[[{“value”:”There are many physical challenges that occur with age, and one biggie is weak knees. As you age, your knees might feel weaker due to the natural loss of lean muscle mass and strength and changes within the joints. If your knees don’t feel as strong as they once were, it’s time to take action ASAP. Weak knees can increase your risk of falls and majorly impact your daily life and capabilities.
It’s time to consider just how much you depend on your knees—to climb stairs, get yourself out of a seated position, and even walk through the grocery store to grab the essentials.
To help strengthen your knees, we are here with five chair exercises to consider adding to your routine after 60. Chair-based workouts are a stellar starting point for those 60+ because they offer stability, support, and confidence while still allowing you to build meaningful strength.
“They are especially useful for people who are deconditioned, recovering from injury or surgery, dealing with arthritis or balance concerns, or simply restarting exercise after a long break,” explains Dr. Natasha Trentacosta, Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon at Cedars-Sinai. “A chair reduces the fear of falling and lets someone practice important movements—like standing up, controlling a descent, lifting the legs, and shifting weight—in a safer environment. These are the movements that help maintain older people’s independence. They also make it easier to focus on good form and controlled movement before progressing to more demanding exercises requiring stability without the safety net of the chair.”
Sit-to-Stands
“This is one of the most functional knee-strengthening exercises because it trains the quadriceps and glutes through the same movement used to get up from a chair, toilet, or car. On the lowering go slow to really work the muscles to fatigue. This slow movement eccentrically loads the quadriceps which is a more effective strengthening maneuver.” explains Dr. Trentacosta.
Begin seated near the front of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-distance apart.
Cross your arms over your chest so that your hands are resting on your shoulders.
Lean slightly forward, press through your feet, and stand up tall.
Use control to slowly sit back down.
RELATED: If You Can Do These 4 Squat Variations, Your Lower Body Is Bulletproof
Seated Knee Extensions
“This directly targets the quadriceps, which are critical for supporting the knee, walking, climbing stairs, and preventing the knee from buckling. Resistance bands can be added to the lower legs/ankles to make this more challenging. Remember to go slow and deliberate through the movements to really engage those muscles,” Dr. Trentacosta says.
Begin seated upright with your knees bent to 90 degrees.
Brace your core.
Gradually straighten one knee until that leg is completely extended, parallel to the ground.
Hold at the top for 2 to 3 seconds.
Lower with control
Repeat on the other side.
RELATED: If You Can Hold a Wall Sit This Long After 60, Your Leg Strength Is Top-Tier
Seated Marches
“Although it looks simple, seated marching strengthens the hip flexors and challenges trunk control. Stronger hip muscles can improve lower-extremity mechanics and make walking and stair climbing easier, reducing some of the workload placed on the knee,” Dr. Trentacosta explains.
Begin seated at the edge of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart on the floor.
Gently draw your lower belly inward.
Slowly lift one knee up to hip height without leaning back.
Lower.
Alternate sides in a “marching” fashion.
RELATED: 6 Standing Drills That Keep Your Knees Stronger Than Most People Your Age After 50
Resistance Band Abduction
“This targets the gluteus medius and minimus, which helps control balance and hip and knee alignment during walking, stairs, and getting up from a chair,” Dr. Trentacosta explains.
Begin sitting tall on a sturdy chair.
Position a loop resistance band above your knees.
Gently press your knees outward against the band
Slowly return to the start position.
RELATED: 4 Daily Exercises That Rebuild Knee Strength Faster Than Resistance Bands After 55
Seated Hamstring Digs
“This creates an isometric contraction of the hamstrings, helping strengthen the muscles behind the thigh without requiring much knee movement—useful for someone who is initially limited by pain or stiffness. You can advance this by adding a resistance band anchored in front of the chair,” Dr. Trentacosta notes.
Begin sitting tall on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Place one heel slightly in front of you and press—or “dig”—it firmly into the ground as though you’re trying to pull that foot back without moving it.
Hold for several seconds before releasing.
Repeat on the other side.
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