If you’re not sure of your form consult a physical therapist or sports coach.
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Cross Training: For athletes, adding low-impact activities like swimming, biking or yoga can keep you fit while giving your knees a break from high-impact sports. Cross-training also strengthens muscles that may not be as active in your primary sport and will give you better knee stability and injury prevention.
Elevate Your Performance with Motive
If you want to take your performance to the next level or you’re recovering from an injury, it’s time to turn to Motive.
Talk to your healthcare provider or sports medicine specialist to find out how Motive can fit into your training plan.
Strengthen your knees, perform better, and reduce the risk of injury—learn more about us and get started today!
