Exercise: Lunges (Standing Lunges, Walking Lunges, Star Lunges)
Targeted Muscles: Hips and thighs
Success of this exercise depends not on what the front leg does, but what the back leg does. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart and the stomach drawn in. Next, take a step forward with your left leg and drive the right leg straight down toward the floor. This will assist with maintaining an alignment whereby the left knee is in-line with the left ankle. Keeping the knee in-line with the ankle will minimize shearing forces in the knee and subsequently assist with decreasing the incidence of anterior knee pain. Avoid the knee progressing forward of the ankle in the forward leg. After lunging forward, you may return to the starting position and execute this maneuver starting with the right leg. As an option, instead of returning to the starting position, continue performing the lunge with each step progressing forward; walking lunges or perform them in multiple planes; star lunges. Perform either standing, walking, or star lunges or walking lunges for 3-5 minutes.