Knee friendly exercises for glutes: 10 home moves that spare sore knees
The most knee friendly glute exercises keep your knee bent at a fixed angle, or barely bending, while your hip does the work: glute bridges, hip thrusts, clamshells, side-lying leg raises, kickbacks and hip hinges. Because the knee isn't loaded through a deep bend, most people with sore knees can train their glutes hard with them.
Below are 10 home moves in order from easiest to hardest, with sets and reps, a 20-minute glute workout, a 6-week plan, a pain rule with numbers, and swaps for different kinds of knee pain. Written for women over 40 training at home, with a mat, a chair and, later, a band or a dumbbell.
Why your glutes matter when your knees hurt
Your glutes are the muscles of your hip: the big one at the back (gluteus maximus) straightens your hip when you stand up or climb stairs, and the smaller ones at the side (gluteus medius and minimus) hold your pelvis level when you stand on one leg. When they are weak, the thigh tends to drop and turn inward as you step down, which puts more strain around the kneecap.
That is the idea behind hip exercise for knee pain, and trials have tested it:
- Pain around the kneecap (patellofemoral pain). The 2016 international consensus statement on patellofemoral pain recommends exercise therapy, and specifically combining hip and knee exercises, to reduce pain and improve function. A 2018 review with meta-analysis (Nascimento and colleagues) found hip and knee strengthening together reduced pain and improved activity more than knee strengthening alone.
- Knee osteoarthritis. In a 12-week randomised trial of 89 people with osteoarthritis on the inner side of the knee, a home programme for the hip muscles improved pain and function compared with no exercise, although it did not change the load measured at the knee while walking (Bennell and colleagues, 2010). The American College of Rheumatology's 2019 guideline strongly recommends exercise for people with knee osteoarthritis.
What this does and doesn't mean: hip work is one useful part of a knee-friendly routine, not a cure, and the trials are mostly small. Your thigh muscles matter too. Our guide to knee friendly exercises for legs covers the quads and the rest of the leg; this one is the glute half.
Get your knee checked first if
- It is hot, red or very swollen, or you have a fever.
- It locks, catches, or gives way under you.
- You can't put weight on it, or it followed a fall, twist or pop.
- Pain wakes you at night or is getting steadily worse over weeks.
- You have had a knee or hip replacement or surgery recently: follow your surgeon's or physical therapist's plan first.
Otherwise, for the everyday ache of stiff, creaky or sore knees, starting gentle glute work at home is reasonable. If you aren't sure, a physical therapist can tell you which moves suit your knee.
What makes a glute exercise easy on the knees
| What the move does | Why it helps | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Knee stays at one angle | The hip moves, the knee holds still, so there is little rubbing load behind the kneecap | Bridges, hip thrusts, clamshells, kickbacks |
| Knee stays nearly straight | A soft knee carries very little strain | Side-lying leg raise, standing hip extension, Romanian deadlift |
| Lying or supported | No body weight through the knee at all | Clamshells, side-lying raises, prone leg lifts |
| You choose the depth | Small range first, more as your knee allows | Step-ups on a low step, box squat to a high chair |
Deep squats, lunges and jumping load the knee most while it bends. They aren't banned, but they come later, if at all. Our squat alternatives for bad knees guide shows how to work back towards squats when you want to.
The pain rule: what is fine and what isn't
Rate your knee pain from 0 (none) to 10 (worst you can imagine) during each move.
| Knee pain during the move | What to do |
|---|---|
| 0–2: none or barely there | Carry on. Burning in the bottom and thighs is the muscle working, not the joint. |
| 3–4: noticeable, steady, not climbing | You can carry on, but shorten the range or use the easier version. |
| 5 or more, or climbing rep by rep | Stop that move today. Pick an easier one from the list. |
| Sharp, stabbing, or the knee gives way | Stop the session. If it happens again, get it checked. |
Then check the next morning. If the knee is no worse than usual, the dose was right. If it is stiffer or more swollen, do a little less next time: fewer sets or a smaller range. Sore glutes for a day or two at the start are normal.
10 knee friendly glute exercises, easiest first
| # | Move | Main glute | Knee bend | Start with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glute squeeze lying down | Back | None | 2 × 10, 5-second hold |
| 2 | Clamshell | Side | Fixed | 2 × 12 each side |
| 3 | Side-lying leg raise | Side | None | 2 × 10 each side |
| 4 | Glute bridge | Back | Fixed | 2 × 12 |
| 5 | Standing hip extension at a counter | Back | None | 2 × 10 each side |
| 6 | Quadruped kickback | Back | Fixed | 2 × 10 each side |
| 7 | Standing side leg raise | Side | None | 2 × 10 each side |
| 8 | Hip thrust off a sofa | Back | Fixed | 2 × 10 |
| 9 | Romanian deadlift | Back, hamstrings | Slight | 2 × 10 |
| 10 | Low step-up | Back and side | You choose | 2 × 8 each side |
"Fixed" means the knee is bent but doesn't change angle while you move. Most people can start at moves 1–5 and add the rest over a few weeks.
How to do each one
1. Glute squeeze lying down
Lie on your back, legs straight or knees bent. Squeeze your bottom as hard as you can for 5 seconds without lifting it, then relax. It sounds too easy, but it teaches you to find the muscle, which helps every move after it. Good on a day when the knee is flaring.
2. Clamshell
Lie on your side, hips and knees bent, heels together and in line with your bottom. Keep your feet touching and lift the top knee, like a shell opening, without rolling your hips back. Lower slowly. Harder: a loop band just above the knees. You should feel it in the side of the hip, not the front of the thigh.
3. Side-lying leg raise
Lie on your side, bottom knee bent for balance, top leg straight. Turn the top toes slightly down and lift the leg to about hip height, leading with the heel, then lower over 3 seconds. If you feel it in the front of the hip, bring the leg slightly behind you.
4. Glute bridge
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart, heels about a foot from your bottom. Press through your heels, squeeze your bottom and lift your hips until knees, hips and shoulders make a line. Pause a second, lower slowly. If the front of the knee aches, move your feet a little further away; if you feel it mostly in the hamstrings or they cramp, bring them closer. Harder: a band above the knees, a march at the top, or one leg.
5. Standing hip extension at a counter
Hold a counter, stand tall. Keeping the leg straight and your back still, move one leg back 20–30 cm, squeeze your bottom, return. Don't lean forward or arch your back to get the leg higher: the range is small. Harder: a loop band around the ankles.
6. Quadruped kickback
On hands and knees (a cushion under the knees, or do it standing bent over a chair if kneeling hurts). Keep one knee bent at 90° and press that foot up towards the ceiling until the thigh is level with your back. Stop before your back arches. Lower slowly.
7. Standing side leg raise
Stand side-on to a counter, hold on. Lift the outside leg out to the side about 30 cm, toes forward, body upright. The standing leg's glute works too, holding you level, which is the job it does when you walk and use stairs.
8. Hip thrust off a sofa
Sit on the floor with your upper back against the edge of a sofa or sturdy bench, knees bent, feet flat. Drive your hips up until your thighs and body are level, chin tucked, then lower. It lets the glutes work through a bigger range than a bridge. Harder: a dumbbell held on your hips over a folded towel.
9. Romanian deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width, knees soft, a dumbbell in each hand or nothing. Push your hips back as if closing a car door with your bottom, sliding the weights down your thighs, back flat, until you feel a stretch in the backs of your legs (usually around the knee or a little below). Stand up by squeezing your glutes. The knee hardly bends, so it is a good way to load the glutes heavier without knee strain. If you have back pain, see our back friendly leg exercises before adding weight.
10. Low step-up
Use the bottom stair or a 10–15 cm step. Put your whole foot on it, lean forward a little and drive through the heel to stand up, then step down slowly with the other leg. Keep the knee pointing over your middle toes, not falling inward. Start low; go higher only when your pain stays at 0–2. Step-ups bend the knee more than any other move here, so they come last.
A 20-minute knee friendly glute workout
| Time | What | Sets × reps |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–3:00 | Warm-up: march in place, 10 glute squeezes, 10 easy bridges, leg swings at a counter | |
| 3:00–8:00 | Pair 1: glute bridge + clamshell, back to back. Rest 30 seconds. | 3 × 12 + 12 each side |
| 8:00–13:00 | Pair 2: Romanian deadlift (or standing hip extension) + side-lying leg raise. Rest 30 seconds. | 3 × 10 + 10 each side |
| 13:00–17:00 | Pair 3: quadruped kickback + standing side leg raise | 2 × 10 each side + 10 each side |
| 17:00–20:00 | Bridge hold 3 × 20 seconds, then a gentle stretch: lying figure-four for each hip, 30 seconds |
Do it 2 or 3 days a week with a day between. Pair it with one quad-focused day from our knee friendly leg workout if you want both sides of the leg covered. Or let us lay out the week: the free 2-minute home strength quiz asks about your knees, back, time and equipment and builds a 12-week plan around them.
A 6-week plan
| Week | Moves | How much |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–5 only | 2 sets each, effort about 6 out of 10. Learn to feel the glutes. |
| 2 | 1–5, add kickback | 3 sets of the bridge and clamshell. Slow every lowering to 3 seconds. |
| 3 | The 20-minute workout above | Bodyweight. Effort 7 on the last reps. |
| 4 | Same | Add a loop band to clamshells, bridges and side raises. |
| 5 | Swap bridge for hip thrust; add step-up if pain is 0–2 | Hold a light dumbbell for Romanian deadlifts. |
| 6 | Same | Single-leg bridge or a dumbbell on the hip thrust. Add 2 reps to everything you finished cleanly. |
Only move up when last week's sets felt hard but clean and your knee was no worse the next morning. A flare-up week: go back one week, not to zero.
Which moves for which kind of knee pain
| Your knee | Usually fine | Go carefully with |
|---|---|---|
| Aches at the front, round the kneecap, worse on stairs or after sitting | Clamshell, side raises, bridges with feet further out, Romanian deadlift | Step-ups (keep them low), deep hip thrusts with feet close |
| Stiff and creaky with arthritis, worse in the morning | All the lying moves, standing hip extension, side raises | Kneeling kickbacks (do them standing at a chair) |
| Hurts when kneeling | Everything lying or standing | Quadruped kickbacks: swap for standing hip extension |
| Behind the knee or a tight hamstring | Clamshell, side raises, bridges with feet closer | Romanian deadlift depth: stop higher |
| Swelling after activity | Lying moves, 2 sets | Anything standing until it settles; see a doctor if it keeps swelling |
If you have arthritis and want the research on squatting itself, see is squatting bad for knee arthritis.
How hard should it feel?
On a 1–10 effort scale, the last 2 or 3 reps of each set should be around 7: your bottom is burning and you could do 2 or 3 more with good form, not 10 more. Light glute moves are easy to do too easily, so when 15 reps feel simple, add a band, a pause at the top or a slower lowering before adding more reps. The US Physical Activity Guidelines ask adults for muscle-strengthening work for all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week; your glutes are among the biggest of them.
Mistakes that move the work to your knees or back
- Arching your back at the top of a bridge or kickback. Stop when your hips are level with your body; squeeze the bottom, don't push the belly up.
- Feet too close in bridges. The knee bends more and the front of the knee often complains. Walk the feet out an inch.
- Knee caving in on step-ups. Keep it over the middle toes; go lower or lighter until you can.
- Rolling back in clamshells. Keep your top hip stacked over the bottom one, or the side glute stops working.
- Only doing easy moves forever. Clamshells alone stop being enough after a few weeks. Add load through bands, hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts.
- Skipping the thighs entirely. Strong quads matter for knees too. Add quad work your knee tolerates, such as those in our squat alternatives guide.
What you need
- A mat or carpet, and a cushion for your knees if you kneel.
- A sturdy chair, counter or sofa.
- From week 4: a loop band (light and medium). From week 5: one or two dumbbells, often 8–15 lb for Romanian deadlifts and hip thrusts.
For more on what to buy, see our guide to home strength equipment for beginners, and the whole list of home strength guides.
Questions people ask
Can strengthening my glutes help my knee pain?
For many people, it is part of what helps. Trials in kneecap pain and in knee arthritis found hip exercise improved pain and function on average, usually alongside thigh exercises. It doesn't help everyone, and it isn't a replacement for getting a new or worsening injury checked.
Are glute bridges bad for your knees?
Usually not: the knee stays at one angle and carries little load. If the front of the knee aches, move your feet further from your bottom; if the back of the knee or hamstring cramps, bring them closer.
Can I build my glutes without squats or lunges?
Yes. Hip thrusts, bridges and Romanian deadlifts load the glutes heavily without deep knee bending. Add weight to them over time and they keep working.
How often should I do glute exercises?
Two or three days a week, with a day between, is enough for most people. Gentle lying moves like squeezes and clamshells can be done on more days if your knee likes them.
Should I do glute exercises if my knee is swollen?
Keep to gentle lying moves and stay in the 0–2 pain range, or rest it. Swelling that keeps coming back, or a hot, red knee, is a reason to see a doctor before training it.
How long before I notice a difference?
Trials of hip programmes for knee pain usually ran 6 to 12 weeks. Many people notice moves getting easier within the first few weeks; how your knee responds varies from person to person.
Want this built into a week that also covers your thighs, upper body and back? Take the free home strength quiz and get a 12-week plan of 15-minute sessions made for your knees.
Sources: Crossley KM and others, 2016 Patellofemoral pain consensus statement from the 4th International Patellofemoral Pain Research Retreat, Manchester, Part 1, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016. Nascimento LR and others, Hip and knee strengthening is more effective than knee strengthening alone for reducing pain and improving activity in individuals with patellofemoral pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 2018. Bennell KL and others, Hip strengthening reduces symptoms but not knee load in people with medial knee osteoarthritis and varus malalignment: a randomised controlled trial, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2010. Kolasinski SL and others, 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee, Arthritis Care and Research, 2020. US Department of Health and Human Services, Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, 2018. This guide is about exercise habits and is not medical advice; follow your doctor's or physical therapist's advice where it differs.