Daily performance of lateral band walks over a month significantly improved my knee health
Stefani Wylie Crowley, a licensed physical therapist specializing in spine and sports-related orthopedic injuries, has been helping athletes of all ages, from children to professionals, to recover and improve their performance. One exercise she recommends is the banded lateral walks.
Banded lateral walks are a simple yet effective exercise that helps build the strength needed to keep the knees in better alignment during walking, squatting, or climbing stairs. To perform this exercise, you need a resistance band and place it on or just above your ankles.
The exercise involves stepping your right foot to your right, following with your left foot, maintaining tension in the band, and repeating the movement stepping to your left. Performing banded lateral walks has been beneficial for activating and strengthening the muscles that keep the femur and knee aligned, according to Crowley (MSPT, DIP, MDT), a physical therapist with mPower Physical Therapy.
One individual who tried banded lateral walks experienced positive results. They were able to add a few extra pounds to their lunges and deadlifts, and even 10 extra pounds to their squat. The only downside to their month of banded lateral walks was some residual hip tightness, but a simple fix for this was adding a quick figure four stretch to their routine.
Fortunately, banded lateral walks did not cause any stiffness or pain during walking for the individual. In fact, they did not experience their usual ache while squatting due to banded lateral walks. The recommended number of sets for banded lateral walks is 3, and the recommended number of reps is 10 each direction.
Crowley recommends applying 2-3 minutes of banded lateral walks to achieve a lasting strengthening of the muscles for knee stabilization and hip stability. She emphasizes that stabilizing muscles are meant to engage during everyday movements, so it's beneficial and safe to train them regularly, including banded lateral walks.
In summary, banded lateral walks are a simple yet effective exercise that can help strengthen the muscles that keep the femur and knee aligned, build the strength needed to keep the knees in better alignment during walking, squatting, or climbing stairs, and can be safely incorporated into a regular workout routine.
