Top Exercises for Knee Pain

Written by Alexandra Benisek
Medically Reviewed by William Brady, DO on March 24, 2025
5 min read

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body, making knee pain a common issue. The activities of daily life can take a toll on your knees. Walking puts stress on your knees that's equal to one and a half times your body weight, while going downstairs creates pressure equal to two to three times your body weight. No wonder that knee pain triggers up to 40% of physical therapy visits.

Often, joint pain is a result of aging and osteoarthritis, but people of all ages can get knee pain. Weak muscles, tight muscles, or muscle imbalance may cause pain around and under the kneecap, often called anterior knee pain. Inflamed tendons can also cause the knees to hurt. 

Exercise is the best treatment for most arthritic knee pain. It can also help other types of knee pain. You should not try to correct your knee pain with exercise if you have experienced a pop in your knee. Other signs that you need to see a doctor include a knee that swells, buckles, or locks up.

Low-impact exercises such as stretching, swimming, and water aerobics are good for treating knee pain. Using an exercise bike or elliptical trainer can help, too. In addition, try these therapeutic exercises that you can do at home:

Clamshells

This exercise is simple to do but can pay big dividends. As you get stronger, step up this exercise by using a resistance band just above the knees.

  • Step 1: Lie on your side with your hips stacked and knees comfortably bent.
  • Step 2: Keeping your feet together, lift the top knee up, mimicking the movement of a clamshell opening. 
  • Step 3: Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly lower the knee back down.

Repeat this 15-20 times on each side. 

Straight-leg lift

Perform this exercise on the floor, not on a bed or other soft surface.

  • Step 1: Lie on your back with one leg bent at about a 90-degree angle and the other leg straight. 
  • Step 2: With thigh muscles tight, raise the straight leg about a foot off the ground and hold.
  • Step 3: After a few seconds, slowly lower the leg back to the ground. 
  • Step 4: Do several repetitions with the same leg before switching to the other side. 

Your level of strength will influence how many repetitions you can do. Start with a few and work up gradually.

Sit/stands

Be sure to use a sturdy chair for this exercise.

  • Step 1: Sit slightly forward in a chair with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  • Step 2: Slowly stand up without using your hands.
  • Step 3: Reverse the motion and sit down.
  • Step 4: Repeat as many times as you can.

Try doing three sets of this exercise.

Step-ups

This exercise requires something to step up on. You should start with a step of 6-8 inches. If you don't have a step platform, you can use a stair step.

  • Step 1: Stand in front of the platform and put one foot securely on it.
  • Step 2: Step up on the platform and let the other foot come off the ground and dangle loosely. 
  • Step 3: Lower the hanging foot to the ground and step down.
  • Step 4: Repeat with the other foot, then switch sides until you have completed the desired number of repetitions.

When you can do this exercise easily, you can make it tougher by holding small hand weights. 

Glute bridges

The glutes are a group of muscles in the buttocks that affect the movement of the knee. The glute bridge is a great exercise that targets your glutes but also involves other muscles of the leg. 

  • Step 1: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet about shoulder-width apart. Relax your arms at your sides with palms facing up.
  • Step 2: Slowly pick your hips off the floor and push them up until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders.
  • Step 3: Hold the position for a few seconds, and then slowly lower your hips down to the floor.

Good form is important for this exercise. Don't arch or round your back. Keep your hips, knees, and feet in a line.

Specific stretches can help ease knee pain. Stretching can target muscular imbalances that lead to knee pain. You may need to stretch the areas around your knee to feel better. Try these to help lessen your pain:

Hamstring stretch

  • Step 1: Lie down on your back and put your legs straight out in front you you. Put your arms down at your sides.
  • Step 2: Grab onto one of the legs behind your thigh, and raise it in the air with your foot flexed. Straighten your leg as much as you can without locking your knee.
  • Step 3: After you hold that stretch, go back to the starting position and repeat this on your other leg.

Quadriceps stretch

  • Step 1: Stand up with your feet shoulder-width apart. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor.
  • Step 2: Bend one of your knees and move your heel toward your butt. Hold your foot with your hand.
  • Step 3: Keep this stretch and then slowly lower your foot onto the floor. Do the same movement with your other leg.

Calf stretch

  • Step 1: Stand up straight and hold onto the back of a sturdy chair for support. 
  • Step 2: Move your leg straight back and press your heel against the floor with the knee of your other leg bent.
  • Step 3: Hold the stretch and then return to a normal stance. Repeat this with your other leg.

These knee exercises are simple and safe for most people. Some other exercises, such as squats and lunges, can make the knees strong, but if not done correctly, they can also cause injury.

When doing knee exercises, start with a few reps and move up gradually. If you have pain with any movement, stop. If your exercise program makes you too sore to move the next day, you are overdoing it. Gentle stretching after you exercise will help keep your muscles flexible.

What exercise is best for knee pain?

Low-impact exercises, such as stretching, swimming, or using the elliptical, can help strengthen the muscles around your knee and improve your flexibility. Unlike other options, low-impact movements don't put a lot of stress on your knees.

How do you strengthen a weak knee?

Doing low-impact exercises can help strengthen your leg muscles without hurting your knees.

What's the number one mistake that makes bad knees worse?

If you completely avoid movement, you'll lose strength, which can lead to stiffness and pain. Be smart with your exercise choices, but stay active to improve your knees.

What's the fastest way to relieve knee pain?

The best things to do right after you notice knee pain include resting, applying ice to your knee, using over-the-counter pain relievers, and keeping your legs raised. This will help lower inflammation and pain.