Doing stretches and squats has many benefits, including improving your range of motion, helping prevent injury and building strength. However, if you experience knee pain during these activities, you need to modify your workout. If your knee pain persists or worsens after trying these modifications, ask your doctor to recommend other flexibility and resistance exercises that target your lower-body muscle groups.
Warming Up
Stretching should not be the first segment of your workout. Instead, do a cardiovascular activity that progressively raises your heart rate. Walking briskly, marching, lightly jogging or cycling in a low gear make your heart beat faster, pumping oxygen to your muscles. After 10 minutes of warming up, you should be ready to do stretches and squats. Breathe deeply while you warm up to maximize the amount of oxygen you pump through your system.
Proper Position
Altering your position during stretches and squats can relieve pressure on your joints, tendons and muscles. When stretching, avoid bouncing. Instead, slowly and gently deepen the stretch and then hold it. When you return to your resting position, avoid locking your knees. When doing squats, keep your knees relaxed. Tilt your hips as you bend down so that you do not extend your knees past your toes. Contract your abdomen and maintain a straight back. Do slow. purposeful movements and stretch your quadriceps and hamstrings afterward.
Modifications
If your knees feel stiff or sore while doing stretching and squats, consider modifying your movements. Warm up and strengthen your hamstrings and quadriceps by doing leg lifts before doing squats. Lie on your back. Inhale, contract your core muscles and lift one leg a few inches. Hold it for a count of 10, release and lift the alternate leg. If the squats still hurt your knees, do them with your back against the wall.
Additional Therapy and Exercises
Alleviate knee pain by doing other types of lower-body strengthening workouts. Walking across a swimming pool or holding a kickboard and doing kicks exercises the same muscles but with less stress on your knees. If you have more severe pain, try isometric exercises in which you contract and release your leg muscles. Low-impact aerobic exercises that build leg strength include swimming laps, using an elliptical trainer or riding a stationary cycle.
