Exercising with a sore knee after 50: how to keep training

“I’d exercise, but my knee…” I hear this a lot, and having a sore knee can make it difficult to know what you should and shouldn’t be doing.

Pain isn’t something I’m going to ask you to ignore or push through. But having a sore knee doesn’t automatically mean that all exercise has to stop either.

Sometimes we might change the exercise. Sometimes we reduce the resistance or range of movement. Sometimes we focus on other areas of the body. And sometimes the right thing to do is stop and get a little more information from your GP or physio first.

The goal is to work with what your body can do today and build from there.

And if you’re already working with a physio, GP or another healthcare professional, I’m more than happy to work alongside their recommendations.

Sometimes we might need a little more information first

I’m a Personal Trainer, not a physiotherapist or a doctor, so I’m not here to diagnose your knee or guess what might be causing your pain.

If your knee pain is new, getting worse, there’s significant swelling, your knee is giving way or locking, it’s waking you at night, or something simply doesn’t feel right, I’ll encourage you to have it checked by your GP or physio.

If you’re already seeing someone, let me know what they’ve recommended and whether there are any movements or activities they’d like you to avoid or modify. I’m more than happy to work alongside them and adapt your training accordingly.

Sometimes we can keep training with a few simple changes. Other times, getting a little more information first is the best place to start.

Should you rest a sore knee or keep moving?

It depends on what’s going on with your knee.

Sometimes rest is exactly what your body needs, particularly with a new injury or flare-up. But having a sore knee doesn’t always mean you need to stop moving completely.

Depending on how your knee feels and any advice you’ve been given, there may still be plenty you can do. We might change an exercise, reduce the resistance or range of movement, choose a different movement, or focus on other areas of your body while your knee needs a little more care.

Strength is important as we age, including the muscles around our hips and legs, but that doesn’t mean pushing through knee pain in the name of getting stronger.

The aim isn’t to choose between complete rest and pushing through. It’s about listening to your body, finding what feels appropriate for you and building from there.

What we actually change in a session

This is the practical part. Training with a sore knee doesn’t necessarily mean changing everything. Sometimes a few small adjustments can make a big difference.

• The range of movement: if a movement feels comfortable through one range but not another, we can work within the range that feels appropriate for you and build from there.
• The resistance: sometimes we might start lighter or reduce the resistance and gradually increase it as your body becomes stronger and more comfortable with the movement.
• The exercise: there’s usually more than one way to work the same area. If an exercise doesn’t feel right, we can change it rather than feeling like you have to push through.
• The tempo: sometimes changing the speed of a movement can help you feel more controlled and comfortable with what you’re doing.
• The impact: if higher-impact movements aren’t appropriate for you right now, we can choose lower-impact ways to build strength and fitness instead.
• The setup: changing something as simple as your position, seat height, stance or adding a little support can sometimes make a movement feel completely different.

None of that makes it a lesser session. It makes it a session built around you and what your body needs that day.

And just because one part of your body needs a little more care doesn’t mean everything else has to stop. We can still work on your upper body, your back, your core and everything else your body is comfortable doing.

The strength that supports a knee

Your knee doesn’t work in isolation. The muscles around your hips, thighs and lower legs all play a role in how you move, which is why training with a sore knee often involves more than focusing on the knee itself.

• The quadriceps: the muscles at the front of your thigh play an important role in supporting everyday movements such as walking, standing up, climbing stairs and getting up from a chair.
• The glutes and hips: strength around your hips can support the way your whole lower body moves during things like walking, stepping, squatting and balancing.
• The hamstrings and calves: these muscles also contribute to lower-body strength and movement, so it makes sense to include them as part of a well-rounded program.
• Balance and control: balance is something we can continue to work on as we age, and exercises that challenge balance can be an important part of maintaining confidence and function.

Mobility can be part of the picture too. If you’re feeling stiff through your hips or other areas of your body, we can look at how strength and mobility can work together to help you move more comfortably.

What I won’t do

I won’t diagnose your knee or tell you what’s causing your pain. That’s not my role as a Personal Trainer.

I also won’t ask you to push through pain or make you feel like you just need to try harder when something doesn’t feel right.

What I will do is listen.

If something doesn’t feel right, tell me. We can stop, change the movement, adjust the resistance or range of movement, or try something different.

That’s one of the things I love about one-on-one Personal Training. We can adapt your session to you, in the moment.

Working alongside your physio

If you’re already seeing a physio for your knee, that’s absolutely something we can work with.

Let me know what they’ve recommended, whether there are any movements they’d like you to avoid or modify, and anything they’d like you to focus on. I can take that into consideration when planning and adapting your training.

My role isn’t to replace what your physio is doing. It’s to work alongside their recommendations and help you continue building strength and confidence through your training.

And if it would be helpful, I’m always happy to work alongside your physio or other healthcare professional so we’re all supporting you in the same direction.

When to stop and get it checked

Sometimes, changing the exercise isn’t the answer.

If your knee pain is getting worse, you’re noticing significant swelling, your knee is giving way or locking, you have pain that wakes you at night, or something simply doesn’t feel right, I’m not going to guess or ask you to push through it.

We’ll stop, and I’ll encourage you to have it checked by your GP or physio.

Once we know a little more about what’s going on and what they’re happy for you to do, we can work with that and keep you moving in a way that’s appropriate for you.

And if you’re already working with someone, I’m always happy to work alongside their recommendations.

If you’d like a little more support around training with an injury, you can also read more about how I approach Personal Training when something needs a little extra care.

If your knee is part of the reason it’s been a while since you exercised, my guide to getting back into the gym after years off is a great next read. And if you’re unsure about adding weights, you can also read more about starting strength training in your 50s.