Exercise can be a safe and effective way to help ease knee pain. It can help by strengthening the muscles around the knee, improving stability, and reducing strain on the joint.
iammotos / Getty Images
Stretching your calves can unload pressure from the knee joint and reduce pain. While this stretch primarily targets your calf muscles, it also hits your hamstrings and ankles.
How to do it:
- Face a wall with one foot forward and the other foot extended behind you.
- Straighten your back leg enough so you feel a stretch as you press your heel down.
- Bend your front knee and gently lean your body forward toward the wall to enhance the stretch in your calf, hamstring, and ankle. Find a balance between the back leg stretching and how far forward you lean.
- Hold the stretch for 20–30 seconds.
- Repeat two to three times on each leg.
Nastasic / Getty Images
Tight hamstrings can limit knee flexibility and sometimes cause knee pain.
How to do it:
- Place one leg on a slightly elevated surface.
- Square both of your hips forward and flex the foot on the elevated leg.
- Keeping your torso tall and straight, hinge forward from your hips and gradually reach your chin toward your toes to feel a deep stretch in the back of your leg. Move slowly and avoid rounding your back.
- Hold for 30-60 seconds.
- Repeat two to three times on each leg.
The quads are the large muscles on the front of your legs that play a key role in knee movement.
How to do it:
- Stand with one hand on a wall or chair for support, bend one knee so you can grab your ankle or foot behind you.
- While you’re holding your ankle or foot with your hand, gently push your hip forward so your knees are close together.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, making sure to keep pushing the hip forward on the bent leg to feel the stretch down the front of your thigh.
- Repeat on each side.
While not technically a direct stretch to one particular muscle group, foam rolling helps improve the mobility of your fascia, which is the connective tissue that surrounds muscles.
How to do it:
- Lie on your stomach with your elbows on the floor and place the foam roller under the front of your thighs (quad muscles).
- Now, slowly roll back and forth, up and down your legs, applying gentle pressure to all the sensitive, tender spots.
- Gently and gradually change your position by slightly rotating your leg as you roll. When you find new tender areas, pause and hold for 20–30 seconds.
- Repeat the process on your hamstrings (back of your thighs) and calves as well.
Leg extensions are an isolated exercise that primarily targets your quads, which are crucial for knee extension and stability.
How to do it:
- Sit on the leg extension machine and adjust the seat so your back sits comfortably against it with your feet under the padded bar so it’s touching your shins.
- Adjust the weight to an amount where you just feel challenged.
- Flex your feet, and slowly extend your legs until they are straight.
- Pause at the top to feel the quad contraction, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10-12 reps.
Calf raises strengthen your calf muscle group.
How to do it:
- Stand on an elevated surface, such as a bottom step, with your heels hanging off. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and knees just slightly bent.
- Slowly rise onto your toes, lifting your heels as high as you can.
- Hold at the top for a second and then lower your heels back down with control.
- Perform 12–15 reps.
Hamstring curls target the muscles on the back of your legs, which are vital for knee flexion and overall knee stability.
How to do it:
- Lie face-down on a hamstring curl machine, with your knees just over the edge of the bench and calves touching the padded lever.
- Brace your core, keep your back neutral, and flex your feet. Then, curl your legs toward your glutes, squeezing at the top.
- Control the weight back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10-12 reps.
The wall sit is an isometric exercise that primarily targets the quads but also activates the glutes and hamstrings to stabilize the knee.
How to do it:
- Start by standing with your back against a wall and your feet out in front of you, about shoulder-width apart.
- Slowly slide your back down the wall so your knees are bent between 45 and 90 degrees, as if you are sitting back into an invisible chair.
- Keep your knees aligned with your toes and hold until you feel your muscles fatigue.
- Come out of the position slowly.
These tips can help you avoid injury and further pain:
- Listen to your body: Exercise may be uncomfortable sometimes, but it should never cause pain. If you notice new or worsening pain in your knee, stop the exercise. Consider talking with a physical therapist to discuss your options for knee pain recovery.
- Warm up first: Jumping into a workout without warming up can lead to injury, so take a few minutes to walk, cycle, or do other low-impact exercise before you begin.
- Talk to a doctor, physical therapist, or certified trainer: If you’re unsure whether you’re doing an exercise correctly or if it’s a good choice for your situation, talk with a health or fitness professional for their guidance.
