# Movements to Optimally Strengthen Knee Ligaments?



## SubliminalX (Apr 23, 2006)

Hey all.  My right knee has come up sore a couple times in the past several months.  No swelling, thank god.  I've narrowed it down to leg extensions as being the cuplrit.  I've been getting away with going all the way down to a 90 degree knee bend all these years, which I realize now is bad technique and stresses the patella tendons.  But now that I've been making good strength gains lately, the heavy weight is putting more stress on the joints.  

I've been shortening the angle on the machine so that the starting point is at about 15-25 degrees short of 90.  But I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to strengthen the patella tendons?  Maybe use light weight and do short partial reps on both the concentric and eccentric ends of the movement?

I do these movements one leg at a time, BTW.


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## P-funk (Apr 23, 2006)

squats, depending on what is wrong with your knee.


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## mike456 (Apr 23, 2006)

i was at the doctors office a while ago when i broke my finger, while i was waiting i read an article onn the wall , it said to strengthen the muscles that give energy to the knee- it said quadriceps- one of the suggested execise they gave is to just sit against a wall with your calves and thighs forming a 90degree angle- i dunno if this info will work though wait for 1 of the mods to respond


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## P-funk (Apr 23, 2006)

wall sits can be good.


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## SubliminalX (Apr 23, 2006)

P-funk said:
			
		

> squats, depending on what is wrong with your knee.



I do squats, lunges, leg extentions and curls for leg day.  I'm wondering if I can adjust the movements to focus more on strengthening the patella tendon specifically for the next several weeks.


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## P-funk (Apr 23, 2006)

what is wrong with the patealla tendon?  is your knee tracking properly?  tendonitis?


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## SubliminalX (Apr 23, 2006)

That area has come up sore a couple times, once recently after leg day.  The tendon that connects the the patella to the shin bone.  Could be mild tendonitis, or a strain.  The soreness is on the patella end.  

I'm gonna stay off the leg extensions for 2 weeks, and just hit squats.  But still looking for ideas on strengthening that tendon in the long run.


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## Bulwark (Apr 25, 2006)

Check where your knee lines up on the cam of the machine.  it may be just a placement issue.  If it doesn't bother you with squats and free weights...it may be the culprit.  BTW the knee should be lined up right at the pivot point on the cam.


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