Simple Exercises For Knee Pain • ACL surgery • Knee arthritis •...
Ted Ryce@ted_ryce
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Sep 09, 2026
~2 min read
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Simple Exercises For Knee Pain
• ACL surgery
• Knee arthritis
• Meniscus tears
• Patellar tendinitis
The diagnosis doesn't matter.
The answer is progressive loading.
Here are 7 elite exercises that can reduce pain, rebuild strength and restore function:
• ACL surgery
• Knee arthritis
• Meniscus tears
• Patellar tendinitis
The diagnosis doesn't matter.
The answer is progressive loading.
Here are 7 elite exercises that can reduce pain, rebuild strength and restore function:
0:12
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1. Straight Leg Raise
Start simple.
This exercise lets you train your quads with almost no knee movement.
• Build quad strength
• Easy to progressively load
• Great starting point when your knee is irritated
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
Start simple.
This exercise lets you train your quads with almost no knee movement.
• Build quad strength
• Easy to progressively load
• Great starting point when your knee is irritated
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
0:13
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2. Quadruped Hip Extension
Your knees don't work alone.
Strong hips help you control your entire leg.
This exercise helps:
• Strengthen your glutes
• Build hip extension strength
• Train without loading your knees much
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
Your knees don't work alone.
Strong hips help you control your entire leg.
This exercise helps:
• Strengthen your glutes
• Build hip extension strength
• Train without loading your knees much
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
0:08
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3. Hip Abduction
Glutes control your leg above the knee.
This exercise helps:
• Reduce knee pain indirectly
• Prepare for harder exercises
• Strengthen your glute medius
Add an ankle weight as you get stronger.
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
Glutes control your leg above the knee.
This exercise helps:
• Reduce knee pain indirectly
• Prepare for harder exercises
• Strengthen your glute medius
Add an ankle weight as you get stronger.
Perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.
0:09
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4. Leg Extension Isometric
Don't avoid training your quads because your knee is sore.
This exercise lets you:
• Load your quads without movement
• Build strength at a specific knee angle
• Introduce knee loading in a controlled way
Perform 2-3 sets of 30-45 second holds.
Don't avoid training your quads because your knee is sore.
This exercise lets you:
• Load your quads without movement
• Build strength at a specific knee angle
• Introduce knee loading in a controlled way
Perform 2-3 sets of 30-45 second holds.
0:12
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5. Isometric Lunge
This targets the rectus femoris of your rear leg.
This helps:
• Build quad & glute strength
• Improve single-leg stability
• Prepare for dynamic lunges
Perform 2-4 sets of 30-60 second holds on each side.
This targets the rectus femoris of your rear leg.
This helps:
• Build quad & glute strength
• Improve single-leg stability
• Prepare for dynamic lunges
Perform 2-4 sets of 30-60 second holds on each side.
0:15
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6. Short-Stance Split Squat
Isometrics are a starting point.
Eventually you need to get your knee strong through movement.
This exercise:
• Build quad strength
• Load deeper knee flexion
• Prepare for harder squatting & lunging
Perform 2-4 sets of 8-12 reps on each side.
Isometrics are a starting point.
Eventually you need to get your knee strong through movement.
This exercise:
• Build quad strength
• Load deeper knee flexion
• Prepare for harder squatting & lunging
Perform 2-4 sets of 8-12 reps on each side.
0:52
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7. Single Leg Hip Thrust
Strong knees need strong hips.
This exercise lets you:
• Strengthen hip extension
• Build single-leg glute strength
• Train one leg hard without heavily loading the knee
Add weight when BW is too easy.
Perform 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps on each side.
Strong knees need strong hips.
This exercise lets you:
• Strengthen hip extension
• Build single-leg glute strength
• Train one leg hard without heavily loading the knee
Add weight when BW is too easy.
Perform 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps on each side.
1:01
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If you appreciated this knee pain thread:
1. Retweet the 1st tweet
2. Follow me @ted_ryce
I'm here to help you lose fat, build muscle and fix joint pain.
1. Retweet the 1st tweet
2. Follow me @ted_ryce
I'm here to help you lose fat, build muscle and fix joint pain.
Ted Ryce@ted_ryce
Simple Exercises For Knee Pain
• ACL surgery
• Knee arthritis
• Meniscus tears
• Patellar tendinitis
The diagnosis doesn't matter.
The answer is progressive loading.
Here are 7 elite exercises that can reduce pain, rebuild strength and restore function:
• ACL surgery
• Knee arthritis
• Meniscus tears
• Patellar tendinitis
The diagnosis doesn't matter.
The answer is progressive loading.
Here are 7 elite exercises that can reduce pain, rebuild strength and restore function: