Last Updated on March 15, 2024

Knee pain commonly occurs when muscles, tendons, or ligaments that surround the knee are experiencing inflammation or are injured. This pain is prevalent among teenagers, young adults, athletes, and those experiencing arthritic pain.

Below are the top exercises and stretches you can do at home to help strengthen or relax key muscles to help address knee pain. However, if you are experiencing moderate-to-severe knee pain or experiencing internal knee pain, it is essential to seek professional care from an experienced chiropractor or acupuncturist.

Table of Contents

Hip Abduction

Whether you’re an athlete or not, there is a correlation between weak gluteal muscles and knee pain, specifically the muscles that control the abduction of the hip. To strengthen this muscle group, do the following exercise:

Lie on your side with the upside leg straightened. Rotate your hip inwards (think of pointing your toe to the ground) and then slowly raise your leg towards the ceiling or sky. The key here is slow, controlled movements. Your leg should be aligned with your back and pelvis, not in front or behind your center of gravity. Perform three sets of 10-16 repetitions for each leg.

Straight-leg-raise

The next muscle group we need to strengthen for general knee pain are the quadriceps, the thigh muscles that contract when we completely straighten our leg. This muscle group directly connects to the kneecap via a large tendon and is prone to elicit pain when weak, tight, or irritated.

This exercise will help activate and reinforce the quadriceps without putting an excess load on the muscle:

Lie on your back in a supine position with the leg being exercised straightened on the ground and the other bent in a relaxed position. Now slowly raise the target leg as far as comfortable without lifting your glutes off the ground, and then slowly lower your leg back to the ground, do 3×10-16 for each leg. You can increase the difficulty of this exercise by holding a glute bridge during the exercise.

Foam Rolling

Implementing a self-massage or muscle release routine is a great way to help relax tight, irritated muscles experiencing inflammation. Easy tools for doing this include a foam roller.

For knee pain, I recommend targeting the hamstrings, quads, and calves with the foam roller until tension release is felt — setting a time limit of 3-5 minutes for each muscle group. Rolling these muscles on a lacrosse ball can offer a more targeted session.

Hamstring and Psoas Stretching

Two key muscle groups that connect to the knee and can cause pain are the larger thigh muscles. Stretching these muscles out can help reduce tension and improve the range of motion. You can hold these stretches 3x 45-90s at a time or do 15 short 5-10s holds.

Hamstring stretch: Sit on the floor with both legs straight and reach out with your hands as far as feels comfortable. Alternatively, stand upright, cross one leg over the other, keep both legs straight, then slowly bring your forehead down towards your knees by bending at the waist and rounding out the lower back.

Psoas stretch: Start with both knees on the ground and lunge forward with your left leg so your left foot and right knee make contact with the ground. Slowly lunge forward while keeping your back straight, hold for the desired time, and then repeat for the other side. You can increase the stretch by squeezing your glute muscles when leaning into the lunge.

Swimming

If you’re looking to get your heart rate up and boost your endorphins, try swimming for knee pain. Swimming is one of the best workouts for knee pain, as it allows you to exercise without putting added stress on your body.

In addition to helping with knee pain, swimming can help you improve your range of motion, stretch out your joints, and improve your body’s circulation. Plus, swimming is excellent for your mental health and can relieve stress. If you get bored of swimming laps, you can also try water aerobics for knee pain.

Yoga

Yoga is another fantastic low-impact exercise for knee pain. Doing yoga can reduce symptoms of chronic pain while simultaneously improving mobility, fitness, and your overall quality of life. Yoga can also help with mindfulness. Here are some yoga poses you can try for knee pain:

Bridge Pose

The bridge pose can soothe knee pain while strengthening your knee. Lie on your back with your legs bent and place a yoga block between your thighs. Slowly lift your buttocks off the ground as you squeeze the yoga block with your inner thighs. Hold at the top for about ten seconds before lowering back down.

You should feel this move in your glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

Banana Pose

The banana pose involves opening the hip so tension releases from the pelvis downward. Lie on your yoga mat, cross one ankle over the other, and hold your arms out behind you. Then, slowly stretch your upper body by moving it toward one side of the mat.

Repeat the pose on the other side until you feel stretched and relaxed.

Warrior Pose

The warrior pose is a classic yoga pose, and it’s one of the first poses many people learn when starting their yoga journey. The pose can help with strength and alignment so you can improve your knees.

Step one foot in front of the other and bend your front leg at a 90-degree angle. Keep your weight centered on your front leg’s heel, and keep both heels and toes on the floor. Try to keep your shoulders square and your body facing forward. Then, slowly raise your arms toward the sky. Breathe in and out a few times before lowering your arms back down.

You can reach one arm forward and one arm back to perform the warrior pose.

Hero Pose

Sit on your yoga block with your knees tucked under your butt to perform the hero pose. Allow yourself to rest atop the block as you relax your hips and experience a stretch through your quads, knees, and ankles. Stay in this pose for about a minute as you slowly breathe in and out.

Half Squat

Moving your body into a full squat can be difficult if you’re experiencing knee pain. However, doing half squats can strengthen your knees, as well as your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart to perform a half squat. Then, reach your hands out in front of you or place them on your hips. Slowly lower your body by about 10 inches while looking straight ahead.

Pause for a few seconds and then return to the standing position. You can repeat this for a minute or do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Calf Raises

Your calves support your knees, so it’s important to have strong calves to prevent and recover from knee pain. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart to perform a calf raise.

You can position yourself next to a wall or place one hand on a chair if you find it difficult to balance. Slowly lift your heels off the ground until you’re standing on the balls of your feet. Then, slowly lower yourself to the starting position.

Stay controlled in your movement, and repeat the exercise for 3 sets at 10 reps each.

Side Leg Raise

In addition to straight leg raises, side leg raises can help with knee pain. Lie on your side and stack your legs to perform a side leg raise. You can either hold your arm out and lie your head down on top of it, or you can prop your head up with your arm and place your other arm in front of you.

Then, slowly raise your top leg, reaching it as high as you comfortably can. You should feel the movement in your hips and quads. Take a brief pause at the top, then slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.

Click here to learn who you should see when you’re in pain!

Prone Leg Raise

Prone leg raises work your glutes and hamstrings and strengthen your knees. Lie on your stomach (we recommend placing a mat below you for cushioning). Place your legs straight behind you and allow your head to rest on your arms.

Slowly lift one leg off the floor as high as you comfortably can. Remember to keep your hamstrings and glutes engaged and keep your pelvic bone on the floor. Keep your leg lifted high for a few seconds, then slowly lower it down.

Heel and Calf Stretch

Stretching your calves and heels ensures your legs and knees stay flexible. Face a wall and place your hands against it. Then, step one foot back and lean forward as far as you can comfortably go. Keep your heels flat and your toes facing forward and slightly bend your front knee. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds before switching sides.

Quad Stretch

Your quads play a vital role in keeping your legs and body strong. Stretching your quads after you exercise will ensure you stay flexible and healthy. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and lift one leg off the ground, bending the knee until your heel touches your buttocks. Grab your ankle and hold onto a wall or chair for support if you need to.

Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds before switching legs.

Related: What are Shin Splints?

Time to Combat Knee Pain

There are many excellent stretches and exercises for combatting knee pain. Now, it’s time for you to give these movements a try.

We also recommend seeing a chiropractor, acupuncturist, or massage therapist for extra help with your knee pain.

Fill out Inner Gate’s new patient form to get started!

Katherine V.

March 9, 2023.

While recovering from injuries sustained from a car accident, I have seen a few different acupuncturists as well as a chiropractor and masseuse at Inner Gate, and I have appreciated them all. The care I've received has been stellar - compassionate, personable, considerate, and soothing. Truly, Inner Gate practitioners have greatly helped me in my healing process. Thank you!

Abbie W.

July 26, 2022.

I have been seeing Nick Maxwell for Craniosacral massage for the last several months after a car accident left me with whiplash, nagging low back pain, a mild concussion, and stress and anxiety. He is an incredibly gifted healer that has helped me immensely! I have had a plethora of bodywork over the years, and I can undoubtedly say that his massages are the best. He has also helped with digestive issues/SIBO/nervous system recovery. I would never see anyone else again after finding him. I am much calmer, happier, and healing well thanks in big part to his care.

Elizabeth M.

February 10, 2022.

Well, I will start by saying that Nicholas Maxwell is my favorite massage therapist. I went to him after 1 year of shoulder pain. Before going to him, I was waiting for the pain to just go away; it didn't. He was the first person I sought any help from. I'm sorry to say, I didn't expect that much relief from a massage but after about 3 sessions I felt close to cured of 1 whole year of pain! He recommended a great physical therapist to solve my shoulder stiffness and pain. My pt said that Nick did a great job of loosening up the muscles for a quicker recovery. Nick seemed to wipe out all the surface pain and extraneous tenderness so that my pt could pinpoint my injury which turned out to be shoulder tendonitis. Now I see both of them concurrently. They both gave the same estimate for recovery, which was shorter than I thought it would be. I've had more that 50 massages in my lifetime (CA, NY, NV), Nick is the only massage therapist I have been to that leaves me feeling better for days and days after the actual massage. If I could describe what Nick's massages feel like, it would be like this: If the ocean waves had massaging hands, they would be Nick's. Before going to Nick, I am a chuck steak. After my massage, I am filet mignon. What can I say, Nick Is Awesome!!

Julian J.

November 4, 2021.

My physical therapist suggested acupuncture for my chronic knee injury in July 2021. I'm going to explain my story, but I want to say at the beginning that Emma Ellsworth at Inner Gate Health & Wellness saved me from a life of chronic pain. It's really difficult and frustrating to find good care anywhere these days, so trust me when I tell you that you can end your search now. Just call Inner Gate and ask for Emma. I always find it helpful to read health care reviews from folks who suffer from the same issues as me, so here's a bit about my medical history: My orthopedic physician diagnosed me with IT band syndrome in my right knee in January 2021. I began a course of physical therapy, but not only did the IT band syndrome not get better, I actually developed IT band syndrome in my left leg due to overcompensation. I pushed myself a little too hard and started noticing that even very light exercise would cause my symptoms to flare up (inflammation, pain, swelling, etc.). By May 2021, I could not walk more than 3 blocks at a time without my knees flaring up. Keep in mind that I'm an otherwise healthy person in my mid-30s. I then developed hamstring tendinopathy in both legs, I assume to disuse. Along with preexisting patellofemoral pain syndrome issues, suffice to say that my knees were totally busted, okay. After all that, my physical therapist and orthopedic physician basically threw their hands up and suggested either cortisone shots for the rest of my life, acupuncture, or prescription pain medication that I really shouldn't be taking due to family history of hypertension. In comes Emma. I'm a huge believer in modern Western medicine and everything, but Emma succeeded where two physical therapists, a physiatrist, my orthopedic physician, and my primary care doctor all failed. Emma succeeded not only because she did something they did not - acupuncture - but she succeeded because she was more effective and patient at taking time to find the actual root cause of my issues. She is super methodical about interviewing me at the beginning of every session, evaluating what worked / didn't work from last time, trying out new areas for acupuncture, and over the course of 4 weeks eventually found an acupuncture solution that reduced my pain. I remember when it happened - I had an acupuncture session one Friday in October, and two days later I was going for a walk and ended up walking like 3 times further than I had walked in the past 6 months. I stopped and was like, "Wow my legs don't hurt at all." The pain literally vanished, went from a 5-6/10 on the pain scale all day every day down to 0-1. The massive pain reduction has allowed me to resume my physical therapy exercises with less pain and start rebuilding my knee strength. I still go to acupuncture to deal with some knee meniscus issues and overall wellness / mental health issues. Honestly, I feel such a tremendous sense of wellness after every acupuncture session that I kind of don't ever want to stop going. Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading and hopefully my story is helpful. Seriously, go see the folks at Inner Gate. You won't regret it!!

Mitchell P.

October 19, 2021.

Inner Gate Health & Wellness provides exceptional care! Their staff, specifically Emma Ellsworth, is skillful, compassionate, and effective at providing holistic healing services, including acupuncture. I highly recommend treatment with Inner Gate and Emma Ellsworth for symptoms including depression, anxiety, pelvic floor pain, back pain, and digestion issues.

Ruben S.

April 15, 2021.

This is a long overdue, rave review for Terry. I've been to many acupuncturists over the last decade and she is hands down the most helpful and accommodating. I came in with a very unsolvable problem (tinnitus) and had tried everything before coming to Terry. Terry has helped improve my symptoms with Tinnitus and a number of other issues. She's also extremely patient and takes time out of every session at the beginning to go over progress and how I'm feeling. She has a good understanding of my problems and is always ready with solutions to help. Acupuncture with Terry is one of the highlights of my week -- thank you for being so great!!

Dr. Kaley B.

November 28, 2020.

Very impressed! Great acupuncture, well organized front desk. Liz is fantastic, and I'm not a fan of needles. Finally got some relief from back and neck pain. Looking forward to a few more sessions!

Abbie W.

September 15, 2020.

I highly recommend Oliver Leonetti at Innergate Acupuncture! I have seen him for the last 12 years for various ailments - ranging from nagging sports injuries to digestive issues to insomnia/anxiety, and he always provides the highest level of care that truly lasts. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and skilled, but he is super kind and caring and always take the time to truly listen. I always feel better after leaving my appointment. I honestly do not know what I would do without Oliver or Innergate Acupuncture! Also, I've seen several of the acupuncturists there, and they are all fantastic as well.

M W.

July 9, 2020.

I can't recommend these guys enough! I have a 10 yr old competitive skier who was having some knee pain & had never had acupuncture done before...not only did these guys gently ease him into the entire process - they also helped him get back on the ski hill after the first couple of treatments I was super impressed with their professionalism & how both Liz and Casey approached his injury - now my little guy looks forward to going to his acupuncture appointments! Yay! Thank you a zillion times over for taking such good care of my little guy.

Abby J.

January 9, 2020.

I used to think acupuncture was sort of hokey. Not total witchcraft, but definitely not the magic, cure-all that people said. Well, folks, a few months in and I can report that I'm a changed woman! Well, really, it only took one session. Terry took my whole health history into consideration and helped with everything. Anxiety, sleeplessness, colds, ankle injuries, back pain--you name it. I've come in with problems and always left improved. I'm sure all the acupuncturists are lovely, but I want to stress how awesome Terry is. She takes my concerns seriously without making me feel like I'm at a stuffy doctors office. She approaches her work with humor and friendliness and is spot on with her treatment. Terry has made me feel comfortable from the get-go and has made my weekly appointments something for me to look forward to. My friends all have heard me rave about her, so I'd say everyone I know should go see her, but then I may never be able to squeeze in my appointments again! Just kidding, of course. Also, big props to the front desk staff too. They have been super kind and helpful when guiding me through insurance issues or unexpected after work traffic. I'd highly recommend Inner Gate SE to anyone with any ailment!

Exercise and Stretches for Knee Pain