The Knee Flexion exercise, which is also known as the Hamstring Standing Curls, is an easy workout for your hamstrings. If you can stand next to a counter or chair for support while flexing one leg and standing on the other, you can do this exercise.

Your hamstrings are three muscles in the back of your thigh called the Biceps femoris, Semitendinosus and the Semimembranosus. The primary action of these muscles is to flex your leg, and extend your thigh. These muscles allow you to bend your knee and to control the motion of your knees while you walk. This is essential for walking and running. Exercising these muscles helps you maintain your ability to walk and run with confidence, especially as you grow older.

Keeping your hamstrings physically fit may also help prevent Runner’s Knee. This painful injury is also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome. With weak hamstrings, runners may not sufficiently bend their knees causing more force to be focused in a small area of the knee. With more knee bending ability, this force can be spread out over a wider area, which may help prevent the injury.

The Knee Flexion exercise is not only easy to do, but can be done almost anywhere and with no special equipment. You can, however, increase the difficulty of this workout by wearing ankle weights.

First balance yourself by placing a few fingers on a chair or counter. Make sure that you keep your neck and spine well aligned. As you breathe out, bend your right knee and raise your right calf behind you. Keep your thighs parallel as you bend your knee. As you breathe in, lower your right leg back to the starting position. Repeat this procedure with you left leg. You should try to do 8 to 12 repetitions with each leg.

In addition to the hamstrings, this exercise also strengthens the gluteus maximus, piriformis and the adductor magnus. All these muscles are involved with extending the thigh. Include this workout to your exercise program, and walk with confidence and increased range of motion and ability.