Why the Exercises You Found Online Didn’t Help Your Knee Pain

It’s incredibly frustrating when you’ve been making great progress in your workouts, getting stronger, pushing heavier weights, and seeing more definition in your legs.

But then, knee pain strikes, and suddenly, even your warm-up sets become unbearable.

So, what do you do?

You pause your squats and start searching online for solutions.

You Google “exercises for knee pain” or “how to fix knee pain with squats,” and you get a list of suggestions:

• Quad stretches
• Hamstring stretches
• Wall sits
• Clamshells
• Foam rolling your IT band

You spend the next week diligently doing these exercises, hoping for relief.

But when you try squatting again, the sharp pain is still there.

Now, you’re discouraged and wondering: Why didn’t it work? Will I ever squat pain-free again?

The truth is, those exercises were just shots in the dark.

They didn’t address the real reason your knees hurt.

People who overcome knee pain and get back to squatting without issues don’t rely on random exercises they find online.

Instead, they follow a process designed specifically for their knees.

What Does That Process Look Like?
It starts with a thorough movement assessment to pinpoint exactly when and where the pain occurs.

Simply saying, “I have pain when I squat,” isn’t enough. Every case of knee pain is different, and the solution depends on the specifics of your situation.

Here are some key questions to consider:

• Does the pain happen when you’re lowering into the squat?
• Does it occur only when you’re coming back up?
• Is the pain present at a certain range of motion?
• Does it happen only when you use a specific amount of weight?
• Once you’ve identified these details, you can make targeted adjustments to your squat or your overall program.

Examples of Adjustments

• Pain at a Specific Depth: Use box squats to eliminate the painful range of motion. For instance, set a box at a height just above where the pain starts, allowing you to squat without discomfort.
• Pain with Heavy Weight: Reduce the weight and progress in other ways. You can use variables like tempo, volume, or isometric holds to continue building strength without increasing the load on your knees.
• Pain After Workouts: If your knees swell or hurt after a workout, it’s likely a programming issue. You may need to adjust your overall workload, not just the squat variation.

Without understanding the root cause of your knee pain, you’re essentially guessing—and guessing can lead to more problems.

It’s like knowing you have an electrical issue and cutting random wires in your house. Sure, you’re doing something, but you might cut the wrong wire and make things worse.

Take walking backward on a treadmill as an example.

You’ve probably seen this exercise all over social media as a “knee pain fix.”

While it can be useful for retraining your quads to fully straighten your knee during walking—especially after surgery or prolonged pain—it’s not a magic solution.

Walking backward on a treadmill doesn’t prepare your knees to handle the stress of squatting with heavy weights.

Walking and squatting place entirely different demands on your body.

This is why I always start with a movement assessment before creating any plan.

It’s the only way to truly understand what your knees need and to identify the right exercises that will help you make real progress.

Random exercises from Google, TikTok, or Instagram won’t give you the full picture—only a tailored approach will.

If you’re tired of guessing and wasting time on exercises that don’t work, it’s time for a personalized solution.

My Get Rid of Your Knee Pain Program is designed to help you squat pain-free by providing customized strategies based on your specific needs.

You can grab it here and get back to crushing leg day without knee pain holding you back.