A certified stretch therapist says these are the best knee-friendly stretches to keep daily aches and pains at bay

Stretch away muscle tightness with these five gentle exercises

woman wearing a light pink top and grey leggings performing a deep forward lunge in a living room. there's a grey sofa behind her and grey patterned rug beneath her.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Stop me if this sounds familiar: after a day at the desk, you decide to follow an online stretching routine that promises to relieve your stiff hips and achy back.

But when you try to replicate the poses, your knees scream in agony and you’re left crumpled on the floor.

Trust me, you’re not alone. I’ve had anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions in both knees, so I feel your pain.

The deep flexion or awkward angles of popular exercises like pigeon and child's pose or, worst of all, saddle pose—where you kneel on the floor while leaning back over your feet—can aggravate the knees no end.

Josh Silvera, a certified assisted stretch therapist and Pilates instructor at London's Stretch Lab, explains that these types of exercise can irritate the meniscus (cartilage) and ligaments around the knee if you have limited flexibility or joint issues.

Instead of grinning and bearing it, Silvera recommends five alternative exercises to stretch the glutes, hips, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves, without putting excessive strain on the knees.

While these five moves are not designed to treat knee pain specifically, a 2022 review of 373 studies found that regular stretching can be useful for pain management, particularly for individuals with knee osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition where the cartilage around the knee joint wears away over time.

Five best stretches for knee pain

1. Figure-4 stretch

Time: 30-45sec

"This exercise stretches the glutes and outer hip without loading the knee," Silvera tells Fit&Well. "Keep the foot of the stretched leg flexed to protect the knee joint."

  • Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  • Bring one foot across your thigh, keeping that foot flexed as if pointing the toes toward you.
  • Wrap your hands behind the thigh of your uncrossed leg and gently draw it toward your chest, feeling a stretch in the glutes and outer hip.
  • Keep your back and head resting on the floor.

2. Standing hamstring stretch

Time: 20-30sec

"Unlike a seated option, this move will loosen the hamstrings without forcing the knees into deep flexion," says Silvera. "Hinge from your hips, not your back, and keep a soft bend in your standing knee."

  • Rest one foot on a chair, maintaining a soft bend in your standing knee.
  • Hinge forward from your hips to activate a hamstring stretch, resting your hands on your thigh or shin.
  • To deepen the stretch, flex the toes of your elevated foot toward you.

3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Time: 20-30sec

"Tight hip flexors often contribute to poor knee mechanics," says Silvera, which can be especially common if you spend a lot of your day sitting.

"Tuck your pelvis slightly under [when doing the move], like a dog tucking its tail between its legs, to enhance the stretch without leaning forward too much."

  • From a half-kneeling position, have one foot in front and the back knee on the floor.
  • Place a towel or cushion under your knee if it’s sensitive.
  • Tuck your tailbone under to protect your lower back.
  • Gently ease forward to feel a stretch through the hip flexors of your back leg.
  • Hold on one side, then switch sides.

4. Calf stretch against a wall

Time: 20-30sec

"Tight calves can pull excessively on the knee joint," says Silvera, especially common among regular runners. "This stretch relieves that tension. Remember to keep the back of your knee straight and heel grounded on the working leg."

  • Facing a wall, press the ball of your foot against it.
  • Keep your heel grounded and leg straight but keep your quad muscles engaged to avoid hyperextending your knee.
  • Gently ease forward to deepen the stretch in the back of your lower leg.
  • Hold the stretch then switch sides.

5. Supine quad stretch

Time: 20-30sec

"Using a bench or your couch, this move stretches the quads on the front of your thighs without forcing the knee into a deep bend like with child's pose," says Silvera. "Keep your lower back relaxed and your knee slightly lifted if needed for comfort."

  • Lie on your back on a bench or couch.
  • Let one leg hang off the side of the bench and reach for the foot of your hanging leg or loop a towel around your foot to draw it toward you.
  • Feel a stretch in the front of your thigh.
  • Aim to keep your knees level to isolate the quads and avoid a hip flexor stretch.
  • Hold the stretch, then switch legs.
Sam Rider
Contributor

Sam Rider is an experienced freelance journalist, specialising in health, fitness and wellness. He is also a REPS level 3 qualified personal trainer.