Stretching for Knee Pain

Thursday, 23rd November 2023

Are you or someone you know suffering from knee pain? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Stretching can be a helpful way to reduce knee pain if you are experiencing it. While it may not resolve all of the symptoms it can be a great place to start if you can do it comfortably, as a common cause of knee pain can be the result of increased muscle tension around the knee. Below we go through some of the muscles that move and support the knee, their roles and how you can stretch them.

Muscles that affect the Knee

A lot of the muscles of the thigh cross the knee joint or attach around it. Some of these muscles are as follows:

Hamstrings

Run down the back of the thigh as shown in the image. This muscle helps to bend the knee and also extend the hip. The hamstrings are important for running, in particular sprinting.

Adductors

Run down the inside of the thigh as seen in the picture which has a front view of the thigh. These muscles move the knee inwards, rotate the hip and knee inwards, and stabilise around the hip. These are important for kicking and side to side based movement.

Quadriceps

Run down the front of the thigh as seen in the image. These muscles help to straighten the knee and bend the hip. These are important for squatting and jumping.

How can Stretching help Knee pain

Because some of these muscles attach below the knee joint, if these muscles are tight, it can cause knee pain. So how do we fix this? Some gentle stretching can do the trick! Make sure you stretch only until you get a gentle pulling/stretching feeling and should not be painful. Here are some videos below that can help show you how to stretch each of these muscle groups.

Alternate options to Stretching

If you are particularly flexible or the stretches are sore, then foam rolling or use of a trigger ball can be a better way to loosen these muscles or a massage with our friendly massage therapists can be a great way to start to loosen these muscles for you.

If you try these and they don’t reduce your knee pain then come and see one of our physiotherapy coaches as they will be able to guide you on what would be beneficial to reduce your symptoms. Additionally, if you are having trouble doing the exercises in this blog post our physios can help show you how to do them or give you an alternative movement to try! So, get stretching!

PEAK physiotherapist providing hands-on treatment for a patient experiencing pain

Return to Sport

Why Not Just Getting Stronger Matters After a Shoulder Dislocation

Tuesday, 29th September 2026

Shoulder dislocation rehabilitation is about more than getting stronger. Learn how progressive physiotherapy can rebuild movement, control, confidence and the capacity to return to...

Return to Sport Shoulder Dislocation Shoulder Instability Shoulder Rehabilitation

Sports Physiotherapy

Meet Campbell Antonio: Bringing an Elite Sport Approach to Physiotherapy

Monday, 28th September 2026

Campbell Antonio brings an elite-sport approach to physiotherapy, combining rehabilitation, performance and clinical reasoning to help people return to what they love.

Campbell Antonio Rehabilitation Sports Physiotherapy

Strength & conditioning for female athletes during supervised gym training

Injury Prevention

Building Strong Female Athletes: Why Strength & Conditioning Matters

Monday, 28th September 2026

Helping young female athletes build strength, confidence and movement skills while supporting performance and long-term injury prevention.

Female Athletes Injury Prevention Strength & Conditioning

Christina Livaditakis competing at the 2026 CrossFit Games

CrossFit Games Journey to 4th in the World: Christina Livaditakis

Thursday, 24th September 2026

Christina Livaditakis shares her journey to 4th in the world at the 2026 CrossFit Games, reflecting on teamwork, resilience and what she learned along...

Concussion

Concussion in Community Sport

Friday, 18th September 2026

Concussion physio Brisbane athletes can trust starts with understanding what happens after a knock. Learn why the 21-day rule matters, why dark-room rest is...

Concussion Return to Sport sports injuries

PEAK Brisbane physiotherapist testing single-leg calf raise capacity after a calf muscle strain

recurring calf strain

The Calf Strain That Keeps Coming Back: Why “Just Rest It” Fails Athletes Over 30

Wednesday, 16th September 2026

Calf strains are common in runners and field athletes, especially after 30. Learn why they keep coming back and how the right rehabilitation can...

calf muscle tear Calf Strain recurring calf strain Running Injuries sports injuries

PEAK podiatrist assessing a runner's foot and lower limb biomechanics

Sports Podiatry

Achilles Pain When Running: Why Rest Alone Won’t Fix It

Tuesday, 15th September 2026

Achilles tendinopathy can be frustrating for runners, but rest alone isn’t always the answer. Learn how progressive loading, smart training and expert podiatry care...

Achilles Tendinopathy Running Injuries Brisbane Sports Podiatry

PEAK Dream Big Wall showing a patient's rehabilitation and fitness goals

recovery

Setting Goals Is the Engine of Successful Rehab

Tuesday, 15th September 2026

Goal setting in rehabilitation can make recovery more focused and achievable. See how short- and long-term goals can support motivation, confidence and progress.

Goal Setting recovery Rehabilitation