Many people focus on building upper-body strength, but equal focus and effort must be put into the lower body. However, according to Dr Sushrut Badve, Consultant – Orthopaedic Surgeon, Sahyadri Hospitals, Deccan Gymkhana, lower-body exercises should not be analysed in isolation but as exercises that affect the joints and muscles involved and are biomechanically aligned with the body of the individual performing them.But which ones are easiest on the knee?“I will list exercises in which the body works as a hip hinge, including deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts, because they develop a strong posterior chain without putting any additional stress on the anterior part of the knee during appropriate performance,” Dr Badye said, following which he ranked step-ups and split squats, which are “great functional lower body exercises promoting good balance and coordination between hips and knees”.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your fitness practitioner before starting any routine.Dr Aravind P R, Consultant – Rehabilitation Medicine, Aster Whitefield, Bengaluru, shared his ranking on a scale of 1 to 10:Box Jump: 3/10Box jumps are a sudden movement called a plyometric exercise and can help strengthen bones, indirectly benefiting the knee joint. But if the landing force is too much, it can damage the cartilage in the long run.Squats: 7/10Squats are great all-around exercises for developing leg strength and mobility, though their performance depends greatly on the depth of knee flexion achieved, proper technique, the weight lifted, and adequate ankle flexibility and core control.Wall Sits: 8/10Wall sits are the safest ones. It will not cause any damage if you can complete the exercise.Story continues below this adLunges: 6/10Lunges are good for strength as well as balance training, The only risk is that it can cause some instability, sudden bending of the knee inward or outward and ligament injury, especially if the knees are weak to start with. Make sure you keep your form correct. (Freepik)Deadlift: 8/10Deadlift is an excellent exercise considering the back, leg and overall core strength. The only catch is that the posture has to be very perfect, and when done correctly, it can strengthen the thigh muscles which will indirectly help the knee ligaments as well as help in improving cartilage strength.Leg extension: 5/10Leg extension is a good exercise for the knee strengthening and again that can help in the long run.Sled Pushes: 9/10Sled pushes are really good exercises that offer no risk. You just need some weight to push around and enough space to move it around.Story continues below this adStep Ups: 8/10Step ups are good in the sense they are similar to squats if done in the right way. You can work on one leg at a time in case one leg is more weak.Leg Press: 9/10Leg presses are good for developing leg strength but are to be used as complementary exercises.Calf Raises: 5/10Calf raises actually does not impact the knee much. The knee is always in a straight position, but the calf muscle strength can indirectly help with knee strengthening.ALSO READ | Squats in Spain: Inside Tamannaah Bhatia’s high-intensity lower body workoutHip Thrust: 8/10Hip thrusts can strengthen the thigh muscles, but there is not much load on the knee when you are doing it correctly.Story continues below this adGlute Bridge: 7/10Glute bridges are a safe exercise, that can help in strengthening the glutes and the back of the thigh, which can indirectly help the ligaments. Again, not much direct effect or load on the knee.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your fitness practitioner before starting any routine.