Pain guides
Exercises for pain
Movement is a first-line treatment for most long-standing knee, hip and leg pain. These guides start with the signs that need a clinician, say what the research supports and how strongly, and give a staged plan in which every exercise has a 3D demo and an easier and a harder option.
Knee pain
Exercises for knee pain with 3D demos: when to see a doctor, how much pain is OK while you train, and a 3-stage plan checked against NICE guidance.
Exercises for knee pain: what helps, and a plan to follow
For the two most common long-term knee problems, arthritis and pain around the kneecap, exercise is the first treatment the guidelines recommend. Strengthening the thigh and hip muscles is the core of it; resting the knee completely rarely is.
Knee painRunner's knee (patellofemoral pain): exercises that help
Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain) exercises from the 2016 and 2018 consensus and JOSPT guideline: hip and knee strength, load tips, 3D demos.
Knee painExercises for knee arthritis (osteoarthritis)
Exercise is the first treatment for knee osteoarthritis in NICE, OARSI and ACR guidance. A staged plan, walking advice and 3D demos of every move.
Knee painJumper's knee (patellar tendinopathy): a loading plan
Patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee) exercises: isometrics, heavy slow strength and a return to jumping, with what trials found and where they disagree.
Knee painIT band syndrome: exercises for outer knee pain
IT band syndrome: hip strength and running changes that help outer knee pain, and an honest look at IT band stretching and foam rolling.
Knee painMeniscus tear exercises: when exercise is the first treatment
For a degenerative meniscus tear, trials found 12 weeks of exercise matched keyhole surgery. Exercises, what to avoid, and when a tear needs a surgeon.
Hip pain
Hip pain by where it hurts: groin, outer hip or buttock. Evidence-graded exercises with 3D demos, a 3-stage plan, and the warning signs to act on.
Exercises for hip pain, and when to get it checked
Most hip pain that is not from an injury gets better with the right exercise, and for the common causes exercise is the first treatment guidelines recommend. Where you feel the pain is the best first clue to what is going on.
Hip painHip arthritis exercises: a staged plan that follows the guidelines
Exercise is the first treatment for hip osteoarthritis in NICE, ACR and OARSI guidelines. A 3-stage plan with 3D demos, starting doses and what to avoid.
Hip painOuter hip pain (hip bursitis): exercises that help, and positions to avoid
Outer hip pain is usually the gluteal tendons, not just a bursa. The trial-tested approach: what to avoid, then a staged exercise plan with 3D demos.
Hip painHip impingement (FAI) and labral tears: exercise first, and what to expect
Hip impingement and labral tears in active adults: what a scan does and does not mean, a 3-month exercise plan with 3D demos, and what trials say about surgery.
Hip painHip flexor pain: strengthen first, and the truth about tight hip flexors
Pain at the front of the hip when you lift your knee or sprint. A staged strengthening plan with 3D demos, and what sitting really does to your hip flexors.
Hip painGroin strain and adductor pain: the exercises with the best evidence
Groin strain rehab that works: active strengthening beat passive care, and one exercise cut footballers' groin problems by 41%. A staged plan with 3D demos.
Hip painPiriformis syndrome and buttock pain: what helps, and what it might really be
Most buttock pain isn't the piriformis. How to tell hip, back and nerve pain apart, gentle stretches that may help, and a staged plan with 3D demos.
Leg pain
Calf, shin, thigh or heel pain? Check the warning signs first, then follow a staged exercise plan with 3D demos, graded by the evidence.
Leg pain: exercises that help, and when to get it checked
Most leg pain is not serious. An NHS physiotherapy leaflet says most new leg pain improves within 6 to 8 weeks and that scans are not usually needed. That reassurance holds once the warning signs below have been ruled out, so read them first.
Leg painSciatica exercises: what helps, nerve glides, and when to worry
Stay active, try gentle stretches and nerve glides, then build strength. What NICE and the trials support, with 3D demos and the warning signs.
Leg painShin splints exercises: settle, strengthen, return to running
Shin splints or stress fracture? How to tell, what to stop, calf and shin strength work, and a walk-run return plan. Evidence graded, 3D demos.
Leg painAchilles tendonitis exercises (Achilles tendinopathy)
The 2024 guideline says load the calf as heavily as you can tolerate. A staged plan for mid-tendon and heel-end pain, with a pain rule and 3D demos.
Leg painCalf pain: strain, cramp or clot, and the exercises that help
One swollen, warm calf needs a same-day check. For a strained calf, start gentle loading within days. Staged plan with 3D demos and graded evidence.
Leg painHamstring strain exercises: from first days to sprinting
Lengthening exercises got footballers back sooner, and the Nordic curl halves hamstring injuries. A staged plan with 3D demos, plus high hamstring pain.
Leg painPlantar fasciitis stretches and exercises
Plantar fascia and calf stretches, heel raises with a towel under the toes, and what else helps heel pain. Graded evidence and 3D demos.
Leg painLeg cramps at night: stretches that may help, honestly
Nightly calf and hamstring stretches eased cramps in one trial of older adults. What to do mid-cramp, what the evidence says, and when to get checked.
Questions people ask
Should I exercise if something hurts?
For most long-standing joint and tendon pain, yes: clinical guidelines for knee and hip osteoarthritis, kneecap pain, tendon pain and sciatica all recommend staying active and doing specific exercise. The exceptions are the warning signs on each guide, such as a hot swollen joint, an injury you cannot put weight on, or numbness and weakness. Those need assessment first.
How much pain is acceptable during exercise?
Many rehabilitation programmes allow mild pain during exercise as long as it settles to your usual level by the next morning and does not build week to week. Each guide gives the rule its sources use.
Can these guides tell me what is wrong?
No. They describe common causes of pain in each area and what helps them, so you can have a better conversation with a clinician and start moving safely. Persistent, severe or unexplained pain needs an assessment.
Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. Clinical review of these guides is pending. Get urgent help for severe pain after an injury, a hot swollen joint with fever, a swollen painful calf, chest pain or breathlessness, or new numbness, weakness or bladder or bowel changes. Health disclaimer.