Why Balance Training Matters More With Knee Problems
When your knees hurt, your body naturally compensates by changing how you walk and stand. You might favour one leg, take shorter steps, or avoid certain movements. While these compensations reduce knee pain in the moment, they actually increase your fall risk because they disrupt the natural movement patterns your balance system relies on. You can check your current stability with our fall risk assessment quiz.
Additionally, knee pain often leads to reduced activity, which causes the muscles around the knee and ankle to weaken further — creating a downward spiral of instability. Targeted balance exercises break this cycle by strengthening supportive muscles while improving your body's ability to react to balance challenges. Our guide on how to improve balance after 60 covers the full picture.
Knee-Safe Balance Exercises
Seated Options (Zero Knee Stress)
Seated Weight Shifts
Sit tall and slowly shift your weight to the right, feeling your right hip press into the chair. Return to centre, then shift left. Repeat 10 times each side. This trains the lateral stability muscles in your trunk and hips with absolutely no knee involvement. If you also have arthritis, see our chair exercises for arthritis page for more seated options.
Seated Trunk Circles
Sit tall and slowly move your upper body in a circular motion — forward, right, back, left. Make 5 circles each direction. This activates all the core muscles responsible for postural balance.
Seated Weight Transfers
Sit tall and shift your weight from one hip to the other without using your arms. Hold each side for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times per side. This trains lateral stability with zero knee stress, making it ideal for anyone with significant knee problems who wants to start building balance from a safe, seated position.
Standing Options (Minimal Knee Bend)
Weight Shifting Front-to-Back
Stand behind a chair, holding lightly. Slowly rock your weight forward onto your toes, then back onto your heels. Keep your knees soft but don't bend them further. Repeat 10 times. This trains ankle strategy balance — your first line of defence against falls — without requiring any knee flexion.
Hip Abduction
Stand behind a chair, holding for support. Slowly lift one leg out to the side, keeping it straight. Hold for 2 seconds, then lower with control. Repeat 10 times per leg. This strengthens the hip muscles that stabilise your pelvis during walking — all with a straight knee.
Wall-Supported Heel-to-Toe Stand
Stand beside a wall with one foot directly in front of the other, heel touching toe. Maintain light fingertip contact with the wall for safety. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch feet. This challenges your balance significantly without requiring any knee bending, making it one of the best standing balance exercises for people with knee problems.
Floor Options
Glute Bridge
Lie on your back with knees bent at a comfortable angle and feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips. Hold for 3 seconds, then lower. Repeat 10 times. Position your feet so your knees stay at an angle that doesn't cause pain — wider feet placement often helps.
Exercises to Avoid or Modify
If you have significant knee problems, avoid deep squats, lunges, and any exercise requiring deep knee bends. Walking exercises like the grapevine walk, which involves crossing legs, can also put lateral stress on the knees. Instead, focus on straight-line walking exercises like heel-to-toe walks and heel walks, which challenge balance without twisting the knee. If you're unsure which exercises suit your ability level, try our find your exercises quiz.
What Makes an Exercise Knee-Friendly?
Knee-friendly exercises share three key characteristics: they avoid deep bending past 90 degrees, they don't require sudden direction changes, and they minimise impact on the joint. This doesn't mean avoiding movement — in fact, gentle movement is one of the best things you can do for painful knees.
The muscles surrounding your knee — particularly the quadriceps and hamstrings — act as natural shock absorbers. When these muscles are strong, they take pressure off the knee joint itself. That's why strengthening exercises often reduce knee pain rather than increase it.
If you have osteoarthritis in your knees, the Arthritis Foundation recommends starting with range-of-motion exercises, then adding gentle strengthening, and finally incorporating balance work. Our chair exercises for arthritis guide follows exactly this progression.
Building a Complete Bad-Knees Exercise Programme
Balance exercises are just one piece of the puzzle. For a well-rounded programme that's gentle on your knees, combine these balance movements with seated strength exercises for your upper body and core, and leg strengthening exercises that focus on the muscles around the knee.
Warm up before every session — cold muscles and joints are more prone to pain. Our seated warm-up exercises take just 2 to 3 minutes and can significantly reduce knee discomfort during your workout.
If you're unsure which exercises are right for your specific knee condition, take our find your exercises quiz for personalised recommendations based on your mobility level and health conditions.
68 Joint-Friendly Chair Exercises with Video Demos
Our bestselling book includes exercises at beginner and intermediate levels — all designed to be gentle on knees, hips, and joints. Includes a 30-day progressive plan.
View on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
Can you improve balance with bad knees?
Yes, you can absolutely improve balance with bad knees. Many effective balance exercises involve little or no knee bending, such as seated weight shifts, ankle-strategy exercises, and hip abduction movements. By choosing knee-friendly exercises and practising consistently, you can make meaningful gains in stability without aggravating your knee pain.
What balance exercises are safe for bad knees?
The safest balance exercises for bad knees are those that keep the knees straight or only slightly bent. Seated weight shifts, trunk circles, standing hip abductions, heel-to-toe stands with wall support, and weight shifting front-to-back are all excellent options. Avoid deep squats, lunges, and any exercise that requires deep knee flexion.
Should I use a chair for balance exercises if I have knee pain?
A chair is an excellent tool for balance training with knee pain. You can use it as a seat for fully seated exercises that eliminate knee stress entirely, or hold the back of it for support during standing exercises. Starting with chair-supported exercises lets you build confidence and strength before progressing to less-supported options.
How often should I do balance exercises with bad knees?
Aim for balance exercises 3 to 5 times per week. Short, frequent sessions of 10 to 15 minutes are more effective than one long weekly session. Consistency matters more than duration. Listen to your knees — if a session causes increased pain or swelling, take an extra rest day before your next session.
Can balance exercises help reduce knee pain?
Balance exercises can indirectly help reduce knee pain by strengthening the muscles around the hip and ankle that support proper alignment. When your hips and ankles are stronger and more stable, less compensatory stress is placed on the knee joint. Improved balance also reduces the risk of awkward movements and stumbles that can jar a painful knee.
58 Balance Exercises — With Difficulty Ratings
Every exercise in our balance book is rated by difficulty (beginner, intermediate, challenging), so you can choose knee-friendly options and progress at your own pace.
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