Your knees are crucial to power, balance, and stability in activities like golf, but keeping them healthy means looking beyond the knees themselves.

If you want strong, pain-free knees, don’t train the knees directly. Experts explain that knee health depends on how your hips, ankles, and core work together.

The knee is often a victim of poor function in the joints above or below. When hips or ankles are stiff, the knees are forced to compensate, and that’s when pain or injuries show up.

Instead of isolating your knees with machines, focus on training the whole body across three key movement patterns golfers rely on.

Lateral (side-to-side)

Lateral lunges strengthen hips and knees while improving balance. Medicine-ball tosses train explosive shifts from trail to lead leg, protecting knees during weight transfer.

Rotational (twisting)

Banded chops mimic the backswing and downswing, engaging the core and hips. Hip airplanes improve hip mobility and stability, reducing stress on the knees.

Vertical (up and down)

Ball slams build power while activating the core. Kettlebell swings train the hips to generate speed without overloading the knees.

Proper ankle and hip stability are essential for both performance and protection. The takeaway here? Focus less on the joint itself and more on how the body works together. That’s the key to keeping your knees strong, swing after swing.