Knee pain can often be aggravated by exercise, but yoga can offer relief if you're looking to stay active, exercise regularly or rehabilitate an injury.
Many people come to my classes with niggles or old injuries, and while yoga can be challenging and intense, I think it's highly adaptable.
Whether you're struggling with weak knees that need gentle strengthening or are recovering from an injury, these yoga postures can help you keep moving without causing more pain to your knees.
Four yoga poses for knee pain
1. Chair pose (utkatasana)
Utkatasana is a standing pose that helps to strengthen your hips, glutes and knees, but be cautious. If you have any kind of knee injury, modify it by not dropping too deeply into your knees.
- Stand in mountain pose (tadasana) with your feet together or hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Engage your thighs and lengthen your spine.
- Inhale and extend your arms overhead with your palms facing each other.
- Exhale and bend your knees and your hips as if you're sitting back into a chair. Don't let your knees move forward past your toes.
- Hold for up to 30 seconds. Repeat two to three times.
2. Warrior II (virabhadrasana II)
Warrior II is a powerful pose that strengthens your legs, knees and ankles, which can support weak or previously injured knees. To protect your knees, ensure they don’t travel forward past your toes.
- Stand sideways on your yoga mat with your feet wide apart.
- Raise both arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor with your palms facing down.
- Turn your right foot 90°, so your toes point to the front of your mat.
- Bend your right knee, making sure it stays directly over your ankle. Keep your left leg straight.
- Press your feet firmly into the floor, gaze over your right hand and use your core to support yourself.
- Hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat two to three times on each side.
3. Reverse tabletop (ardha purvottanasana)
Reverse tabletop is a pose that's more beginner-friendly than it seems and strengthens the knees and core simultaneously.
- Sit on your mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat.
- Place your hands on the mat behind your hips, with your fingers pointing towards your feet.
- Press through your feet and lift your hips. Your body should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Hold this position for five to six breaths.
- Lower your hips slowly to the floor.
- Repeat four to five times.
4. Bridge pose (setu bandhasana)
Bridge pose is a helpful way to strengthen and lengthen the muscles and tissue that wrap around the knee joint. If you find this pose painful, come out of it—never push through any discomfort in yoga.
- Lie on your back with both knees bent, and your feet directly underneath your knees and flat on the floor, hip-distance apart. Keep your arms by your sides, palms facing down.
- Engage your core and lift your hips, keeping your knees bent and directly over your ankles.
- Hold for several breaths then slowly lower your hips to the floor.
