5 Easy Yoga Poses for Knee Pain Relief

Knee pain affects nearly 25% of Americans. While common among runners and cyclists, prolonged sitting and age-related osteoarthritis and muscle weakness can also trigger it. 

Knee pain can be frustrating and impact your daily life, so you’re likely looking for something that’s both simple and effective. Yoga for knee pain offers a low-impact workout that puts minimal strain on the knees, making it suitable for everyone! 

What Causes Knee Pain?

Knee pain can result from a variety of factors like:

• Limited mobility, caused by age or inactivity, can put extra strain on the knees.

• Sitting for long hours can cause stiffness and discomfort, leading to knee pain.

• Arthritis, a common condition that leads to inflammation and pain in the knee joint.

• Tears, sprains, or other injuries can damage the knee’s soft tissues.

• Obesity, as extra weight can add stress to the knee joint.

• Hormonal changes like menopause can weaken the bones and affect joint health.

• Age-related concerns such as reduced cartilage and weakened joints and muscles can lead to knee pain.

• Physical activities, like running or cycling, without proper warm up and cool down can strain or injure the knees.

• Tight or weak muscles around the knee, caused by lack of activity, aging, or prolonged sitting, can misalign the kneecap and lead to pain.

There are various causes of knee pain, but yoga offers a safe and effective solution.

5 Best Yoga Poses for Knee Pain Relief

When done correctly, yoga can be an effective way to strengthen muscles around the knees, release tension to reduce stiffness, and relieve knee discomfort. Some easy and effective yoga poses for knee pain relief include:

Bridge Pose

This pose strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, supporting knee stability.

• Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat, and hip-width apart.

• Keep arms at your sides, palms down.

• Press into your feet and lift your hips toward the ceiling.

• Hold for 5-10 breaths, then gently lower your hips back to the mat.

Chair Pose

This pose strengthens the quads, hamstrings, and glutes relieving the pressure placed on your knees by your body weight.

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by your sides.

• Inhale and raise your arms overhead.

• Exhale and bend your knees, lowering your hips as if sitting in a chair.

• Hold for 5 breaths and rise back up to standing.

Triangle Pose

This pose helps stretch the hamstrings and inner thighs to release tension, thus reducing stiffness.

• Stand with feet wide apart, turning your right foot outward.

• Extend arms at shoulder height.

• Shift your torso to the right and lower your right hand to your shin, ankle, or floor.

• Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Low Lunge

This gentle and effective pose opens up the hip flexors and strengthens the quads, improving knee alignment and balance.

• Step one foot forward into a lunge, keeping the back knee on the mat.

• Align your knee with your ankle and extend your arms overhead.

• Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Supported Child’s Pose

The supportive child’s pose is a calming practice to relieve tension in the knees and promote relaxation.

• Start on your hands and knees with your knees spread wide apart.

• Place a folded blanket or cushion between your knees and thighs for added support and comfort.

• Slowly sit back onto your heels, lowering your torso toward the floor.

• Stretch your arms forward, with palms facing down on the mat, or place them alongside your body with palms facing up.

• Hold for 5-10 breaths, allowing your body to fully relax into the pose.

These poses can help relieve knee pain, but it’s important to do them correctly for maximum benefit and to avoid aggravating your symptoms. After all, knee pain can be excruciating, and doing the poses incorrectly can make it worse. 

A 1-on-1 approach, under the guidance of an expert coach, can make a significant difference. 

1-on-1 Yoga Coaching for Effective Knee Pain Relief

Knee pain has various causes, so a one-size-fits-all approach often isn’t enough. Whether it’s due to an injury, arthritis, or prolonged sitting, each cause requires a tailored approach for effective relief and strengthening of the knee. That’s where 1-on-1 yoga coaching comes in.

Targeted Poses for Quick Relief

Certain yoga poses can provide quick relief by addressing the specific muscles and joints contributing to your knee pain. In 1-on-1 sessions, a dedicated coach can guide you through poses that gently stretch the muscles around your knees, improving circulation and reducing pressure on the joint. This targeted approach helps relieve discomfort immediately, allowing you to live pain-free and move more freely and comfortably.

Live Guidance & Feedback for Safe and Effective Sessions

With real-time feedback and adjustments, you’ll ensure each pose is done correctly without straining any muscles and joints that can trigger further pain. This live, step-by-step guidance and feedback make sure you do the right poses and do them correctly to prevent any further pain. 

Personalized Sessions for Long-Term Health 

Knee pain is commonly caused by weak joints, stiff and tight muscles, reduced cartilage, or previous injuries. In 1-on-1 sessions, your coach works with you to identify the root cause of your knee pain and tailors each session to address it. Through personalized exercises and modified poses, your coach targets weak and tight muscles to strengthen them while focusing on improving joint health. This approach helps provide long-term relief from knee pain.

Whether you're recovering from an injury, managing chronic knee pain, or looking for a way to prevent future discomfort in the knees, 1-on-1 yoga coaching offers a supportive and effective path toward knee pain relief. To get started, check out some best knee specialists at MyYogaTeacher:

• Ankit Bhatnagar

• Umesh Balavaradaraju

• Jayendra Ippili

• Muskan Agarwal

If you enjoy the energy of a group setting or are just starting out and would like to learn some basic poses, check out this group class. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is yoga good for knee pain?

Yes, yoga can be highly effective for knee pain. By incorporating gentle stretches, strengthening poses, and mindful movements, yoga helps improve flexibility, alleviate tension, and enhance circulation around the knee joint. Moreover, with 1-on-1 guidance from a coach, you can find the right poses that target your specific pain points and provide relief.

Can yoga help strengthen the knees to prevent pain?

Absolutely! Yoga strengthens the knees and the key surrounding muscles, including the quads, hamstrings, and calves, which provide support to the joint. A tailored yoga practice can help prevent knee pain by improving muscle strength, flexibility, and alignment. MyYogaTeacher’s 1-on-1 coaching allows you to focus on the specific muscle imbalances contributing to your knee pain, helping to build strength and stability.

Which yoga poses to avoid with painful knees?

With knee pain, it’s important to avoid poses that put excessive pressure on the knees or cause discomfort. Poses like deep lunges or deep squats can aggravate the joint. It’s always a good idea to work with an experienced coach who can help you modify poses and choose gentle alternatives that won’t strain your knees and still provide relief.

Book a Free 1-on-1 Session Today!

Experience the benefits of live 1-on-1 coaching first-hand. Book your free trial session and find relief from knee pain!