A Full-Body Workout for Anyone With Knee Pain
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Anyone who's ever had knee pain knows it can be challenging to find full-body workouts that don’t irritate the area. Whether high-impact moves meant to raise your heart rate, or certain lower-body exercises that involve bending deeply and putting extra pressure on the knees, it can sometimes feel like you have to modify or cut half the exercises in a workout to just get through it without making your knees feel worse. Don’t worry, though: It is possible to get in a great total-body workout while being gentle to your joints.
Corinne Croce, D.P.T., co-founder of Body Evolved in NYC, says that when it comes to avoiding knee pain during a workout, it’s usually more beneficial to focus on incorporating exercises that strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee and help support and stabilize the joint instead of trying to avoid using your knees entirely.
She and her co-founder, trainer Dariusz Stankiewicz, C.S.C.S., created the workout below to do just that. It includes hip stability work, lateral movements, and glute activation exercises—all of which are important to stave off and rehab knee pain, Croce says. It’s also low-impact and will get you moving in multiple planes of motion to help you develop total-body strength in a balanced, safe way.
Remember, though, that knee pain can look different for everyone. “The cause of knee issues vary,” Croce says. “Stress to the knee can come from ankle and/or hip issues, joint derangement, and/or tendon and ligament problems.” It’s best to see a professional to find out what’s causing your pain and come up with a plan for how to safely improve it. While experts like Croce can suggest exercises that are generally safe and helpful for people with knee issues, the best way to know what’s safe for you to do is to be evaluated by a doctor or physical therapist before trying anything new.
If you are cleared to exercise, this total-body workout from Stankiewicz and Croce is a good place to start. They recommend doing it two times a week to reap its strengthening benefits. Just make sure to always listen to your body as you go. If any of the exercises below make your knees feel worse or cause a sharp, sudden pain, stop doing them immediately and talk with your doctor before starting up again.
One more thing: Before you jump into it, Croce suggests warming up your muscles with some light foam rolling. Spend about one minute on each body part—glutes, quads, calves, inner thighs, back, and lats—to get your body ready for the work ahead.
Model Jeanette Eng is NASM-certified personal trainer and actress based in New York City.
The Workout
- Resistance Band Lateral Walk
- Chest Press
- Single-Leg Deadlift
- Hammer Curl to Push-Press
- Elevated Single-Leg Bridge
- Bent-Over Row
- Do 8-10 reps of each exercise.
- Rest 30 seconds in between each exercise.
- Do the entire circuit 4-5 times.
Use a moderate weight for all. You can slowly progress to heavier weights as you get stronger and feel ready.
Katie ThompsonResistance Band Lateral Walk
- Start in a quarter-squat position (a shallower squat) with a looped resistance band around your quads, just above your knees. You can progress to the band around your ankles as this move starts to feel easier, as long as your knees feel OK.
- Take a big step to your right with your right foot, then follow with your left. Take 2 steps in this direction.
- Step back in the reverse direction, starting each step with your left foot and then your right foot, until you return to starting position. This is 1 rep.
- Continue this movement, alternating directions each time, for 8-10 reps.
Katie ThompsonChest Press
- Lie faceup on a bench with your knees bent and feet resting on the bench. You can also do this lying on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a weight in each hand with your palms facing out and your elbows bent at 90 degrees.
- Press the weights toward the ceiling, straightening your elbows completely and keeping your palms facing out. Pause here for a second.
- Slowly bend your elbows and lower them back down and out so that they are perpendicular to your torso. This is 1 rep.
- Do 8-10 reps.
Katie ThompsonSingle-Leg Deadlift
- Stand with your feet together, holding a weight in your right hand in front of your right leg. This is the starting position.
- Shift your weight to your right leg and while keeping a slight bend in your right knee, raise your left leg straight behind your body, hinging at the hips to bring your torso parallel to the floor, and lower the weight toward the floor.
- Keep your back flat. At the bottom of the movement, your torso and left leg should be almost parallel to the floor, with the weight a few inches off the ground. (If your hamstrings are tight, you may not be able to lift your leg as high or reach as low.)
- Keeping your core tight, push through your right heel to stand up straight and pull the weight back up to the starting position. Bring your right left back down to meet your right, but try to keep the majority of weight in your right foot.
- Pause there and squeeze your butt. That's 1 rep.
- Do 8-10 reps on each leg.
Katie ThompsonHammer Curl to Push-Press
- Start standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand with your arms in front of your body, palms facing your legs.
- Slowly curl your hands up toward your shoulders, squeezing your biceps. Keep your elbows tight to the sides of your body.
- Bend your knees slightly and in one explosive movement, push the weights overhead and straighten both of your legs simultaneously. Make sure to keep your core engaged and hips tucked under to avoid arching your lower back as you lift your arms.
- Slowly lower the weights back to shoulder height while bending both knees.
- Lower your arms back to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
- Do 8-10 reps.
Katie ThompsonElevated Single-Leg Bridge
- Lie faceup with your arms at your sides, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Place your right leg on a bench or step and lift your left leg straight up toward the ceiling.
- Engage your core, squeeze your butt, and press through your right heel to raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your right knee. Pause for a moment at the top of the move.
- Slowly lower your hips back to the floor. This is 1 rep.
- Do 8-10 reps and then switch legs and do another 8-10 reps.
Katie ThompsonBent-Over Row
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand with your arms at your sides.
- With your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, push your butt back, and bend your knees slightly, so that your back is no lower than parallel to the floor. (Depending on your hamstring flexibility, you may not be able to bend so far over.) Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your feet to keep your neck in a comfortable position.
- Do a row by pulling the weights up toward your chest, keeping your elbows hugged close to your body, and squeezing your shoulder blades for two seconds at the top of the movement. Your elbows should go past your back as you bring the weight toward your chest
- Slowly lower the weights by extending your arms toward the floor. This is 1 rep.
- Do 8-10 reps.
Our model, Jeanette Eng, is wearing The Upside bra and leggings, similar styles at theupside.com; and APL Techloom Breeze sneakers, $200, athleticpropulsionlabs.com.
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