It is often assumed that squats can cause knee problems, but no more than the lunges. The lunges done with wrong form and sometimes too frequently can lead to irritation of the knee cap. This is because the poor form leads to poor alignment, which subsequently puts stress on the knee joint. The past knee injuries, poor core strength and tight muscles can also cause knee pain during lunges. And, if the pain persists even after improving the form, strength and flexibility, then it is the time to consult a specialist.

How to avoid injury?

The best way to ensure that your knees are safe while doing lunges is to strengthen your quads, hamstrings and hip muscles. The leg muscles play a key role in stabilizing the knee joint during the exercise. The stronger they are, the more burden they can absorb, thus, reducing the load on the knee joint during the whole movement of the exercise. Having said that, there is no substitute of doing lunges with the right form.

The proper form

The front knee should be in line with the ankle. At no point in the exercise, the knee should go extend past the ankle. The back knee should go straight down towards the ground in line with the hips and shoulders. The upper body should be upright, the gaze locked straight ahead, the abs flexed and shoulders down. The body shouldn’t slump forward as it puts unnecessary stress on the front knee and can also cause imbalance in the posture. The entire weight should be on the front heel and the big toe, the back foot should be used solely for the balance. The lunges shouldn’t be done more than three times a week. Each session should be between 10 to 15 minutes depending on your fitness level. And, never go for the advanced lunge variations such as lateral lunge, without feeling comfortable and mastering the regular lunge.

• Vary your fitness workouts