4 min readAug 23, 2025 12:27 PM IST
First published on: Aug 23, 2025 at 12:27 PM IST
Everybody has it. A child who falls while playing football or riding a cycle, an elderly uncle who finds it difficult to climb just a few steps, an office worker sitting endlessly at a desk or a fitness enthusiast who has pushed too hard at the gym. It’s knee pain. The natural instinct is to go to the doctor, who prescribes you painkillers.
For a while they give relief but soon you find yourself trapped in a cycle where the pain returns again and again. The truth is, while medication and rest may provide temporary comfort, movement, when guided carefully, is the best medicine. Strengthening and stretching the muscles around the knee does not only ease pain in the moment, it prevents further damage.
What exercises do you begin with?
•One of the simplest and most effective starting points is knee extensions. Sitting on a chair, lift one leg up until it is straight, hold and lower slowly. This activates the quadriceps, the key muscles that stabilise the joint.
•Hip raises, done by lying on the back with knees bent and lifting the hips upward. These strengthen the glutes and hamstrings, both of which share the load with the knee and protect it.
•Then there are squats, often misunderstood but deeply powerful when done in safe variations like the wall squats, which go only part way down, help in strengthening the thighs without stressing the knees.
•Sumo squats, with a broad stance, deepen this effect, especially in the hip and core region. When practised slowly and in rhythm, these squats train the body like pillars that hold a structure steady.
•Beyond squats, side-lying leg raises, lying on the side and lifting the leg up and down, strengthen the outer hip muscles that control knee alignment.
•Calf raises, where you lift the heels up while standing, strengthen the calves that absorb impact with every step.
•Step-ups, done on a low platform, mimic the action of climbing stairs in a controlled way and build functional strength.
•Even something as gentle as spot walking, lifting knees alternately while standing in one place, stimulates circulation and engages the muscles without strain.
•For those with stiffness or advanced pain, walking in water offers the gift of buoyancy: the body feels light, pressure on the knees reduces, and yet the resistance of water strengthens every muscle with safety.
After movement, recovery matters as much as exercise. Icing after exercise is one of the simplest yet most effective tools. Ten to fifteen minutes of cold compress reduces inflammation, calms soreness and ensures that the knees are ready for the next session.
Can stretching help?
Hamstring stretches release the pull from the back of the knee, quadriceps stretches ease tightness in the front and calf stretches keep the base of the legs supple. Flexibility combined with strength is what allows the knees to move smoothly.
Watch out for body weight
Every extra kilo of body weight adds direct stress to the knees, especially when climbing or squatting. A diet rich in protein, calcium and vitamin D strengthens bones and muscles, while hydration keeps tissues soft and mobile. Adequate rest and proper sleep give time for recovery and awareness of posture during the day — whether sitting, standing or walking — reduces unnecessary strain. Knee pain is not the end of movement; it is the call for the right movement.
(Dr Mehta is a holistic health expert)
Flexibility combined with strength is what allows the knees to move smoothly. (Photo: ThinkStock) 
Share
