Knee pain? These 5 exercises could help

To improve knee pain and minimise its impact, consider the following tips:

If you experience extreme discomfort, pain from a traumatic impact (like a fall or other accident), misshapen or swollen knees, or signs of infection, including a high temperature, redness or heat around the joint, call NHS 111 or see your GP.

It is vital to seek medical advice if your knee pain persists for longer than a few weeks, especially if the cause is unknown. Ignoring it can lead to further damage or a bigger problem.

Advice from a healthcare professional will help determine if the cause of your knee pain is local (isolated to the knee joint), regional (referred pain from the hip or spine), or if a systemic problem or condition is responsible, such as hypermobility syndrome.

More often than not, there will be an explanation of your knee pain – so don’t be afraid to ask your GP for help. Many GP practices will be able to refer you to a physiotherapist, or you may be able to self refer. If you are starting an exercise program, it’s important to have a thorough health assessment to assess your condition, with the person who will be supervising your exercise.

During one of my initial assessments of a client, they mentioned a sensation of their knee “catching” and of feeling unstable. I advised the client to consult with their GP and, as a result, they underwent surgery to rectify a tear that was found.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for managing various conditions that result in knee pain – it is important to keep moving. Leading a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to increased inflammation. To prevent the knee joint from stiffening, try to incorporate regular movement breaks, even if this means standing up frequently throughout the day.

You might be concerned that exercising could potentially worsen your knee pain, but that doesn’t mean complete rest is the better option. The right kind of exercise can be incredibly helpful.

Strengthening exercises and targeted stretches, as demonstrated below, which focus on improving knee stability, can be highly effective in both alleviating and managing pain.

Stretching routines that specifically target the hips and leg muscles can effectively relieve tightness in these areas, which could be contributing to knee discomfort. By strengthening the muscles in your legs and around the knees, you can significantly improve knee stability and enhance the overall structural support of the knee joint.

Low-impact cardio activities, such as walking and cycling, can also help with pain management for various knee issues, as well as benefiting your heart health.

To add variety and intensity to your workouts, without placing excessive stress on the knee joints, consider incorporating training tools such as kettlebells, medicine balls and battling ropes. These tools offer the option for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, which can be beneficial for overall fitness without compromising the wellbeing of your knees.

Skipping your warm-up and cool-down may be tempting. However it is important to understand their significance, particularly when dealing with joint issues such as knee pain.

The warm-up plays a vital role in preparing the body for the physical exertion ahead. It helps lubricate the joints, enhances overall performance and reduces the risk of injury. An effective warm-up typically involves raising your heart rate and stretching, to prepare your body for your workout.

By properly warming up, you can reduce knee stiffness, which can make the session more enjoyable and minimise discomfort.

Equally important is the cool-down, which is essential for the recovery process following exercise. The primary goal of the cool-down is to bring the body back to its pre-exercise state. This means lowering your pulse rate and stretching, allowing the body to relax and unwind.

High-impact activities tend to worsen knee pain, leading to increased discomfort and inflammation. But that’s not the same for everyone. Some people might find it necessary to decrease or replace high-impact cardiovascular exercises with lower-impact alternatives.

Fortunately, there are plenty of effective ways to maintain cardiovascular fitness while minimising the risk of aggravating knee pain. Walking, cycling, using an elliptical trainer and swimming are all excellent options. These exercises provide cardio benefits without subjecting the knees to excessive stress and impact.

By opting for these lower-impact alternatives, you can support your cardiovascular health while reducing the potential for increased knee pain.

Wearing high heels has been found to increase the stress on the patellofemoral joint (behind the ) as well as on the inner part of the knee joint, according to previous studies. Wearing lower-heeled shoes will be more comfortable and reduce your risk of suffering knee pain.

The increase in stress on your knee when wearing heels can be similar to the pressure when walking downhill or downstairs, so if you do wear heels, you may notice more pain.

These five easy-to-follow exercise videos can help with knee pain. Try to add these exercises into your daily routine. Completing two to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, to build strength and promote knee stability.