Finding the right exercises can be difficult if you’re struggling with knee pain. Many exercises, like squats, can exacerbate and worsen it. The pain in your knees can be overwhelming, making it hard to exercise and stay healthy. However, there are pain-free exercises you can do to prevent pain from happening. Taking care of your knees is vital for improving your quality of life, fitness, and daily activities.

Knee pain affects millions of people each year. Issues like meniscus tears, arthritis, injury, and previous affliction are some common problems. However, sometimes the pain isn’t caused by the knee itself. Instead, it is caused by poor hip alignment and weak muscles such as the glutes and hamstrings. These issues place unnecessary tension on your knees. And if the imbalance is corrected, it can make your knee pain magically disappear.

Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the severity of knee pain and even prevent it altogether.

Static Knee Strengthening/Stretch Exercises

Joints like the knee and ankle get stronger with static holds. Also, the static holds improve flexibility instantly in the muscle. So, you are gaining both! Tendons and ligaments respond best to weight-bearing activity, absorbing force with time under tension and not so much by resistance training. And muscles respond better when the stretch is held for more than seven seconds. This is a reason why static isometric exercises work so well in getting rid of joint pain.

As a result, stretching helps relieve tension and improves mobility and stability. But, again, it is all about balancing strength and alignment that can reverse knee pain.

Lunges

When you lunge, contract your glute first, then stretch your quad. This will put your hips in a better-aligned position, making your stretch effective for your quad. Many times, people stretch from poor alignment. Therefore, the stretch is negatively affecting the muscle. Also, ensure the front leg’s knee stays over the knee at a 90-degree position. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and do it three times on the same leg before you switch sides.

Hip Bridges on the Floor or Bench

Keep your feet flat on the floor and your knees over your ankles in a 90-degree position. Next, push through your heels, lift your hips up toward the ceiling, and contract your glutes and abs simultaneously. Hold the position for 10 seconds, lower down, lift again, and repeat 3 times.

Hip Bridges on a Bench

Lay your mid back on a long bench. Lift your hips and contract your glutes. Keep your knees positioned over your ankles in a 90-degree position. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times.

Calf Stretch

Hold on to the wall or a sturdy machine and lean forward. Stagger your stance and keep the back leg straight by contracting the glutes and the quads. Again, this produces a better-aligned position for your calf to stretch. Slowly move toward the wall, and you will feel the calf stretch. Hold for 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, slowly and slightly bend the knee forward to contract your ankle five times and go back to the stretch. Repeat 3 times without stopping. Then switch sides.

Single Leg Hamstring Stretch

From the standing position, focus on one leg to stretch first. Lean your weight to the stretch leg side. Keep the leg straight and bend from the hips by lifting them upwards. Put your weight into the big toe to mid-foot and hold the stretch for 10 seconds. After holding the stretch, continue to stretch the hamstring and slowly shift your weight back to the heel. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat three times without stopping, then switch legs.

Standing Inner Thigh Stretch

From the standing position, spread your legs comfortably apart. Contract your glute on the left side and slowly stretch the inner thigh by moving laterally. On the other leg, the knee will bend slightly. Turn your toes outward, so your knee stays comfortable and aligned when it bends. When you contract the glute and stretch, you will feel the smaller hip stabilizer muscles contract as well, and the inner thigh will stretch. Hold for 10 seconds and alternate side to side three times.

Knee Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises help build the muscles around the knee to protect it. However, the hamstrings and glutes need to be strong too. So, balance is just as essential as strength. Furthermore, strengthening the glutes improves the alignment of the hips and can be just what you simply need to reverse your knee pain.

Lunges- Knee Over Heel

When you lunge, contract your glute first, then stretch your quad. This will put your hips in a better-aligned position, so your movement is loaded effectively. Also, ensure the front leg’s knee stays over the knee at a 90-degree position to make it more stable. Do 8 reps on each side slowly.

Bench Hamstring Hip Lifts

Lying on the floor, put your heels on top of a bench and make sure your legs are at a 90-degree angle. Then push your heels on the bench and lift your hips up slowly. Go as far as you can, contracting your hamstrings. Then, lower down slowly and repeat for 8 reps.

Seated Box Squats

Sitting on a bench, load the squat by holding dumbbells at your side. Then, stand up from the seated position. When you sit back on the bench, do it slow and with control, and keep your knees over your ankles. Repeat for 8 reps.

Half Squats

If the full squat hurt and the seated bench squats are too easy, then just go parallel. Lower down to the parallel position slowly. Keep your knees over your ankles when you squat and perform 8 reps.

Wall Sits

Leaning against the wall, arrange your body at a 90-degree angle. Push your feet into the floor and back against the wall for 10 seconds. Relax and repeat 5 times.

Single Leg Alternating Deadlifts

From the standing position, lean on one leg, slowly bend forward, and focus on lifting your hips up. Return to the upright position, lean on the other leg and repeat. Alternate back and forth, doing eight reps on each leg.

When it comes to exercising your knee, it’s essential to start slowly and gradually to increase the intensity of your exercises. This will help to ensure that you don’t overwork your knee or do too much too soon, as this can cause further damage and pain.

Also, start with glute exercises to help prepare alignment and do the movements slowly so all the muscles work to do the movement.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, exercising an injured or arthritic knee is better than keeping it still. Not moving your knee at all can cause it to stiffen, worsening the pain and making it harder to go about your daily activities.

If you have knee pain from an injury, get cleared by a doctor or physical therapist before returning to the gym or doing any exercises. Once you are cleared, be careful not to push yourself too hard. Stop training if the pain becomes more than just an ache. If the pain is severe, see a medical professional to determine if there is a more serious problem.