The Best Exercises for Knee Pain (No Surgery Needed), by Dr. Eric Berg DC on YouTube. 6 min 31 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 31 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 6
What you need
Steps
Warm up for 5 minutes with easy walking or gentle cycling so the knee joint is warm before you load it.
Start with the knee stabilization drill. Stand on one leg with a soft knee and hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then swap sides. Do 3 rounds per leg.
For knee rotation, sit on a chair with the knee bent to 90 degrees. Turn the lower leg inward and outward against light band or hand resistance, 10 to 15 slow reps each way.
Set up terminal knee extensions with a band anchored at knee height and looped behind the knee. Straighten the knee fully, squeeze the quad for 2 seconds, and do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.
Finish with knee flexion. Lie face down or sit and curl the heel toward your buttock against light band resistance, then lower slowly. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.
Run all four drills in one session and repeat the full routine about once a week, as the creator suggests, noting pain, range of motion and left-right symmetry each time.
Tips and common mistakes
Stop the set if you feel sharp pain or the knee swells, since muscle tiredness is fine but joint pain is not.
Keep every rep slow and controlled so the weak muscle does the work instead of momentum.
Start with the lightest band you own and only add tension when 15 clean reps feel easy.
See a doctor or physiotherapist first if you have had knee surgery, a ligament tear, or cannot put weight on the leg.
Questions
How often should I do these knee exercises?
The creator suggests running the full routine about once a week and checking your range of motion and pain each time. You can do the easier drills such as the balance hold more often if the knee settles well.
Will these exercises cure knee arthritis?
No. They strengthen the muscles around the knee, which may improve stability and range of motion, but they do not reverse arthritis. Get a proper diagnosis if the pain is new or getting worse.
What if one exercise hurts?
Skip that drill and keep the ones that feel comfortable. Pain that lasts more than a day after training, or any new swelling, means you should back off and get the knee checked.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
