Experiencing knee pain during exercise? The source of your discomfort might not be what you think. It’s often due to issues with hip, butt, and leg strength. Don’t solely blame your knees; they’re not always the culprits.

What Causes Knee Pain During Exercise?

A physical therapist in New York, notes that knee pain during exercises like lunges and squats is frequently linked to hip and ankle mobility and strength. These areas essentially “bookend” the knee, and when they’re not functioning properly, you risk overloading your knees.

Muscle imbalances in the lower extremities, including quads, hamstrings, hip adductors, and calves, can also affect your knees. These muscles play a crucial role in supporting your knee joints, both the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints. If you experience severe pain, unusual sounds, or persistent swelling in your knees, consult a doctor to rule out injuries.

However, if you’re dealing with general discomfort and aches during lower-body exercises, building up the surrounding muscles can alleviate your knee pain. While you work on strengthening these muscles, avoid painful or high-impact movements.

A clinical director of Professional Physical Therapy in Copiague, New York, recommends choosing knee-friendly activities, such as cycling over running, to reduce stress on your painful joints. She also emphasizes the importance of proper form in lunges and squats.

Now, let’s explore eight lower-body exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your knees while integrating a calf stretcher slant boards or calf stretchers for added benefits to your workout or rehab.

Banded Lateral Walk with Calf Stretcher

• Begin in a quarter-squat position with a resistance band just above your knees.
• If you have a slant board or calf wedges, place your heels on the bottom of the slant board so that your feet is slightly elevated on an incline
• Take a large step to the right with your right foot.
• Perform 10 steps in this direction (or as space allows).
• Then, step back in the reverse direction, until you return to the starting position.
• Repeat and perform the same but switch directions with your feet so that you take a large step to your left with your left foot.

Kettlebell Swing

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the top of the kettlebell handle with both hands.
• Step onto the calf wedges, or a calf stretcher like a slant board. For beginners, keep the feet slightly on the lowest incline of the calf wedge or slant board.
• Bend your knees into a half squat, hinging forward at the hips to drop the kettlebell between your legs.
• Stand back up and use your hip thrust and momentum to swing the weight to chest height.

Glute Bridge with Resistance Band

• Lie on your back with your hands at your sides, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart, or your feet slightly resting on a calf wedge or slant board. If using a wooden slant board (ex. compare slant boards on Amazon.com), adjust the incline to the level that is most comfortable
• Loop a light- to medium-weight resistance band around your thighs, just above the knees.
• Squeeze your glutes and abs and push through your heels to lift your hips a few inches off the floor.
• Ensure your knees don’t cave in by pressing out on the band.
• Pause and squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips to return to the starting position.

Donkey Kick

• Start on all fours with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders.
• Flex your left foot and lift it off the floor as you kick your leg straight up.
• Think about using your glutes to lift your leg. If you feel tension in your lower back, don’t lift your leg as high.
• Do all your reps on one side, then repeat with the other leg.

Hip Openers with Slant Board

• Start in a high plank with your hands flat on the floor, wrists under your shoulders, and your core, quads, and glutes engaged.
• To accentuate this workout, place the front of your foot (balls of your toes) onto the calf wedges or slant board.
• Step your left leg to the outside of your left hand into a runner’s lunge.
• Lift your left arm, rotate, and reach up toward the ceiling.
• Switch legs and repeat with your leg returning to the slant board

Monster Walk

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a mini looped resistance band just above your knees, and your knees bent into a half squat.
• Take a diagonal step forward and to the right with your right foot, then follow with your left.
• Reverse the movement, stepping diagonally behind your body with each step to return to the starting position.
• Repeat this movement, switching the leg you start with each time.

Single-leg Deadlift with Calf Stretching

• Stand with your feet together, holding a weight in each hand in front of your legs.
• Shift your weight to your left leg, raise your right leg straight behind your body, and hinge at the hips to bring your torso parallel to the floor.
• Keep your back flat and engage your core. Push through your left heel to stand up straight and pull the weight back up to the starting position.

Dumbbell Deadlift with Calf Stretcher

• Similar to the above, but adjusted for a deeper stretch and workout
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your legs.
• Again, depending on how much you can challenge yourself or recommended by a doctor, adjust your calf stretcher to the a suitable incline, and step onto the stretcher. For beginners, keep the calf stretcher on its lowest incline and rest your heels on the bottom. If you’re using calf wedges, you can do the same and rest half your foot on the calf wedge so that your feet are slightly in a decline position.
• Hinge at your hips, bend your knees slightly, and push your butt back to perform a deadlift, slowly lowering the weights toward the ground.
• Pause at the bottom and then stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.

By integrating performing these exercises and integrating an optional slant board or calf stretcher into these lower-body exercises, you can help alleviate knee pain and build the necessary muscles to support your knees. Even without knee pain, performing these exercises is a great way to help support and prevent future injuries. Proper form and gradual progression are crucial for maintaining knee health and achieving better overall results.