Mini Squats
Builds leg strength through a comfortable range.
What it helps
Builds hip and leg strength through a comfortable range, so everyday moves — sitting, standing, bending — take less out of your joints.
How to do it
- Stand holding a counter.
- Bend your knees a small amount, keeping them behind your toes.
- Return to standing.
Tips
- Keep the movement small — this is not a deep squat.
- If bending under your own weight is not available yet, standing up from a higher chair asks the same muscles with less load.
Commonly done as 2-3 sets of 10, once or twice a day.
Where this appears in recovery
Mini Squats is part of 90 recovery programs, most often at the strength building (months 2–5), strength & function (weeks 6–12) and return to normal activity (weeks 1–4) stages, among others. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:
- ACL Revision Reconstruction exercise guide
- Tarsal Tunnel Release exercise guide
- Distal Fibula Fracture ORIF exercise guide
- Knee Arthroscopy (Diagnostic / Debridement) exercise guide
- Knee Arthroscopy with Partial Meniscectomy exercise guide
- Achilles Tendon Lengthening exercise guide
- Lapidus Bunionectomy exercise guide
- PCL Reconstruction exercise guide
- Achilles Tendon Repair exercise guide
- Bone Graft Harvest (Iliac Crest) exercise guide
- Subtalar Fusion exercise guide
- Cheilectomy (Big Toe) exercise guide
- …and 78 more
All exercise guides · Condition guides · Recovery education
These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.