When you think of resistance training, you probably don’t think of knee extensions. They are usually more common as an accessory exercise to a primary movement like squats or lunges. But that doesn’t mean they’re not effective! In fact, knee extensions can be a great way to build strength in your quadriceps and knees. However, there are many people who worry about keeping their knees healthy while performing this exercise. Is the fear founded? Are leg extensions bad for your knees? Keep reading to find out!
Are Leg Extensions Bad For Knees?
Leg Extensions are one of the most common exercises that are performed. The leg extensions may be done standing or sitting down. When standing, the knees should be pulled back towards the body while keeping the back straight and the head in a neutral position.
How To Do A Leg Extension?
- You should always make sure to warm up before doing any exercise.
- You should always make sure that you work out your quads for at least 30-60 seconds before doing any other exercises.
- You should always make sure that your knees are straight during the exercise and that you do not allow them to bend forward or backward.
- You should always make sure that you do not move the leg too much during the exercise, especially if you are doing it on a machine.
- You should always make sure that your knee is locked in place while performing the exercise and that it does not bend forward or backward during the exercise either when standing or sitting down.
- When sitting down, there is no reason why you cannot do leg extensions while seated on a bench with your legs elevated so that they are over your chest and not bent forward to touch the floor (unless of course, you have knee issues). If done this way, there is no need to lock your knees in place.
- There is no reason why you should not do leg extensions on a machine if you have knee issues. However, if you do, make sure that the machine does not put a lot of pressure on your knees when contracted by the muscles and that it does not cause your knees to bend forward or backward.
- If you do have knee issues, then make sure that you do not extend your knees too much while performing the exercise and that you always make sure to keep them straight while doing it.
- You should also make sure that you always take care of your knees by exercising them properly and making sure they are healthy as well as taking care of any injuries or pain they may be experiencing.
- You should always make sure to warm up before doing any exercises or stretches and never just jump into an exercise program without warming up first!
Is It Bad For Knee Health?
1. The Leg Extension Machine
It is a common misconception that the leg extension machine is safe for your knees. It may be very useful in building quadriceps strength, but it can also put a lot of pressure on your knees if you do it wrong. If you are not careful, the leg extension machine could cause you to lock up your knee joint. This can cause you to have pain in your knee joint.
2. The Leg Extension Machine with Dumbbells
If you are using the leg extension machine with dumbbells, then it is even more likely that you will lock up your knee joint and experience pain in your knee joint as well as muscle injuries. This is because of how much weight the dumbbells are able to lift compared to the amount of weight that can be lifted through a leg extension machine alone. A few pounds of weight may not seem like much, but when adding more weight to an already unstable base, can make it nearly impossible to perform a proper leg extension.
3. The Leg Extension Machine with Weights on Your Knees
This is something that you should never do when using the leg extension machine with weights on your knees. You will want to keep your knee joint in a neutral position so that you can perform a proper leg extension.
4. The Leg Extension Machine with Weights on Your Knees and Feet
If you are using the leg extension machine with weights on your knees and feet, then this is a recipe for disaster. This is because the weight that is being lifted from your knees can cause you to lock up your knee joint. If this happens, then it will be very difficult for you to perform a proper leg extension exercise without causing yourself pain in the process. This is just something that should never be done when using the leg extension machine with weights on your knees and feet.
5. The Leg Extension Machine with Weights on Your Knees With Other Exercises (like Squats)
This is something that you should never do when using the leg extension machine with weights on your knees and feet with other exercises such as squats. You will want to keep your knee joint in a neutral position so that you can perform a proper leg extension
3 Tips For Safe Leg Extensions
1. Know your limits
It is important to know your limits. This means knowing the point at which you will feel pain during an exercise and also knowing the point at which you will feel pain in your knee joints. If you are not sure about these points, check with a doctor to see where you are physically before doing an exercise that places a lot of pressure on your knees.
2. Start with small movements
Start with small movements so that you don’t over-extend your knee joints and cause injury.
3. Be aware of how much weight is on the machine
Be aware of how much weight is on the machine when doing leg extensions because if it’s too heavy, it can be bad for your knees because it puts too much pressure on them as well as some other parts of your body like the back, neck, and shoulders. When doing leg extensions, make sure that the safety bars are in place to protect both your knees and ankles from falling off while doing the leg extensions.
Bottom Line
While leg extensions can be bad for knee health if you have knee issues, they are also a great way to build strength in your quads, knees, and even your core. You can perform this exercise properly to build strength in your quads, knees, and even your core. However, if you have knee issues, this exercise can be bad for your knees. If you have knee issues, you can do the exercise properly to build strength in your quads and knees. But, you may want to use less weight, do it without the machine, or start with a lighter weight. You can also try to manage any existing knee issues you have with exercises that build knee health.
