Stay on the course. Stay in the game. A machine-based strength program designed to protect your knee, rebuild stability, and add yards — not take them away.
This is a sample program — built for one specific patient (the profile shown above). It is not a one-size-fits-all template. Every Solus Health patient receives a plan designed around who they are, what they're training for, what equipment they have, and what their body can currently do. The level of detail you see here — exercises, cues, loads, weekly structure, progression, safety notes — is what you can expect when you work with us.
Every exercise in this program was selected with your right knee in mind. Avoid knee flexion past 90° on all lower body exercises. Machines are preferred over free weights because they control range of motion and reduce joint stress. If an exercise creates sharp or worsening joint pain — not muscle burn, but joint pain — stop that movement. Share this program with your physician or physical therapist before beginning.
Golf is a rotational power sport played on one leg at a time — and arthritis in a weight-bearing knee changes how every ounce of that load is managed. The goal here is not to make you a weightlifter. The goal is to rebuild the muscular support system around your right knee, restore stability through your hips and core, and preserve — then improve — the rotational power your swing depends on.
Machines are your best tool at this stage. They guide the movement, protect the joint, and let you build strength without the balance demands of free weights that could stress an unstable knee. Four days per week alternates heavy and lighter sessions so you can still play without accumulating fatigue that compromises your knee mid-round.
Strong quads, hamstrings, and hip abductors form a muscular brace around the arthritic joint — reducing pain and slowing degeneration.
Weak hips cause the knee to collapse inward under rotational load — on the course and in the gym. Hip work matters here — neglecting it compounds the knee-collapse pattern over time.
Cable chops and core rotation rebuild the swing mechanics that stability loss has been quietly eroding — and bring the yards back.
Walking 18 holes requires leg endurance and cardiovascular base. Both are trained here without compromising your knee.
Heavy and light days alternate intentionally. Never lift heavy the day before a round — fatigue affects swing mechanics and knee stability.
| Exercise | Machine | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Leg Press
Feet shoulder-width, mid-plate. Press to almost straight — don't hard-lock the knees. The safest and most effective quad builder for arthritic knees. This is your primary lift.
⚠ 90° max depth — no deeper
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Leg Press | 3 × 12 | 90 sec |
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Seated Leg Extension
2 seconds up, 3 seconds down. Isolates the quad without loading the joint. Start very light — this is precision work, not a strength test. Slow tempo reduces joint stress dramatically.
⚠ Light weight · Slow tempo only
|
Leg Extension | 3 × 15 | 60 sec |
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Seated Leg Curl
Pull heels toward seat, hold 1 second at peak contraction. Hamstring strength directly reduces compressive force on the knee joint — one of the most evidence-backed interventions for knee arthritis management.
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Leg Curl | 3 × 12 | 60 sec |
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Hip Abduction Machine
Push knees outward slowly against resistance. Weak hip abductors cause the knee to track inward — a leading driver of arthritis pain progression. This directly protects the right knee on every step of the course.
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Hip Abduction | 3 × 15 | 60 sec |
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Seated Calf Raise
Full range — heels down fully, rise to toes and hold. Calf strength stabilizes the ankle chain that affects knee tracking. Critical for walking 18 holes comfortably at the end of a round.
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Calf Raise | 3 × 15 | 45 sec |
| Exercise | Machine | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Seated Cable Row
Pull handle to lower chest, squeeze shoulder blades together, hold 1 second. The single best exercise for golfers — builds the back strength that drives a powerful, consistent swing and protects the spine through rotation.
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Cable Row | 3 × 12 | 60 sec |
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Lat Pulldown
Wide grip, pull bar to upper chest — never behind the neck. The lats are the primary power transfer muscle in the downswing. Building them is the most direct path to reclaiming lost clubhead speed.
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Lat Pulldown | 3 × 12 | 60 sec |
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Chest Press Machine
Controlled push — don't let the weight crash back at the start. Chest and shoulder stability through impact is what keeps the swing repeatable as fatigue accumulates on the back nine.
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Chest Press | 3 × 12 | 60 sec |
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Cable Pallof Press
Stand sideways to cable stack, press handle straight out from chest and hold 3 seconds — resist any rotation toward the cable. Trains the anti-rotation core stability that keeps your spine angle consistent through the ball.
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Cable Stack | 3 × 10 each | 60 sec |
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Seated Face Pull
Pull rope to face level, elbows flared high and wide. Builds the rear deltoid and rotator cuff that protect the shoulder through thousands of swings per season — and keeps the lead shoulder from breaking down at impact.
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Cable Stack | 3 × 15 | 45 sec |
| Exercise | Equipment | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|---|
|
Stationary Bike Warmup
Low resistance, comfortable pace. Warms synovial fluid in the knee joint before any loading — dramatically reduces discomfort and risk. Never skip this.
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Bike | 10 min |
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Hip Abduction Machine
60% of Monday's weight. Active recovery — keeps blood moving to the knee without stressing it. Frequency here is the key, not load.
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Machine | 2 × 20 |
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Seated Leg Curl
Light weight, slow tempo. Maintains the hamstring tension that protects the knee between heavy sessions.
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Machine | 2 × 15 |
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Single-Leg Balance Hold
Hold a machine or rail. Stand on right leg 20–30 sec, then left. Progress to fingertip support only. The most specific stability drill for the golf address position and finish.
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Bodyweight | 3 × 30 sec |
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Seated Hip Flexor Stretch
Sit at bench edge, let one leg drop toward floor. Hold 40 sec. Tight hip flexors rob 15–20° of backswing. This directly reclaims shoulder turn without any swing change.
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Stretch | 2 × 40 sec |
| Exercise | Equipment | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|---|
|
Cable Wood Chop — High to Low
Set cable high. Pull diagonally from left shoulder to right hip — mirrors the exact path of the downswing. Rotate through hips, not just arms. The most golf-specific strength exercise that exists.
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Cable Stack | 3 × 10 each |
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Cable Wood Chop — Low to High
Set cable low. Drive from right hip to left shoulder — mirrors the through-swing and follow-through. Together, both chop directions rebuild the full rotational arc of your swing.
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Cable Stack | 3 × 10 each |
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Cable Face Pull
Pull rope to face, elbows high. Protects the rotator cuff through a full season of swings. Pair with the rows from Session B — together they fully address the shoulder complex.
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Cable Stack | 3 × 15 |
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Grip Strengthener
Squeeze a grip tool or tightly wring a damp towel for time. Grip strength declines significantly after 60 — it directly affects clubface control through impact and in thick rough.
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Tool / Towel | 3 × 30 sec |
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Thoracic Rotation Stretch
Seated, arms crossed on chest, rotate left and right slowly. 10 rotations each direction. T-spine mobility is the single most limiting factor in the golf swings of men over 60 — more limiting than hip flexibility or strength.
|
Stretch | 3 × 10 each |
Lat pulldowns and cable chops rebuild the rotational chain from hips through shoulders. Expect 5–15 yards back within 8–12 weeks of consistent training.
Core anti-rotation work stabilizes your spine angle through impact — the single biggest factor in consistent contact and shot dispersion.
Leg press, calf raises, hip work, and incline walking build the endurance to complete a full round without your knee deciding when you stop.
Strong quads, hamstrings, and hip abductors form a muscular brace around the arthritic joint — reducing daily pain and slowing long-term degeneration.
Progress is measured in how your knee feels on the course — not just what's on the weight stack.
Share this program with your doctor or physical therapist before session one. With active knee arthritis, specific exercises may need modification based on your imaging and current pain levels.
Muscle burn and fatigue are expected and healthy. Sharp pain inside or behind the knee joint is not. Stop any exercise that produces joint pain and flag it at your next appointment.
Strength training the morning of golf fatigues the stabilizers that protect your knee under rotational stress. Always allow at least one full day between gym and course.
10 minutes on a stationary bike at low resistance before every session — no exceptions. It warms the synovial fluid in the knee joint and dramatically reduces discomfort during the first working sets.
Omega-3 fatty acids (fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed) and 120–140g protein daily actively support joint health and muscle recovery. At 65, nutrition is as important as the training itself.
Rate your knee pain 0–10 each Monday morning. If it trends upward over two consecutive weeks, reduce Session A volume by 30% and consult your provider. This program should make arthritis more manageable — not worse.
A 10-minute intake form is the first step toward your own version of this — built for your goals, your equipment, your starting point, and the life you want next.
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