Worried about knee troubles in old age? Fitness trainer lists 5 exercises her parents are doing in their 60s

The best way to deal with knee trouble in old age is to work out and make the legs stronger, shares fitness trainer Jennifer Martin.

Having trouble with the knees is one of the most common complaints heard from the elderly. While sometimes it becomes necessary to seek medical intervention, following a healthy lifestyle goes a long way in mitigating the problem.

Gentle workouts are important for the elderly to remain healthy as they grow old. (Freepik )

Taking to Instagram on April 8, fitness trainer and content creator Jennifer Martin listed out five exercises that can be performed by individuals to maintain knee health. She claimed that her parents, who are in their 60s, are performing the exercises regularly themselves, and wrote in the caption:

“My mom always used to complain about her knee pain. Before she started strength training, she thought she needed to avoid squats, deadlifts, lunges, etc, but what she really needed to do was just that. More often than not, when it comes to ‘achy knees’, it’s from a lack of strength. So, how to help dissipate knee pain? Strengthen the muscles around the knees!”

The list of exercises shared by Martin is as follows:

1. Split lunges

Split lunges are an excellent lower-body exercise that targets multiple muscle groups. To start the exercise, you need to stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and arms straight down by the side.

Then, take a big step forward with your right leg and plant the feet firmly on the ground. Inhale and bend the knees, lowering the body without the torso leaning forward. Descend until the rear leg’s knee is near the floor, and then get back up to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.

2. Kickstand deadlifts

Kickstand deadlift is a single-leg, hinging exercise which begins with you standing with feet hip-width apart, and then moving one foot behind the other, so the toe is on the ground and the back heel is off the ground. The majority (80 to 90 percent of the weight) should be on the front working leg.

With a straight back and slight bend at the front knee, use the hips as a hinge to lower a weight along the shin of the front leg, and then up again to return to the starting position. Do reps for both legs.

3. Wall ball squats

Wall ball squats are as simple as they sound. It involves standing in front of a wall with the feet hip-width apart and balancing an exercise ball between the surface and your back. Then perform regular squats while maintaining the balance. The squats can be done with free hands or with weight.

4. Glute bridges

Glute bridges are another excellent exercise for the lower body as well as the core. It can be performed by lying on your back with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Then, lift your hips until the body forms a straight line from the shoulder to the knees. Hold the position for a couple of seconds before lowering. To make it more challenging, a weight can be placed across the hips.

5. Step-ups

Step-ups are as simple as they sound. Stand in front of a knee-height bench or surface and place one foot on top of it. Push down with the raised foot to lift the body up completely, keeping the back straight. Then step down with the same foot in a controlled descent. Perform reps for both feet.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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