I am currently getting back into running shape from a knee surgery I had last summer. Before the surgery I was in considerable pain and I began to favor my non-injured leg. Now that I am getting back to running, I can still feel a slight favor towards my good leg even though I have no pain in my ‘bad’.
My question is, what are some exercises I can do to equalize the strength in my legs?
I liked the book, The Knee Crisis Handbook. It’s geared more to preventing surgery in the first place but it does have some good exercises.
I was in the exact same boat (was retired from the military because of it) 4 years ago. Nothing worked for me (rehab, etc) until I started doing yoga 3-4 times a week. Then after that I had enough stability in my leg to start doing mild weight work, mainly kettle bell swings, squats, and lunges. Now it is stronger than before I had surgery.
Unilateral exercises (target one side of the body - e.g., lunges, single leg hip extensions, step ups, single leg hamstring curls / knee extensions). Keep the weight the same for both legs using the weight & reps that the weaker leg for both legs. This way you prevent making the dominant leg stronger than the injured leg. Best suggestion would be to see a physiotherapist / athletic therapist to assess the imbalance and recommend a program.