Fit or Fiction: Strengthening Knees on a Budget

I want to strengthen my knees but I can't afford a gym. Is there anything I can do to build up strength without having to lay out the cash? -- Gideon A., N.J.

Whether you're a top athlete or a regular Jane, the principles of knee training remain the same -- and they don't involve fancy equipment or a huge outlay of cash.

If your knees are generally healthy but you're worried about injuries down the road, here are four pieces of advice for strengthening your knees to keep them injury free.

Warm Up. If you start every run or weight training session by bending over and touching your toes, you are doing more harm than good. Studies show that "cold muscles" are too stiff and unyielding to be stretched out using static stretches.

For this reason, you should perform an active dynamic warm up consisting of easy movements such as a slow jog, an easy walk or some gentle calisthenics like this Toy Soldiers move: Stand tall with your arms extended out in front of you. As you walk forward, lift your right leg up and try to touch your toe to your right hand, then on your next step try to lift your left leg up to touch your left hand, and so on. Movements like this stretch out your hamstrings which play a crucial role in knee pain prevention. They increase blood flow and prime the muscles to contract and relax more efficiently. Active warm ups should be done at the top of each workout and last for between 5-20 minutes depending on how long and how intense your workout plan is.

Balance Training. Balance training is really just a form of strength training that works the deep, inner support muscles that are responsible for keeping your knee joint stable and tracking properly. Try this simple Single Leg Balances: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, hands on hips. Lift your right toe a few inches off the floor and hold for ten slow counts. As you balance, note how much you wobble around, especially at the ankle and hip. Repeat with the left foot.

To make this more challenging, bend your knee and lift your foot up higher off the floor or close your eyes. When you can stay relatively steady on both legs for at least 30 seconds you may want to consider a small equipment investment like a wobble board or a Bosu, which create instability underneath your feet.

Plyometrics Training. Plyometrics involve doing fast, powerful movements with the purpose of improving the strength, elasticity and reaction time of the muscles involved. Until recently they've been the domain of world class athletes but when toned down and modified appropriately they can be very useful for rehabilitating muscles and joints, especially the knees. Start with a basic like Double Leg Hops. That's where you simply and gently hop up and down like you are skipping over a rope. You can try up to 20 hops per set, 2-3 times and if that feels comfortable you can make the hops more explosive or try changing directions by hopping to the side, on a diagonal or in a square pattern. Eventually you can progress to single foot hops.

Foam Rollers. If you're willing to invest $15-$40, foam rollers are a good way to spend your money. They do a fantastic job of working out the knots and kinks and can be used as part of your warm up or cool down. For example, you can lay on top of the foam roller on your side, with the roller positioned just below your hip. Your top leg can be in line with the bottom leg if you want a lot of pressure. Or, bend it in front of you to unload some of your body weight and provide better balance. Use your hands for support and roll the roller from the hip down to your knee, pausing on any tight or sore spots. Repeat to the other side. While this can be mildly uncomfortable, many physical therapists recommend this as a way of ultimately diminishing knee pain.

You may find it useful to explore nutritional supplementation and anti-inflammatories, strategies that are best followed under the guidance of a health care professional. You may also consider a session or two with a certified personal trainer who has experience and expertise in strengthening the knees. This is all money well spent and probably less than the cost of a monthly membership to a gym. If your experience knee pain, discontinue exercising and see a medical specialist.

And of course, there many other exercises for strengthening and protecting the knees. Check out Rescue Your Knees on AOL Health.

Do you have any other moves or advice to add for anyone out there who wants to strengthen their knees? Or is there anything else you've tried that has helped give you knees of steel? If so, please share with the group here or tweet me @lizzyfit on Twitter.