How To Exercise With Bad Knees To Lose Weight: Tips To Take The Load Off Your Joints

When you’re pursuing weight loss, health concerns such as knee pain can present significant challenges. If you’re wondering how to exercise with painful knees to lose weight, rest assured it is possible. The key is to choose the right exercises to minimize discomfort and protect your joints while achieving your health and fitness goals.

Exercises for Knee Pain

The knees are essential joints that support standing, walking, and other movements. Chronic knee pain can significantly impact your quality of life. Targeted exercises can alleviate pain and strengthen the muscles supporting your knees. Below are some effective options:

Straight Leg Raises

Not only does this exercise help your knees, it also works your core and boosts your endurance (7).

• Lie on your back on a yoga or gym mat with your hips square and your legs laid out comfortably.
• Bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle, planting the foot flatly on the floor.
• Stabilize your left leg muscles by contracting your quads (the muscles on the front of your thigh).
• Inhaling slowly, lift the left leg 6-12 inches off the ground.
• Hold for three seconds and slowly lower the left leg to the floor. Exhale as you do this.
• Relax and repeat 10 times before switching and doing the same with your right leg.

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Prone Straight Leg Raises

These help with knee pain and work your glutes and the muscles in your lower back.

• Lie face down on your stomach on a yoga or gym mat with your legs straight out behind you and your head resting on your arms.
• Engage your left glute and hamstring in your left leg and slowly lift your leg as high as you comfortably can without causing pain.
• Remember that your pelvis should not lift off the floor.
• Hold your leg in this lifted position for 5 seconds before slowly lowering it.
• Rest the left leg for 2 seconds, then repeat.
• Do this 10 times before switching to the right leg and repeating the process.

Lying Hamstring Stretch with Resistance Band

• Lie flat on either the ground or a mat with your legs fully stretched out.
• Place the band across the ball of your right foot and hold the band in both hands.
• Keep your left leg extended on the ground with the foot flexed, pushing the thigh and calf toward the floor.
• Slowly extend your right leg with the foot flexed. Your leg should be straight with a slight bend in the knee, and the bottom of your foot should face the ceiling.
• Gently pull the band until you feel a slight tension in the hamstrings.
• Hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds.
• Repeat two to four times before switching to the left leg.

If you don’t have a resistance band, you can still do this stretch without it (12). Here’s how:

• Lie flat on either the ground or a mat with your legs fully stretched out.
• To stretch your right leg, hold the back of your right knee with both hands, pull the leg up toward your chest, and slowly straighten your knee until it feels as though it is stretching.
• Hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds.
• Lower the leg and switch sides to the left leg.

Standing Quadriceps Stretch

• Hold onto a countertop, wall, or chair back for balance.
• Bend your knee back by grasping your ankle with one hand.
• Pull your ankle gently toward your glutes as far as you can comfortably manage.
• Maintain this position for 30 seconds before returning to a standing position.
• Repeat this 3-5 times with each leg.

Read more: Wall Pilates for People over 50: 5 Gentle Exercises to Improve Balance and Strength

Gentle Strengthening Exercises for Sore Knees

Strengthening the muscles around your knees enhances joint stability and reduces pain. These gentle exercises are particularly beneficial:

Half squat

Like a full squat, partial squats primarily strengthen the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, but the limited range of motion places reduced stress on the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips or extended forward.
• Lower your hips into a partial squat, stopping at a 45-degree angle.
• Push through your heels to return to a standing position.
• Perform 10-15 repetitions (or as many as you feel comfortable with).

Wall Sits

• Start with your back against a wall and your feet shoulder-width and about 2 feet from the wall.
• Engage your core and slowly slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Adjust your feet so your knees are directly above your ankles rather than over your toes.
• Keep your back flat against the wall and hold the position for 20 seconds to 1 minute.
• Slide slowly back up the wall to a standing position.
• Rest for 30 seconds and repeat the exercise three times.

Step-Ups

These are great for your quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, and glutes.

• Find a large, sturdy stool or exercise platform that is no taller than 8 inches.
• Step up onto the stool with your right foot and allow your left foot to follow behind.
• Don’t place your left foot on the stool; instead, let it hang on your side.
• Keep your body weight on your right foot and hold for up to 5 seconds.
• Slowly lower your left foot down and then follow it with your right foot.
• Repeat this 10-15 times before switching sides.

Standing Calf Raises

• Position yourself next to a wall or hold on to the back of a chair for support.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lift both your heels off the ground so you’re standing on the balls of your feet.
• Slowly lower your heels to the starting position.
• Do 10-15 times for each set.

The Best Cardio Exercises for Sore Knees

Cardiovascular exercise can be challenging with knee pain, but these low-impact activities are excellent options:

1. Swimming. Swimming reduces joint stiffness, strengthens knee-supporting muscles, and improves cardiovascular health. It’s an effective way to maintain fitness without stressing your knees (9).
2. Rowing. Rowing engages your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles. Ensure proper form and consult your doctor if you have severe knee issues as rowing typically requires good knee range of motion. 
3. Elliptical workouts. Elliptical machines provide aerobic exercise without the jarring impact of running, which makes them ideal for individuals with knee pain (1).

Additional Low-Impact Options

If you prefer varied activities, these alternatives are gentle on the knees (3):

Step touches

• Step out to the side with your left foot, lift your arms up, and then step your right foot next to the left.
• Repeat the move to the right, moving quickly and swinging your arms to get your heart rate up.

Windmills

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Turn the toes of your left foot straight to the side at 90 degrees.
• Reach your right arm up to the ceiling and let your left hand hang down at your side. Look up at your right hand.
• Engage your core and push your hips toward your right side. Slide your left hand down your left leg toward your ankle as far as possible without putting pressure on your leg. Use your core to stabilize yourself.
• Your left arm should be perpendicular to the floor the entire time and your right leg should remain straight. You can allow a slight bend in your left leg to avoid locking your knee.
• Pause, then push down through your feet to rise back up to start, keeping your core engaged and your spine long throughout.
• Repeat 10 times, then switch to the other leg.

Ball Marches

• Hold the ball in both hands straight up overhead.
• Bring your right knee up as you bring the ball down to your knee.
• Lift the ball up, lower your right leg, and perform the move on the other leg.
• Do this for 60 seconds.

Weight Loss with Knee Pain: Is It Achievable?

Yes, losing weight with knee pain is achievable with the right approach. Combining low-impact exercises with dietary changes can lead to sustainable results. You should focus on reducing caloric intake while incorporating knee-friendly activities to shed excess weight.

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Exercises for Overweight Individuals with Knee Pain

1. Tai chi. This is a low-impact workout that is gentle on the joints. Its fluid, meditative motions increase strength, balance, and flexibility (11). Doing tai chi for just 30 minutes can burn 100-200 calories. If you’re overweight and also have knee osteoarthritis, this workout may reduce knee pain and improve mobility.
2. Yoga. Yoga promotes flexibility, reduces stress, and fosters mindfulness, which helps combat stress-induced overeating.
3. Elliptical machine. As mentioned above, the elliptical is a great workout tool for people with knee pain. An hour on this machine can burn from 540 to 800 calories depending on your weight, intensity, and other factors (6).
4. Swimming. Swimming can generally burn up to 266 calories in 30 minutes. Vigorous swimming, breaststroke, or doing laps will get rid of 300 to 444 calories in 30 minutes, depending on your weight (4).
5. Cycling or using a stationary bike. Cycling maintains knee mobility and strengthens supporting muscles. Depending on your weight and intensity, you can burn 400 to 450 calories per hour (5).

Read more: 3 Examples Of Wall Pilates Exercises And Their Benefits

Exercises That May Increase Knee Pain

Exacerbating activities can vary greatly depending on the source of your knee pain. Those with knee pain caused by osteoarthritis (both in the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint surfaces) are more likely to have increased pain with the following exercises:

• Deep squats
• Full-depth forward lunges
• Running or jogging
• Full-arc knee extensions

Just because these activities are more likely to cause pain in people with knee osteoarthritis doesn’t mean they’re universally harmful or damaging. Movement in general is a crucial component of the management of knee osteoarthritis. Let pain be your guide. If you’re able to perform an exercise with minimal or no increase in your pain level during and in the hours/days after, it’s usually just fine to do. Make sure you consult your doctor or physical therapist for specific recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the best and worst exercises for bad knees?

There are no universally “bad” exercises for people with knee pain. Different activities will cause pain in different people depending on the source of their symptoms. However, people with chronic knee pain caused by osteoarthritis are more likely to experience pain with deep squats, full-depth forward lunges, open-chain knee extension activities, and high-impact activities such as running.

Any exercise that you enjoy and doesn’t cause you pain is a good exercise. For many people with chronic knee pain, these may include low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling, elliptical, and walking, in addition to limiting knee range of motion and sticking to primarily closed-chain exercises during strength training.

• Are sore knees a legitimate excuse to skip training?

No, knee pain shouldn’t stop you from staying active. Many low-impact exercises can help strengthen your knees and promote healing. Always seek your doctor’s advice before you start a program.

The Bottom Line

Exercise can be a powerful tool for managing weight and improving overall health, even for individuals who are dealing with knee discomfort or soreness. By focusing on low-impact, joint-friendly workouts and gradually building strength in the surrounding muscles, you can protect your knees while achieving your fitness goals. 

Remember to pair your exercise routine with a balanced diet for optimal results. Most importantly, consult a healthcare provider before you start any new fitness regimen to ensure it’s tailored to your specific needs and abilities. With persistence and the right approach, you can stay active, improve your mobility, and work toward a healthier lifestyle.