Your knee has started aching during squats, lunges or the leg press, and you are not sure what to do with your next leg day. When strength training is part of your routine, skipping legs altogether can feel like losing progress. Most recent knee pain does not mean stopping. Adapting your exercises and load for a while can help your knee settle while you keep training.

Why knees get sore with training

Knee pain in people who lift usually comes from load going up faster than the knee can adapt. Adding weight quickly, going deeper in squats, more volume or a new programme can all tip the balance. The front of the knee is a common spot, especially with deep squats and lunges.

In most cases, the knee is irritated rather than damaged. It is a sign to adjust your training for a while, not stop it.

Reading how your knee responds

A simple traffic-light check can guide your training:

• Green. No pain, or a mild ache that settles within an hour. Carry on.
• Amber. An ache that lingers into the evening but has settled by the next morning. Keep training at the same level rather than adding more.
• Red. Your knee is sorer, stiffer or more swollen the next morning. Ease back next session.

Adapting squats

You do not need to drop squats. Small changes can make them more knee-friendly:

• Squat to a box or bench, so you control the depth.
• Reduce the weight and focus on control, taking about three seconds to lower.
• Try goblet squats, holding the weight in front of you.
• Stop a little short of where the pain starts.

Adapting lunges and split squats

Lunges can be hard on a sore knee, especially forward lunges. Some ideas:

• Swap forward lunges for reverse lunges, which usually put less load on the front of the knee.
• Shorten the range, going only as deep as feels comfortable.
• Hold onto something for balance so you can focus on control.

If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of reverse lunges and sit to stands you can use at your own pace.

Machines and other swaps

Some exercises may feel easier on a sore knee for now:

• Leg press with a shorter range, stopping before your knees bend too deeply.
• Hip thrusts and bridges, which work your glutes and hamstrings with little load on the front of the knee.
• Romanian deadlifts, which focus on the back of your legs.
• Hamstring curls, if they feel comfortable.

Leg extensions can bother some sore knees. If you use them, keeping the weight light and the range short may help.

Holds can help

Holding a position, like a wall sit or a held squat at a comfortable depth, often feels more comfortable than moving through a full range when your knee is sore. Holding for 30 to 45 seconds can be a useful way to keep your thigh muscles working.

What you can keep

Upper body training, core work and most other exercises can carry on as usual. Bridges and heel raises are often comfortable for a sore knee. If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of bridges and heel raises you can use at your own pace.

Warming up

A thorough warm-up helps your knee feel more ready for training. Something to try:

• Cycle or walk for five minutes.
• Leg swings forwards and backwards.
• Bodyweight squats to a box.
• Light warm-up sets of your first exercise.

Outside the gym

Long spells of sitting with your knees bent can make a sore knee stiff. Straightening your legs every so often, or getting up for a short walk, helps. VIDA’s Pomodoro stretches, in the top right corner, can remind you to pause during focused work.

Building back up

When your knee has been in the green for a week or so, you can start bringing back what you changed, one thing at a time. Add depth before adding weight, and change only one thing each week. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how your knee responds.

What to take away

• Most recent knee pain in people who lift means adapting, not stopping.
• Use the traffic-light check to guide each session.
• Squat to a box and swap forward lunges for reverse lunges.
• Try holds, bridges and hip thrusts while your knee settles.
• Bring back depth and weight gradually, one change at a time.

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