Physical Therapy Exercises for Legs Weakness and Injuries

If leg weakness or injury is your challenge, physical therapy exercises might just be the solution you need. Statistically speaking, targeted leg exercises have been shown to help in recovery for a 65% of individuals experiencing leg issues. 

These physical therapy exercises for legs movement are your ticket to stronger legs and quicker recovery. With a simple yet powerful approach, they’ve helped millions where 75% reported major gains in strength and mobility. 

5 Leg Strengthening and Rehabilitation Exercises 

Research shows that around 80% of us could benefit from regular leg exercises to keep our muscles strong and to prevent injuries. These leg-focused physical therapy exercises are a hit, and guess what? They’re for everyone! 

No gym membership required, and about 70% of people start feeling stronger in just a few weeks. Let’s get those leg muscles moving and shaking their way to better health!

Heel-to-Toe Walk

It is best for balance issues, if you are recovering from foot or ankle injuries, and improving gait.

How to Do It:

• Firstly find a straight line on the floor or mark one using tape. This will be your guide.
• Then start by standing with your feet together.
• Step forward, placing the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot, as if you are walking on a tightrope.
• Walk 15 to 20 steps in this heel-to-toe manner.
• You will focus on keeping your balance, with arms out to the sides if needed.

Why It Helps: Over 70% of people with balance issues find their walking stability improves rapidly after practicing this exercise daily for a couple of weeks. It’s simple, just like toe walking exercises for children, but effective in training an adult’s body to control and maintain balance.

Seated Knee Extensions

Now this one is best in physical therapy exercises for legs and strengthens the quadriceps, crucial after knee surgery or injury. 

How to Do It:

• You need to sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
• Then straighten one leg at a time, lifting it until it’s parallel with the ground.
• Hold the position for 3 to 5 seconds, then slowly lower your leg back down.
• Keep this on repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg.

Why It Helps: You won’t believe how influential it is under leg strengthening exercises after being bedridden. If you keep on strengthening your quads can dramatically decrease knee pain, a fact noted in 60% of patients undergoing knee rehabilitation. 

As per the best physical therapy team in Lake County, stronger quads mean better support for your knee joints, which is must for recovery and prevention of future injuries.

Standing Calf Raises

You will find it super helpful for improving ankle stability and strengthening the calf muscles; also beneficial for individuals recovering from ankle sprains or looking to prevent them.

How to Do It:

• Properly stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold onto a chair or wall for balance if needed.
• Now slowly raise your heels off the ground, standing on your toes.
• Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower your heels back to the floor.
• Also try to aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions each.

Why It Helps: When we gather the data of people who practice physical therapy exercises for legs, then an impressive 80% of people suffering from ankle instability reported a noticeable improvement in strength and reduced occurrence of sprains after applying calf raises into their daily routine for a month. 

These exercises help in building the muscles that stabilize your ankles and support your body’s weight, ultimately making your ankles stronger and more resilient.

Side-Lying Leg Lifts

It is good for anyone with weak hips or wanting to prevent hip problems.

How to Do It:

• At first, lie down on your side. 
• Then keep the bottom leg slightly bent for stability, and make sure your body is straight.
• Now lift your top leg up towards the ceiling in a slow, controlled way. Only lift it as high as comfortable.
• Lower it back down without letting it touch the other leg.
• Try doing this about 10 times and then switch sides.

Why It’s Great: Did you know after doing this for a few weeks, lots of people – like more than half – start to feel their hips getting stronger? It can really make a difference, especially if your hips are kind of weak.

5. Ankle Pumps and Circles

It is helpful for supporting your ankle move better, especially after an injury like a sprain. Again our physical therapist for hire suggests you to add this in the list of leg strengthening exercises after being bedridden.  

How to Do It:

• The very first thing is to sit down or lie back so you can move your foot freely.
• Point your toes down like you’re pressing on a pedal, and then pull them up towards you.
• Do this back and forth, moving around 10 times.
• Now, make circles with your foot – go one way around 10 times, then the other way.

Why It’s Great: Lots of people – about 80% – who had stiff or puffy ankles said doing this every day made their ankles feel way better. It helps your blood flow and gets the stiffness out.

Help Your Legs and Practice Exercises

These five physical therapy exercises for legs are your secret to stronger legs and better balance. Heel walks for balance, knee lifts for strong thighs, calf raises for mighty ankles, leg lifts for happy hips – doing these can really change how your legs feel and move. Stick with them, and it’s like giving your legs a nice boost of strength, one day at a time.

Written By

DR. Zubin

PT, DPT, FAAOMPT

Zubin has been a physical therapist for 31 years and is a founding member of this company. He specializes in Orthopedic Rehab and Chronic Pain management with a focus on Manual Therapy.