Exercises for Knee Pain

Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Omer Sheriff, MBBS, MS (Orthopaedics), Fellowship in Joint Replacement
Years of Experience: 24+ Years

Last Reviewed: September 2026

When your knee hurts, moving it can be the last thing you want to do. You may worry that exercise will increase the pain or make the problem worse. But avoiding movement completely is not always the answer.

For many people, appropriate exercises for knee pain can strengthen the muscles supporting the knee, improve movement and help reduce pain and stiffness. Exercise is a core part of managing knee osteoarthritis, although the right programme depends on the cause and severity of your knee pain.

The goal is not to push through pain. It is to build knee strength and function gradually, without unnecessarily irritating the joint.

Can Exercise Really Help Knee Pain?

Yes—but the benefit depends on choosing the right type and intensity of exercise.

A good knee exercise programme usually works on several areas:

• Strength: Stronger quadriceps, hamstrings and hip muscles can provide better support around the knee.
• Mobility: Gentle movement can help maintain or improve the knee’s range of motion.
• Flexibility: Stretching supporting muscles can make movement more comfortable.
• Balance and control: Neuromuscular exercises can help improve how the leg controls movement.
• General fitness: Low-impact activities can help you stay active without placing unnecessary stress on the knee.

For people with knee osteoarthritis, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends exercise including supervised, unsupervised or aquatic exercise over no exercise for improving pain and function.

Pro Tip: Do not judge an exercise by how difficult it feels. For a painful knee, controlled and consistent movement is often more useful than high-intensity exercise.

Exercises for Knee Pain

The following exercises are commonly used to improve knee movement and strengthen the muscles around the joint. They are general examples not a personalized rehabilitation programme.

Start With Simple Strengthening

The quadriceps the muscles at the front of your thigh play an important role in supporting the knee.

Exercises such as quad sets, straight-leg raises and controlled seated knee extensions can help activate and strengthen these muscles.

Start with a manageable number of repetitions and increase gradually as your tolerance improves rather than trying to reach a high number immediately.

Pro Tip: Quality matters more than quantity. A slow, controlled movement with good form is preferable to rushing through repetitions.

Keep the Knee Moving

Pain and stiffness can sometimes make people avoid bending the knee altogether.

Heel slides are a simple mobility exercise: while lying down, gently slide your heel toward your body and then return it to the starting position.

The movement should be gradual and within a comfortable range.

Do Not Forget the Hips and Supporting Muscles

The knee does not work in isolation. Exercises such as glute bridges and controlled sit-to-stand movements can strengthen muscles involved in everyday activities such as getting up from a chair, walking and climbing stairs.

This is particularly useful because the goal of knee rehabilitation is not simply to make the knee stronger—it is to help you move more comfortably in daily life.

How to Exercise Without Irritating Your Knee

The biggest mistake is often not exercising itself, but doing too much too soon.

Keep these principles in mind:

• Begin at a level you can tolerate. If you have been inactive because of pain, start with simpler movements and build gradually.
• Move slowly and deliberately. Avoid jerking, bouncing or using momentum to complete a repetition.
• Pay attention to how your knee responds. A mild, temporary increase in discomfort can occur when beginning exercise, but significant or persistent worsening is a reason to reduce the load and seek advice.
• Give your body time to adapt. Increasing repetitions, resistance or exercise duration too quickly can unnecessarily aggravate symptoms.
• Warm up before more demanding activity. A few minutes of gentle walking or another comfortable low-impact activity can prepare the muscles for exercise.

Pro Tip: Think “challenge, not punishment.” Your exercise should gradually ask more from your muscles without forcing the painful joint through movements it cannot currently tolerate.

What About Walking, Cycling or Swimming?

Strength exercises are important, but knee health is not only about strength.

Low-impact aerobic activities can help you remain active while placing less impact on the joints than high-impact activities.

Depending on your condition and fitness level, options may include:

• Walking, when comfortable and tolerated.
• Stationary cycling, which allows controlled movement through the knee.
• Swimming or water-based exercise, which reduces the load on the joints.
• Elliptical exercise, for people who can perform it comfortably.

For knee osteoarthritis, aerobic activity can be combined with strengthening rather than treated as an alternative to it.

Exercises That May Need Modification

Not every exercise is appropriate for every painful knee.

Be cautious with activities involving:

• Deep squats or lunges, particularly if they significantly increase your pain.
• Jumping and repeated high-impact movements when your knee is not tolerating them.
• Rapid twisting or pivoting, especially after an injury.
• Heavy resistance training without proper technique or progression.
• Exercises that repeatedly cause significant pain or swelling.

This does not mean these movements are permanently forbidden. Whether they are appropriate depends on the underlying condition, your strength, recovery and rehabilitation goals.

A Simple Beginner Routine

If your knee pain is mild and you have already been advised that exercise is appropriate, keep the starting routine simple.

Example framework:

1. 3–5 minutes: Gentle warm-up such as comfortable walking.
2. Quad sets: A few controlled repetitions.
3. Heel slides: A few slow repetitions on each side.
4. Straight-leg raises: A manageable number on each side.
5. Seated knee extensions: Controlled repetitions.
6. Gentle stretching: Hamstrings and calves.
7. 2–3 minutes: Easy movement to cool down.

You do not need to perform every exercise every day. A physiotherapist or orthopaedic professional can help determine the appropriate exercises, repetitions and progression for your specific condition.

Pro Tip: If an exercise consistently leaves your knee more painful or swollen afterwards, do not simply push harder. The exercise, technique, intensity or underlying diagnosis may need to be reassessed.

Pain During Exercise: When is it a Warning?

This is one of the most important things to understand.

Some people experience mild discomfort when beginning a new exercise programme, particularly when previously weak muscles are being challenged. However, sharp, severe or progressively worsening pain should not be treated as something you simply have to push through.

Pay attention if:

• Your knee becomes significantly more swollen after exercise.
• Pain remains noticeably worse rather than settling.
• You develop instability or the knee repeatedly gives way.
• You cannot fully bend or straighten the knee.
• A movement causes sudden sharp pain, locking or a popping sensation after an injury.

These symptoms may indicate that your knee needs assessment rather than simply more exercise.

When Should You See a Doctor for Knee Pain?

Exercise can be helpful, but it should not become a substitute for finding out why your knee hurts.

Consider professional evaluation when:

• Knee pain continues for several weeks or repeatedly returns.
• Pain is interfering with walking, stairs, work, exercise or sleep.
• The knee is significantly swollen, warm or red.
• The knee locks, gives way or cannot move normally.
• Pain began after a significant injury or twisting movement.
• You suddenly cannot bear weight on the leg or the knee becomes severely painful or deformed.

Different problems—including osteoarthritis, ligament or meniscus injuries, tendon problems and inflammatory conditions—can cause knee pain. The appropriate exercise plan can therefore vary considerably.

Conclusion: Stronger Knees Start With the Right Movement

Exercise can be an important part of managing knee pain, particularly when it focuses on strength, mobility, flexibility and controlled movement. But more exercise is not automatically better. The right programme should match why your knee hurts, how severe the symptoms are and what your knee can currently tolerate.

For patients seeking help with knee pain and other orthopaedic conditions, Dr. Omer Sheriff takes a patient-focused approach to understanding the cause of symptoms and choosing treatment according to each patient’s clinical needs and functional goals. His practice provides care for a range of orthopaedic and joint-related conditions, with patient experiences reflecting care for people seeking treatment for persistent joint and knee problems.

The reassuring part is that knee pain does not always mean you need to stop moving. With the right guidance, appropriate exercise and attention to your symptoms, movement can become part of the solution rather than something you fear.

Read also: Knee Pain at Night.