Strengthen These 5 Lower Leg Areas to Relieve Knee Pain

You’re a seasoned athlete. You play basketball, run, practice martial arts. You lift and train your legs diligently. But you injured your knee and training your quads is only causing more pain. This could be because you have weaknesses in your lower legs. So your knees can’t handle the demand of the sports you’re playing. Don’t worry, I’ve been there. I want to get you back to your favorite sports without knee pain! Strengthen these 5 parts of your lower legs to relieve your pain:

1. Feet

   Your feet are the foundation of your whole body. And foot health is key for balance and long-term strength and mobility. Most people in older age get injured due to falling from a lack of balance. And weakness in the feet can cause weakness in your ankles, then go up to different areas of your legs. This is why you always hear me say that you need to get strong from the GROUND UP.

   While your feet are the foundation of your body, your big toes are the foundation of your feet. And are used to do split squats, sleds, polloquin step ups, and so many more exercises that will help you strengthen your legs! So strengthen your big toes and get firm feet!

2. Ankles

   Strong ankles are a must for balance and longevity. Prior to my knee injury, I had an ankle sprain that kept me off my feet for 6 weeks. I couldn’t walk, drive, or play any sports. And because my right ankle was weak and couldn’t carry my weight, it made my right knee more susceptible to injury. And shortly after, I did injure my knee! Check out this video to learn how to enhance strength and flexibility in your ankles.

3. Tibialis

   Possibly one of the most underrated and ignored area of the legs that contribute to knee pain are your tibialis muscles, also known as “tibs.” The tibialis muscles are the decelerators of your body—that means when you’re jumping and landing, your tibialis muscles absorb the force of your jump. IF they are strong. But if they’re not strong, your knees will absorb the force of your jump, and you may severely hurt or injure them! Check out these exercises to increase your tib strength.

4. Calves

   Your calves help you do everything from standing up to moving your lower legs and feet to propelling you forward when you walk or run. They also help you jump in sports, rotate your ankles, lock your knees, and flex your feet. Do standing calf stretches, seated calf raises, and exercises like the ones in this video to strengthen your calves and alleviate some of your knee pain.

5. Patellar tendon

   The patellar tendon works with your thigh muscles to extend your knee. Patellar tendon injuries are very common in athletes and often occur from overuse or high impact. Swelling, pain, and inflammation in your patellar tendon can cause knee pain. And if you continue to play the same sports that caused your injury, or deadlift heavy in wrong form, you may cause permanent damage. I hurt my patellar tendon and developed patellar tendinitis when I ignored my pain and continued to train in jiu jitsu.

   Little did I know that would begin my quest to rehabbing my knees and becoming a trainer to help all of you along your journey! I created a course for athletes, Knee Victory: Bounce Back Stronger, to help you get out of pain and back to your favorite sports—just like I did! Join my online Skool Community to access Knee Victory, and all my other courses.

   I don’t recommend you do any of the exercises I listed in this article if you feel pain while doing them. It’s important to regress and progress slowly at a pain free level. If you’d like to schedule a 1:1 consult to learn more, you can access my calendar here, or send me a DM on Instagram.