If you have knee pain and you’re worried that exercise will make it worse, that’s an understandable concern. The good news is that sore knees don’t automatically mean you can’t exercise at RISE.

Every Session is coached, which means we can take your knees into account rather than expecting you to follow exactly the same exercises in exactly the same way as everybody else.

How can exercises be adapted for knee pain?

There are several ways your coach can adjust an exercise depending on what feels appropriate for you. That might mean changing the movement itself, reducing the range of motion or depth, or choosing a different weight.

There’s no single version of an exercise that you have to complete. The aim is to find the version that allows you to exercise effectively while taking your knee pain into account.

• The exercise itself can be changed where necessary.
• Range of motion and depth can be adjusted.
• Your coach can help you choose an appropriate weight.
• Alternative movements can be used if something doesn’t feel right.

Can exercise actually help painful knees?

In many cases, appropriate exercise can help by strengthening the muscles that support and move the knee. That’s one reason having sore knees doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding exercise altogether.

However, knee pain can have many different causes, so we wouldn’t promise that exercise will fix every knee problem. If you have unexplained, severe or worsening pain, or you’ve been advised by a healthcare professional to restrict certain activities, it’s important to get appropriate medical advice and let your RISE coach know about it.

What if an exercise hurts my knee?

Tell your coach. Don’t feel that you have to push through pain simply because an exercise is part of the Session. Your coach can look at what you’re doing and adjust the movement, depth, weight or exercise where appropriate.

If knee pain has made you nervous about joining a gym, having a coach with you throughout every RISE Session means you won’t be left to work out suitable exercises by yourself.