Knee pain from golf: the lead knee, a worn meniscus, arthritis, walking the course and what helps

Knee pain from golf is usually in the lead knee, the left knee for a right-handed golfer, which takes most of your weight through impact and twists while nearly straight as you turn through the ball. From mid-life, the usual causes are arthritis or a worn meniscus on the inner side; pain around the kneecap from bending to read putts and walking hills is the other common pattern. Golf isn't bad for your knees, and most golfers with sore knees keep playing with a few changes to the set-up, the range and the walk.

This guide starts with the signs that need help today, from a 999 call for a fall on the course with a hip or knee you can't put weight on, or chest pain while you play, to accident and emergency (A&E) for a pop with swelling within hours, and the National Health Service's 111 line (NHS 111) for a knee that locks, gives way or is hot and swollen. It then sorts the causes by where it hurts, explains what lab studies show about the lead foot, the stance and the driver, when to walk and when to ride, and golf after a knee replacement, and gives a four-stage plan with a 3D demo of every move that ends with the golf warm-up and a step-by-step return to 18 holes.

4-stage exercise plan When to get help 43 sourcesUpdated 28 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999 if you or someone else has fallen and may have hurt the head, back, neck or hip, or cannot get up. Get help from NHS 111 after a fall if you may be in pain, injured or unwell.
Call 999 or go to A&E: severe hip pain after a fall or injury, or you cannot stand, walk or put weight on the leg. In an older adult this can be a broken hip; the leg may be at an odd angle or look shorter. Don't drive yourself.
After a fall, knee pain with pain in the hip, groin or upper leg, or trouble standing or putting weight on the leg: get help as for a broken hip above. A broken hip is occasionally felt mainly in the knee (our suggestion, from case reports).
Go to A&E (accident and emergency) if you've injured your knee and it has changed shape, it becomes very swollen very quickly, you felt a pop or snap, you can see bone sticking out, or it's bleeding heavily. Don't drive yourself: ask someone to take you, or call 999 if the pain means you can't move your leg to get there.
Get advice from NHS 111 now: you cannot move the knee or put any weight on it, or it is very painful, badly swollen or has changed shape.
You hurt your knee and cannot take 4 steps, or you are 55 or over and have injured it: get it checked the same day for a broken bone.
Get advice from NHS 111 now: the knee locks, gives way or clicks painfully. Painless clicking is normal.
Get advice from NHS 111 now: after a twist, your knee won't go fully straight, or something blocks the last part of straightening, even if you can still walk on it. A torn piece of meniscus caught in the joint can do this, and it needs checking promptly.
Same day: a pop or tearing feeling at the front of the knee after a fall, stumble, jump, landing or a heavy squat, then you can't straighten the knee or lift the straight leg off the bed, there's a dent above or below the kneecap, or the kneecap sits higher or lower than on the other side. Go to A&E or an urgent treatment centre, or get help from NHS 111. A torn quadriceps or patellar tendon does best when it's repaired soon.
Get advice from NHS 111 now: a hot, red or swollen knee with sudden severe pain, a very high temperature (although not everyone has one), or feeling hot, cold or shivery. This can be a joint infection.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): sudden, severe pain in one joint, with swelling, a change in skin colour or difficulty moving it, especially if you feel unwell, hot, cold or shivery or have a high temperature (although not everyone has one). It could be an infection in the joint, gout or calcium crystals (pseudogout), and only a sample of fluid from the joint can tell them apart.
After a recent knee replacement, ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 for redness, tenderness, swelling or pain in your knee that isn't getting better or is getting worse, a high temperature or feeling hot, cold or shivery, throbbing or cramping pain in your leg, or oozing or pus from the wound. Call 999 or go to A&E for leg pain and swelling with difficulty breathing or chest pain.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): throbbing pain in one leg (rarely both), usually the calf or thigh; swelling in one leg (rarely both); red, blue or darkened skin around the painful area, which may be harder to see on brown or black skin; or swollen veins. This can be a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is more likely after surgery, a hospital stay, 3 or more days in bed, a journey of over 4 hours, pregnancy or a recent birth, cancer, a previous clot, or oestrogen-containing contraception or HRT.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): throbbing pain in one leg (rarely both), usually the calf or thigh; swelling in one leg (rarely both); red, blue or darkened skin; or swollen veins; or sudden worse pain and swelling around a lump at the back of the knee (a possible clot or a burst Baker's cyst).
Call 999 or go to A&E if breathing suddenly becomes difficult, if pain in your chest or upper back comes on suddenly with breathlessness or a very fast heartbeat, or if someone passes out. Do not drive yourself. It can be a blood clot that has reached the lungs.
Call 999 or go to A&E: a foot or leg that is suddenly cold, pale, numb, weak or very painful without an injury. A sudden loss of blood supply is a vascular emergency.
Call 999: chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing on your chest; chest pain that's spreading to your arms, neck or jaw; severe difficulty breathing (you're gasping, choking or not able to get words out); lips or skin that are pale, blue or grey (on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands); or someone who has passed out and is not responding normally. It could be a heart attack. Don't drive yourself to A&E.
Get help from NHS 111: pain or tightness in your chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms that comes and goes, often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold and easing after a few minutes' rest. It can be angina, a sign of a heart problem. If you've been diagnosed with angina, get help from NHS 111 too if it feels worse than before, is happening more often, lasts longer or happens when you're resting.
Call 999 or go to A&E: back or leg symptoms with numbness around the genitals or bottom, new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or severe or worsening weakness or numbness in both legs.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Knee pain that has not improved within a few weeks of looking after it at home. Many areas offer NHS physiotherapy without a GP referral.
A twisting or landing injury with a pop or snap, or a knee that changed shape or swelled very quickly, is the A&E sign above, in the NHS's words. If you didn't go at the time and the knee has since settled and you can walk on it, still get it assessed soon by your GP, an NHS physiotherapy service (many areas take self-referrals) or a fracture or sports injury clinic.
Catching, locking or swelling at the joint line that hasn't settled after about 3 months of exercise and other non-surgical care: ask your GP or physiotherapist about a specialist review. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan may be considered then.
Sudden, severe and persistent knee pain, often on the inner side, that came on with little or no injury, especially if you're over 60: see a GP rather than assuming it's arthritis. Early X-rays are usually normal, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan may be needed.
Kneecap pain that hasn't improved within 6 weeks of changing your activities and doing the exercises, or that gets worse: talk to a GP or physiotherapist.
Tendon pain above or below the kneecap and you take steroid tablets or have steroid injections, use anabolic steroids, have kidney disease, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or diabetes, or have recently taken a fluoroquinolone antibiotic: tell your GP or physiotherapist and build up more gradually. These can weaken the tendon. If you're taking a fluoroquinolone now, stop taking it and contact your doctor straight away, as the UK medicines regulator advises.
Your knee gives way when you walk, or you've had a fall: use a rail or a stick, and get it checked by a GP or physiotherapist. Asking about a walking aid and a falls check is our suggestion.
Any fall or near-fall, new unsteadiness, or a new fear of falling: ask about a falls assessment.
Symptoms of gout for the first time, or gout that your usual treatment isn't helping: see a GP.
Swelling in several joints, or morning stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes: see a GP. It can be an inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis rather than osteoarthritis.
Bone pain that is constant or worse at night, especially with a lump, unexplained weight loss, fever or tiredness, or a past history of cancer.
Leg ache when you walk that goes after a few minutes' rest: possible peripheral arterial disease (narrowed leg arteries), especially if you smoke or have diabetes.
Numbness, tingling or weakness that travels down the leg from the back. That points to a nerve (sciatica) rather than the knee.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

The inner side of the lead knee, worse turning through the ball, holding the finish or walking hills, from your mid-40s, stiff for under 30 minutes in the morning

Usually knee arthritis on the inner side, sometimes with a worn meniscus.

Read: Knee arthritis →

The joint line on the inner or outer side, with catching, locking or swelling over a day or two, after a twist in the swing or getting up from a crouch to read a putt

A meniscus tear, often a worn one from mid-life.

Read: Meniscus tear →

Around or behind the kneecap, worse bending to tee up or read putts, on hills, stairs and after sitting in the buggy

Kneecap pain (patellofemoral pain), in our reading; no study has counted it in golfers.

Read: Runner's knee →

The inner side a few centimetres below the joint, without an injury, worse on hills and stairs

Possibly pes anserine bursitis.

Read: Pes anserine pain →

Behind the knee, a tight swelling that's worse after a round

Often a Baker's cyst, usually with arthritis or a meniscus tear.

Read: Baker's cyst →

The whole knee swells after 18 holes

A flare of arthritis or a meniscus tear. Our swollen knee guide has the checks.

Read: Swollen knee →

Sudden, severe inner knee pain with little or no injury, especially over 60

Not ordinary arthritis: see a GP, as the warning signs say.

Read: Knee pain in older adults →

A pop with swelling within hours after a slip on wet grass or a twist on a planted foot

A torn ACL or meniscus, uncommon in golf: go to A&E, as the warning signs say.

Read: ACL injury →

A mild ache in the lead knee during or after a round, months after a knee replacement

Common, and usually less than before surgery. Our knee replacement guide covers the recovery.

Read: Knee replacement →

The lead knee and the lead hip together

The hip, the knee or both. Our hip pain from golf guide covers the hip.

Read: Hip pain from golf →

Pain, tingling or numbness travelling down the leg from the back

Sciatica, not the knee.

Read: Sciatica →

Leg ache or heaviness walking the course that eases when you stop, or when you sit or bend forward

Poor blood flow in the leg arteries or spinal stenosis: see the warning signs.

Read: Lumbar spinal stenosis →

Show all 16 areasShow fewer areas

Knee or thigh pain with hip or groin pain after a fall on the course

A possible broken hip, which can be felt in the knee: call 999, as the warning signs say.

A hot, red, swollen knee with no injury

An infection, gout or calcium crystals: get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

One calf throbbing and swollen after the drive or flight to a golf trip, or after knee surgery

A possible blood clot (deep vein thrombosis, DVT): get help the same day.

Knee pain in a junior golfer, especially with a limp

A hip problem can show up as knee pain in a child: get help the same day.

Read: Knee pain in children →

Understand it

How common it is, and who gets itEmerging evidence

Golf injuries are uncommon per hour of play: 15.8 a year for every 100 Australian amateur golfers, with the lower back, the elbow and forearm, the foot and ankle and the shoulder the top four sites. Across 20 studies of 9,221 golfers, 56.6% of amateurs had been injured at some time.

In 910 amateur golfers (average age 56) who reported every week for a season, there were 82 knee problems, about 0.39 a golfer a year, but a knee problem usually cost a day of golf, so the knee came third for golf lost, after the lower back and the shoulder. A review puts the knee at about 8% of golf injuries, and in an older UK survey of 193 amateurs, knee problems were among the five most likely to affect a game. Each study counts injuries its own way, so the figures don't add up neatly.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Mostly a knee that was already worn or injuredEmerging evidence

In the 910 amateurs, injury risk was higher with age, osteoarthritis and a previous injury; in the Australian study more play went with more injury, and two studies found more risk in amateurs playing more than 3 or 4 rounds a week.

In 1,170 male American golfers (average age 55), 13.3% had left knee and 11.0% right knee complaints in the past week, and 9.1% had knee osteoarthritis, the commonest site of arthritis among them; their complaints were no worse when golfing than in everyday life. In 459 Australian golfers, those with osteoarthritis reported less distress and better general health than people in a national survey, an association rather than proof that golf helps. The left knee is the lead knee for a right-handed golfer, but the survey compared left and right knees without asking which hand people play with. A review sums it up: most knee trouble in golf comes from a loose or previously injured knee or arthritis, made worse by technique or playing a lot, and the swing's forces are below those that tear a healthy ligament.

Sources 3, 1, 2, 6, 7, 4

What the swing asks of the lead kneeEmerging evidence

Almost all your weight moves onto the lead leg through impact and the finish. On grass force plates in 24 golfers, peak force with irons was about 1.1 times body weight under the lead foot against 0.82 under the back foot. The force data inside the knee come from 3 people with instrumented knee replacements: much higher forces went through the lead knee than the trail knee, and its peaks approached those of jogging, though a round has far fewer of these peaks than a run.

In 11 people with knee replacements, the lead knee twisted a lot while nearly straight, and a computer model built from 10 professionals' swings put the peak load on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) just after impact, higher with a straighter knee. The inner side of the lead knee takes a bending load larger than in walking or stairs. These are small lab and model studies, partly of people with knee replacements and of professionals, so they show where the load goes, not that golf damages knees.

Sources 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Telling the causes apartEmerging evidence

The NHS lists pain and stiffness in both knees with mild swelling, more common in older people, under osteoarthritis; a knee that is unstable, gives way, won't straighten or popped at the time under a torn ligament, tendon or meniscus; and a hot, red knee with sudden attacks of very bad pain under gout or septic arthritis. A meniscus tear usually comes from a twist in sport but can also come from twisting when standing up, and its swelling may not start for a few hours or days; the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says an awkward twist getting up from a chair may be enough to tear an ageing meniscus.

Kneecap pain builds with bending under load rather than twisting, and is worse on stairs, hills and after sitting. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) diagnoses osteoarthritis without a scan in people aged 45 or over with activity-related joint pain and morning stiffness of 30 minutes or less.

Sources 13, 14, 15, 16

When a scan helps, and what it doesn't meanStrong evidence

NICE says don't routinely use imaging to diagnose osteoarthritis unless something is atypical. In 991 people aged 50 to 90, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed meniscus tears in 19% of women in their 50s up to 56% of men aged 70 to 90, and 61% of the people with tears had no knee pain, aching or stiffness in the past month.

An X-ray matters after a fall or injury, decided by the checks in the warning signs; an MRI matters for sudden, severe inner knee pain from about 60, a knee that locks, and when surgery is being considered.

Sources 16, 17

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

Most golf knee problems are short-lived: the median knee problem in the 910 amateurs cost 1 day of golf. The NHS says a meniscus tear can get better on its own, though it can take a while. Arthritis is long term, with good and bad spells, and NICE warns that joint pain may rise when you start exercising. After a knee replacement, regular golfers' knee pain while playing fell from about 6 to between 1 and 2 out of 10 in two groups. No one can promise a date.

Sources 3, 14, 16, 18, 19

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

A little lead foot flare and a slightly wider stance: lab evidence, not tested for painEmerging evidence

In 16 amateur golfers, an open (turned-out) lead foot cut the lead knee's twisting by 28%, its squeezing force by 5% and its twisting load by 9%. In 20 healthy adults, turning both feet out 30 degrees cut the lead knee's inner-knee load by about 30%, and a wider stance by about 23% (our arithmetic), without slowing the swing. In 7 college golfers a turned-out lead foot lowered the same load, and the authors advise it for inner knee problems in the lead leg. In 13 professionals, moving the ball about 4 cm away from the target cut that load by 11.5%, and a narrower stance and more sway towards the target went with higher loads.

These are small lab studies that measured knee loads, not pain. That a little flare (up to about 30 degrees) and a slightly wider stance should ease a sore lead knee is our reading of them. After a knee replacement, turning the foot out raised the knee's twisting with one implant design but not another, so ask your surgical team first.

Sources 20, 21, 8, 22, 23, 11

Fewer drivers, and less golf for a whileEmerging evidence

The driver loaded the lead knee most of four clubs tested, more play went with more injury in Australian amateurs, and heavy weekly play added risk in two studies. An NHS trust advises avoiding the driving range for up to 3 months after a knee replacement because the repetitive twisting can aggravate the knee. Short range sessions with wedges and short irons, fewer drivers and 9 holes before 18 are our suggestions built on these; none has been tested against knee pain.

Sources 20, 1, 2, 24

Spikes and golf shoes: untested for the kneeMixed evidence

On grass force plates, the lead foot twisted the turf harder than the back foot (peak twisting force about 17 to 19 against 6 to 7 newton metres), and metal and softer alternative spikes didn't differ; turf grip was the same whatever the shoe. These studies measured the shoe and the turf, not the knee. Softer or spikeless shoes are a reasonable try if a planted lead foot seems to twist your knee, but no study shows they help.

Sources 25, 9

Walk when you can; a buggy for sore spellsEmerging evidence

Walking 18 holes took about 12,000 steps in 42 golfers aged 30 to 80, and 11,000 to 17,000 against about 6,300 riding in a review. In 16 young tournament golfers, riding cut steps from about 17,000 to 6,300 without changing carry distance or club and ball speed.

In 10 golfers with inner-knee arthritis, a walked round gave far more moderate exercise (72% of the round against 33%) but raised knee pain by about 2.5 points out of 10 by the end, while a round with a buggy didn't; the authors call the buggy a good option when joint pain would otherwise stop you playing. An international consensus says walking the course is likely better for health than riding, for those who are able. Golfers returning after a knee replacement found a buggy helped them get back sooner.

Sources 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

The warm-upEmerging evidence

An international consensus advises easy aerobic exercise, then golf-specific mobility, then practice swings. In a survey of 703 German golfers, warm-ups of at least 10 minutes went with fewer injuries, an association only. The AAOS says a warm-up is especially important if golf aggravates your arthritis.

Sources 30, 32, 33

Exercise is the treatment for arthritis and a worn meniscusStrong evidence

NICE says offer therapeutic exercise, such as local muscle strengthening and general aerobic fitness, to everyone with osteoarthritis, and explain that pain may rise at first. For a worn inner meniscus tear in 140 adults aged about 50, 12 weeks of supervised exercise did as well as keyhole surgery at 2 years, with better thigh strength at 3 months; 19% of the exercise group later chose surgery.

An NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet, which covers worn tears too, gives the home exercises and doses the first two stages use, and NHS inform paces new exercises at 2 to 3 repetitions at a time. No trial has tested exercise for knee pain in golfers.

Sources 16, 34, 35, 36

Medicines, supports and keyhole surgeryStrong evidence

NICE says offer an anti-inflammatory gel (a topical NSAID) for knee osteoarthritis, use medicines alongside exercise, and don't routinely offer braces, tape or supports unless the joint is unstable and exercise alone isn't enough. An NHS trust says a knee support may help but ideally shouldn't be worn long term. For a new knee injury, the NHS suggests little weight on the knee at first, an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, and paracetamol or ibuprofen gel or tablets. Keyhole surgery rarely helps a worn meniscus tear, as our meniscus tear guide explains.

Sources 16, 35, 13

After a knee replacement: most golfers play againEmerging evidence

Across 23 retrospective studies, about 70% of golfers returned after a knee replacement (the range was wide, 39% to 100%), against 90% after a hip replacement, on average about 4 months after surgery. In 1,101 UK golfers with a knee replacement, from a study of 2,198 with an average age of 70, 92% kept up or increased their golf, a quarter were hitting irons at 6 weeks, 76% were back in club competitions at 6 months, 6% had persistent pain and 1.6% couldn't return. Other groups were back on an 18-hole course at 3.7 months, and 81.5% back at 5.3 months. In an older study, golfers with a lead-side replacement had more pain during and after play, and in another 86% used a cart afterwards.

An NHS trust starts golf 8 to 12 weeks after a knee replacement with chipping and putting before 9 or 18 holes, and the AAOS names golf among the lower-impact activities it prefers after one. After a partial knee replacement, golf was one of the four commonest activities people returned to. After an ACL reconstruction, one expert commentary proposes a return from putting to the course over many months, gated by thigh strength; it is opinion, not a trial. Your own surgical team's plan comes first.

Sources 37, 31, 18, 19, 38, 39, 24, 40, 41, 42

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

0 to 2 is safe, up to 5 is acceptable, back to usual by the next morningEmerging evidence

This guide uses the knee hub's rule. Rate your knee pain from 0 to 10 during and after exercise. In the pain-monitoring model used in knee trials, 0 to 2 counts as safe, up to 5 as acceptable and above 5 as too much. Aim for 0 to 3. Up to 5 is fine for joint pain (arthritis, kneecap pain) if it passes the next check. For a painful tendon (jumper's knee), keep it to 3, the limit the largest patellar tendon trial used.

By the next morning your knee should be back to its usual level. If it is not, drop back one step next time (fewer sets, a shallower range, a lower step), not to nothing. Over the weeks pain should hold steady or ease; that last check is our suggestion rather than a tested rule.

Some knee programmes say you should feel no pain at all. The trials allowed some, and a meta-analysis found exercising into some pain did no worse than pain-free exercise. NICE says joint pain may rise when you start exercising with arthritis, and that regular exercise still helps in the long run.

Sharp, catching or giving-way pain, or new swelling, is a reason to stop and get it checked.

For golf (our suggestion, built on the same rule and a hospital's interval golf programme): judge each round or range session by the knee during play, that evening and the next morning. Up to 5 out of 10 is acceptable for arthritis or kneecap pain if the knee is back to its usual level by the next morning with no new swelling; in golfers with knee arthritis, a walked round raised knee pain by about 2.5 points, so a little more ache by the 18th is expected. If the knee is worse the next morning, play 9 holes, ride a buggy or hit fewer balls next time rather than stopping. The interval programme itself is stricter, moving on only when the last session was pain-free with no soreness the next day; it was written for the shoulder and hasn't been tested for the knee. Catching, locking, giving way or new swelling isn't a pain-rule question: stop and see the warning signs.

Sources 16, 29, 43

The exercise plan: 4 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Settle: calm the knee, keep it moving, switch the thigh on

About the first 1 to 2 weeks. Walking and stairs within the pain rule, the knee bending and straightening fully, and the thigh working, as an NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet does. Putting and chipping can carry on within the pain rule (our suggestion). With a diagnosed meniscus tear, arthritis or a knee replacement, that guide's plan can replace stages 1 to 3; with a warning sign, get checked first.

Quad set (static quads) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoQuad set (static quads)Beginner · No equipment

Hold 10 s, 10 times, 2 to 3 times a day · An NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet's dose. A rolled towel under the ankle

Harder: Straight-leg raise

Straight-leg raise demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoStraight-leg raiseBeginner · No equipment

Hold 10 s and lower slowly, 10 times · An NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet's dose. Tighten the thigh first

Easier: Quad set (static quads) · Harder: Leg extension

Supine heel slide demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSupine heel slideBeginner · No equipment

10 slow repetitions each side, once or twice a day · The move page's dose. Bend only as far as is comfortable

Harder: Hip windshield wipers

Seated knee extension (chair) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSeated knee extension (chair)Beginner · A bench or box + Something with weight

3 sets of 10 to 15 each leg, 2 to 3 days a week · The move page's dose. From 90 to about 45 degrees if the front of the knee hurts, as the move page says

Easier: Quad set (static quads) · Harder: Leg extension

Glute bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoGlute bridgeBeginner · No equipment

Hold 5 to 10 s, 10 times · An NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet's dose

Easier: Pelvic tilt into bridge · Harder: Single-leg glute bridge

Recumbent exercise bike demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoRecumbent exercise bikeBeginner · Cardio machine

10 to 20 minutes at a moderate effort to start, building towards 30 · The move page's dose. An NHS trust's leaflet suggests cycling with the saddle not too low; or walk within the pain rule

Harder: Stationary cycling

Move on when: Walking and stairs are within the pain rule, the knee straightens fully and there's no new swelling the next morning (editorial, as in our twisting knee guide).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Build: thigh, hip and calf strength in straight lines

About weeks 2 to 6, 2 or 3 strength days a week: the strength to stand up, step and balance on one leg with the knee over the middle of the foot.

Sit to stand from a chair demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSit to stand from a chairBeginner · A bench or box

10 times, without your hands when you can, building to 2 to 3 sets · An NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet's 10 times; the sets are editorial. Don't let your knees roll in

Easier: Sit to stand, pushing on the thighs · Harder: Bodyweight squat

3D demoStep-upBeginner · A step

5 to 10 times each leg, 2 to 3 sets, low step first · An NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet's dose

Easier: Low step-up · Harder: Dumbbell step-up

3D demoWall sitBeginner · A wall

4 holds of 20 to 45 s at a comfortable depth, breathing normally · As in our knee pain guide (editorial). Shallower if the kneecap hurts; read the move page's blood pressure caution

Easier: Straight-leg raise · Harder: Spanish squat (band squat hold)

Lateral band walk demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoLateral band walkBeginner · A band

3 sets of 10 to 15 steps each way · As in our knee pain guide (editorial). The hip's side muscles steady the trunk over the lead leg

Easier: Hip abduction machine · Harder: Lateral band walk, band at the feet

Single-leg stand demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg standBeginner · A wall

5 to 10 s, building to 30 s, 5 to 10 times each leg, a hand near a support · An NHS trust's meniscal tear leaflet's dose

Easier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walk · Harder: Single-leg reach matrix

Slow calf raise demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSlow calf raiseBeginner · A wall

3 sets of 12 · As in our knee pain guide (editorial)

Easier: Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise) · Harder: Standing dumbbell calf raise

Move on when: 3 sets of 10 step-ups each leg and a 30-second single-leg stand with the knee over the foot are within the pain rule, with no swelling the next morning (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

The lead leg: take your weight and turn over it

About weeks 6 to 10, 2 or 3 days a week: single-leg strength and control on the lead leg, then turning the body over a planted leg, as the downswing and finish do, with the trunk steady.

Split squat demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSplit squatIntermediate · No equipment

3 sets of 8 to 12 each leg, holding a support at first · As in our twisting knee guide (editorial)

Easier: Bodyweight squat · Harder: Reverse lunge

Patrick step-down demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoPatrick step-downIntermediate · A step

Bend the knee to about 30 degrees, knee over the 2nd and 3rd toes: 5 to 10 times, building to 3 sets · An NHS trust's meniscal step-down; the sets are editorial

Easier: Bodyweight squat · Harder: Skater squat

Single-leg Romanian deadlift demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg Romanian deadliftAdvanced · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8 each leg, fingertips on a wall at first · As in our twisting knee guide (editorial). The hinge of your address posture, on one leg

Easier: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Hip airplane demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHip airplaneAdvanced · No equipment

2 sets of 5 slow turns each leg · The move page's dose. It turns the body slowly over a planted leg (our reasoning); hold a wall or chair at first

Easier: Single-leg stand · Harder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Half-kneeling Pallof press demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHalf-kneeling Pallof pressBeginner · A band + An anchor point

2 sets of 10 each side · As in our golf strength workout (editorial). Trunk control, so the knee isn't steering the turn

Harder: Pallof press

Move on when: Step-downs and single-leg squats keep the knee over the foot, slow turns over the lead leg cause no sharp pain, catching or swelling, and half swings with a short iron are within the pain rule (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 4

Back to golf: the warm-up, then the steps back

From about weeks 6 to 10, as your knee allows, then for good: the golf warm-up before every round or range session, two strength days a week, and a return from putting to 18 holes by the written steps below. No study has tested a return to golf after knee pain; the order follows a hospital's interval golf programme written for the shoulder and an NHS trust's advice after a knee replacement, and how golf comes back for the knee is our suggestion.

Standing march demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoStanding marchBeginner · No equipment

2 to 3 min, brisk, arms swinging · As in our golf warm-up (editorial); or walk briskly to the first tee

Easier: Seated march · Harder: Standing band hip flexion

Standing hip CARs demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoStanding hip CARsBeginner · A wall

10 turns onto your lead leg, a hand on the club · As in our golf warm-up (editorial). Keep the turn small and painless if the lead knee is sore

Easier: Hip circles on all fours · Harder: 90/90 hip lift-off

Standing trunk twist demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoStanding trunk twistBeginner · No equipment

5 each way, a club across your back, feet wider than your shoulders · As in our golf warm-up (editorial). Turn the hips and chest, not the knees

Harder: Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)

Hip-hinge practice demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHip-hinge practiceBeginner · No equipment

10, a club along your spine · As in our golf warm-up (editorial)

Harder: Kettlebell deadlift

Reverse lunge with rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoReverse lunge with rotationIntermediate · No equipment

5 each side, turning over the front leg · As in our golf warm-up (editorial). Shorten the lunge if the front knee hurts

Easier: Reverse lunge · Harder: Deficit reverse lunge (from a platform)

Dumbbell goblet squat demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell goblet squatIntermediate · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8, stopping 1 to 3 reps short of failure · As in our golf strength workout (editorial). On strength days, not before a round, to a depth within the pain rule

Easier: Bodyweight squat · Harder: Barbell front squat

Move on when: Our suggestion: 18 holes and your usual range sessions pass the pain rule for 2 weeks; then add back long irons and the driver, walking rather than riding, extra rounds a week and competition, one at a time. Keep two strength days a week, and swap our golf warm-up's jump squat for 5 bodyweight squats while the knee is sore, as the warm-up itself allows.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Your set-up, the range and the course for now (written steps)

Our 3D figure shows the moves, not your stance, shoes, the course or a buggy. These steps come from lab studies of the swing, an international consensus, surveys of golfers and the AAOS; where a step is our suggestion or our reading, it says so. None has been tested in a trial against knee pain.

1. A fresh injury first: with any warning sign, stop and get it checked before you play again.
2. The lead foot: turn it out a little, up to about 30 degrees, and stand a touch wider (our reading of small lab studies that measured knee loads, not pain). After a knee replacement, ask your surgical team first, because the effect depended on the implant.
3. Let the lead knee flex a little through impact rather than snapping it straight (our suggestion from a computer model of professionals, in which a straighter, more twisted lead knee loaded the ACL more).
4. The range: short sessions of wedges and short irons, fewer drivers, and breaks between buckets; the driver loaded the lead knee most in a lab study (the session lengths are our suggestion).
5. Walking: walk with a trolley rather than carrying your bag when the knee allows, as experts encourage walking the course; ride a buggy for a flare, a hilly course or your first rounds back. When riding, keep your feet inside the cart, as the AAOS advises.
6. Holes: 9 before 18, and one round a week before two (our suggestion; more play went with more injury in one study).
7. Bending: tee up and lift the ball out of the hole with a hinge or a long-handled ball pick-up, and read putts standing rather than crouching (our suggestion, because deep bending loads the kneecap most).
8. Shoes: spikeless or soft spikes are a reasonable try if a planted lead foot seems to twist your knee, but lab studies found no difference between spike types and no study shows they help (our suggestion).
9. Warm up for about 10 minutes before every round: easy aerobic exercise, golf mobility, then practice swings.

Sources 20, 21, 8, 11, 12, 1, 30, 29, 31, 33, 25, 32

How golf comes back (written steps)

No trial has tested a return to golf after knee pain. These steps follow a hospital's interval golf programme, written for the shoulder and run every other day, and an NHS trust's advice after a knee replacement; the amounts for the knee are our suggestion. Move on only when the last step passed the pain rule.

1. Putting and short chips, every other day.
2. Half swings with wedges and short irons.
3. Middle irons, then long irons and woods, then a few drivers.
4. 9 holes, then 18, with a buggy at first if you need it; then walking, more rounds a week and competition.
5. After a knee replacement: chipping and putting from about 8 to 12 weeks, and the driving range left for up to 3 months, as an NHS trust advises. Follow your own team's plan.
6. If a round flares your knee, drop back a step for a few days rather than stopping.

Sources 43, 24

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
Playing on after the knee locks, gives way or suddenly swells	These are signs of an injury inside the knee that needs checking.	Stop, and follow the warning signs.
A square or turned-in lead foot with a sore inner knee	It raised the lead knee's twisting and inner-knee load in lab studies.	A little lead foot flare and a slightly wider stance.
A large bucket of drivers	The driver loaded the lead knee most in a lab study.	Wedges and short irons, in short sessions.
Walking 18 hilly holes in a flare	A walked round raised knee pain in golfers with knee arthritis.	A buggy, or 9 holes.
Crouching to read putts and tee up	Deep bending loads the kneecap.	Hinge from the hips, or use a ball pick-up.Try: Hip-hinge practice
Snapping the lead knee straight through impact	A straighter lead knee loaded the ACL more in a computer model.	A little flex through the ball, with single-leg strength in the gym.Try: Single-leg Romanian deadlift
Resting completely for weeks	Exercise is the treatment for knee arthritis and worn meniscus tears.	The stage 1 moves and short walks.Try: Quad set (static quads)
A knee brace as the plan	NICE doesn't routinely offer supports for arthritis, and an NHS trust says not to wear one long term.	The strength plan.Try: Sit to stand from a chair
Deep squats on strength days while the knee catches	Squatting and kneeling aggravate meniscal pain, NHS trust leaflets say.	Split squats to a comfortable depth.Try: Split squat

Routines to follow

Golf warm-up

A 10-minute golf warm-up: brisk marching, then the hip and trunk turns, hinge, side bend, lunge and jump from the one trial of a golf warm-up, twice through.

10 minBeginner9 movesWall

Golf strength and power workout

A 45-minute golf gym session: jumps, a medicine-ball throw and kettlebell swings for power, then squats, hinges, rows, push-ups, fast rotation and carries.

45 minIntermediate14 movesMedicine ball, kettlebell

Knee strengthening workout: from first steps to full range

A 25-minute session for knees that don't currently hurt: thigh and hamstring strength, single-leg control, then an optional full-range block with knees over toes.

25 minBeginner14 movesBench or box, wall

Arthritis exercise routine: a joint-friendly circuit

A 30-minute joint-friendly circuit built like the GLA:D and ESCAPE-pain programmes: a gentle warm-up, chair, step and band strength moves, balance, then stretches.

30 minBeginner14 movesBench or box, step

Strength and balance workout

Strength and balance in one session: squats, Romanian deadlifts, push-ups, rows, step-ups, back extensions, carries and single-leg balance.

45 minBeginner14 movesWall, dumbbell

Yoga for golfers: a 25-minute rotation, hip and balance class for non-golf days

A 25-minute yoga class for golfers: upper-back and hip rotation done evenly both ways, a hip hinge, one-leg balance, back endurance and forearm stretches.

25 minBeginner18 movesWall, step

Rotation-focused Pilates for golfers: a 25-minute mat and standing class

A 25-minute Pilates class for golfers: upper-back and hip rotation, trunk control, side-hip strength and one-leg balance, done equally on both sides.

25 minBeginner19 movesWall

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why does my knee hurt after golf?

Usually because a knee that is already a little worn or injured takes your weight and twists through every swing, then walks 18 holes. Inner knee pain from mid-life is often arthritis or a worn meniscus, and pain around the kneecap is often kneecap pain. It usually settles within a day or two.

Why does my lead knee hurt in the golf swing?

Your lead knee, the left for a right-handed golfer, takes most of your weight through impact and twists while nearly straight. A little lead foot flare and a slightly wider stance cut that load in small lab studies, though none measured pain. Pain with catching, locking or swelling needs checking.

Should I turn my lead foot out?

A little, up to about 30 degrees, is reasonable: in lab studies it cut the lead knee's twisting and inner-knee load without slowing the club. That it eases pain is our reading, not a tested result. After a knee replacement, ask your surgical team first.

Is golf bad for your knees?

Not for most people: in a survey of 1,170 golfers, knee complaints were no worse when golfing than in everyday life, and golfers with arthritis reported better health than other people. The lead knee does work hard, so a sore one needs a few changes. Most knee trouble in golfers comes from an old injury or arthritis.

Can I play golf with knee arthritis?

Usually yes, and staying active helps arthritis. Expect a little more ache by the 18th; ride a buggy or play 9 holes on bad days, since a walked round raised knee pain in golfers with arthritis. Follow the pain rule: back to usual by the next morning.

Can I play golf with a torn meniscus?

Often, within the pain rule, once the knee isn't locking or giving way. For a worn tear in mid-life, exercise did as well as keyhole surgery in a trial. A knee that locks or won't straighten needs checking first.

Should I walk the course or use a buggy?

Walk when you can, because it is better for your health, with a trolley rather than carrying your bag. Use a buggy for a flare or a hilly course: in young golfers it cut steps by about two-thirds without changing how far the ball went.

Do golf shoes or spikes cause knee pain?

No study shows it. Lab studies found the lead foot grips and twists the turf hardest, but metal and softer spikes didn't differ. Softer or spikeless shoes are a reasonable try, untested.

Should I wear a knee brace for golf?

Not as the plan: no study shows a brace helps golfers, and NICE doesn't routinely offer braces for arthritis. A simple support may help for a while but shouldn't be worn long term.

What exercises help golfers with knee pain?

Thigh, hip and calf strength first, with sit-to-stands, step-ups, bridges and single-leg balance, then single-leg work and turning over the lead leg, then the golf warm-up. Exercise is NICE's first treatment for knee arthritis. No trial has tested a programme in golfers.

When can I play golf after a knee replacement?

An NHS trust starts chipping and putting at 8 to 12 weeks and keeps you off the driving range for up to 3 months. On average golfers are back at about 4 months, and about 7 in 10 return. Your own team's plan comes first.

When should I see a doctor?

Call 999 for a fall on the course with a hip or knee you can't put weight on, or chest pain while you play; go to A&E for a pop with swelling within hours. Get advice from NHS 111 for a knee that locks, gives way or won't straighten, or is hot and swollen with a high temperature, and help the same day for a swollen, throbbing calf. In the US, call 911 where this page says 999.

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.