Knee Pain Exercises

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If you experience knee pain, you might want to sit on the sidelines to avoid aggravation. But the right knee pain exercises can actually make a huge difference in your quality of life. By strengthening your muscles and stretching out tight spots, you can potentially lessen your discomfort – or even eliminate pains entirely! Add a few of these knee pain exercises into your routine, and you’ll soon feel the difference.

Is Exercise Safe?

Before you launch into exercise, it’s important to get a good diagnosis. Head to the doctor to explain your concerns. In more serious cases, you might need to get a customized physical therapy plan. But if you have a minor case of aches and pains, then at-home exercises might be just what you need. Just be sure to go slowly and stop if the pain gets worse.

What Knee Pain Exercises are Best?

There are tons of different options to choose, but we’ve listed some of our favorite knee pain exercises below. Take some time to warm up and get the blood flowing with around 5 minutes of walking, stationary bike, or other low-impact options. Then, start your routine:

  • Straight leg raises: Lie on your back with one leg bent and one leg straight. Lift the straightened leg to the height of your bent knee, and gradually lower. This strengthens the quadriceps, while reducing stress on the knee.
  • Wall squats: If you want a challenge, sit with your back against the wall as if you were in a chair. Hold for 5-10 seconds and stand back up. This works both your legs and core, while testing your balance.
  • Side leg raises: Lie on your side with your lower leg bent and top leg straight. Raise your top to a 45-degree angle, and lower with control. Point your toes for an extra challenge. This strengthens both the glutes and the leg muscles to encourage proper alignment.

These handy exercises may be performed anywhere, whether traveling for work or exercising at home. Want to take your routine up a notch? Try a lateral trainer by UltraSlide, which can be used for everything from physical therapy to fitness.