Which Exercises Are Kind to Ageing Knees?

The short answerLow impact exercises for knee pain, such as walking, water exercise, cycling and tai chi, keep you moving with less pounding on your knees than running or jumping. Malaysia's Ministry of Health guideline on osteoarthritis describes exercise as helping to reduce pain in knee osteoarthritis, a common cause of knee pain in later life. Add a few simple thigh and hip moves, start small and build up slowly. Check with your doctor first if you have a heart or other health condition, and stop if pain sharply worsens.

Maybe it's your own knees that grumble after a long morning at the pasar. Or maybe your mum or dad has been walking less and sitting more. Resting achy knees can feel sensible, yet health guidelines put regular movement at the heart of everyday care.

If you've been searching for exercises for bad knees (膝盖痛运动) for yourself or a parent, here are gentle options that fit Malaysian life, plus simple home moves and pacing tips.

1. Why staying active matters for ageing knees

Malaysia's Ministry of Health clinical practice guideline on osteoarthritis (2nd edition, 2013) describes exercise as helping to reduce pain in knee and hip osteoarthritis, a common cause of knee pain as people get older. It recommends exercise programmes that are tailored to the person, supervised and done regularly, and notes that regular, non-competitive exercise does not make osteoarthritis worse. A 2021 Malaysian expert consensus on managing knee osteoarthritis, published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, lists education, exercise and, for people who are overweight, weight loss as core care for everyone with the condition.

A 2024 Cochrane review that pooled 139 trials involving 12,468 people with knee osteoarthritis found that exercise probably brings small short-term improvements in pain, everyday function and quality of life (low- to moderate-certainty evidence), though the authors were unsure how much difference this makes in daily life. No single type of exercise stood out, so an activity you enjoy and can keep doing is a sensible place to start.

Much of this research involved people with knee osteoarthritis. Only a doctor can tell what is behind your own knee pain, so if you're unsure, get it checked first.

2. Low impact exercises for knee pain you can start with

In plain terms, low impact exercises for knee pain are activities where your feet don't pound the ground, or where water or a bike seat carries part of your weight. A 2025 analysis of 217 trials involving 15,684 people with knee osteoarthritis found that aerobic exercise, such as walking, cycling or swimming, ranked highly for less pain and better function, walking and quality of life (moderate-certainty evidence). Strengthening and mind-body exercise such as tai chi also improved everyday function, and the authors suggest planning exercise with a healthcare professional.

• Walking, including mall walking. All you need is comfortable shoes with a good grip. Begin on level ground, such as a park path or the quiet lanes of your taman, and leave hills for later. On hot, rainy or hazy days, an air-conditioned mall offers even floors, benches and toilets close by.
• Swimming and water exercise. You don't need to swim laps. Walking across the shallow end of your condo or public pool, or kicking gently while holding the edge, counts too. The MOH guideline notes that land-based or water-based exercise may help in the short term.
• Cycling. The saddle takes much of your weight while your knees bend and straighten smoothly. Riding a stationary bike indoors, such as in a condo or community gym, works whatever the weather. Set the seat so your knee is only slightly bent when the pedal is at its lowest point.
• Tai chi in the park. Early in the morning, many Malaysian parks have groups moving slowly through tai chi together. In a 2016 US trial of 204 adults with knee osteoarthritis (average age 60), people who did tai chi twice a week for 12 weeks improved about as much as those who had a standard course of physiotherapy, and both groups still felt the benefit a year later. Participants knew which group they were in, so it's one study, not the final word, and the Malaysian consensus describes tai chi as promising, though the research is still limited. Think of it as one option alongside physiotherapy, not a replacement.

3. Simple thigh and hip moves you can do at home

Strengthening is a regular part of exercises for bad knees, and it doesn't need a gym. The MOH guideline's appendices show simple moves that need only a firm chair and a bed or mat. Here are three. Hold each for about five seconds, then relax.

• Seated knee straightening. Sit on a firm chair, feet flat. Slowly straighten one knee until that leg points out in front of you, toes pulled gently towards you. Hold, lower, then swap legs.
• Standing leg lift to the back. Stand tall behind a sturdy chair, holding the backrest. Keeping your knee straight and your body upright, move one leg backwards a short way. Hold, bring it back, then swap legs.
• Bridge. Lie on your back on a bed or mat, knees bent and feet flat. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your bottom a little way up. Hold, then lower slowly.

Begin with a few repetitions on each side and add more over the weeks, and stop any move that causes sharp pain. The MOH guideline recommends exercise programmes that are tailored to you and supervised, so it's worth asking a registered physiotherapist or your nearest klinik kesihatan to check your technique and adjust the moves for you. If your knees also click on the stairs, our guide Why Do My Knees Click on the Stairs? explains when that's usually harmless. For everyday squatting, such as on a low stool or a squat toilet, Is Squatting Bad for Your Knees? looks at ways to adjust your squat.

4. How to pace low impact exercises for knee pain

The World Health Organization's 2020 physical activity guidelines say some activity is better than none. If you're starting from very little, begin with small amounts and slowly build up how often, how hard and how long you go. Over time, adults can work towards 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking, plus some muscle strengthening, and adults aged 65 and over are encouraged to include balance and strength activities on 3 or more days a week. Treat those numbers as a long-term guide, not a starting target.

• Start with what feels easy. For one person that's a 10-minute walk; for another, 5 minutes.
• Add a little at a time. When a level has felt comfortable for a week or two, add a few minutes or one extra session. The MOH guideline also says exercise should be built up gradually.

Expect some aching at first. England's national osteoarthritis guideline (NICE, 2022) says that, for people with osteoarthritis, joint pain may increase when they first start exercising, and that sticking with a regular plan tends to bring more benefit over time, including less pain and better day-to-day function.

Sharp pain is different. Stop if pain sharply worsens during exercise, or if your knee swells or hurts more and more over the following days. Go back to an easier level, and if it doesn't settle, see a doctor or physiotherapist.

5. A few safety habits before you start

Before starting any low impact exercises for knee pain, keep these habits in mind.

• Check with your doctor first if you have a heart or other health condition, or aren't sure an activity suits you.
• Ease in and ease out. Begin and end each session with a few minutes of slow walking.
• Skip the midday sun. Exercise outdoors in the early morning or evening, and bring water.
• Mind your footing. Swap slippers for closed shoes with a grippy sole, and take care on wet tiles after an afternoon downpour.
• Ask about physiotherapy. The Malaysian consensus noted that physiotherapy could be used more often here, so it's fine to ask your doctor whether a referral might help you.

6. Helping a parent get moving

Reading this for a mum or dad? A few kind ways to help:

• Start with what they enjoy. A chatty parent may like a park walk or a tai chi group; a quieter one may prefer the simple chair moves at home or a gentle swim when the pool is less busy.
• Make it a family habit. A weekend mall walk or an after-dinner stroll around the taman is easier together.
• Praise showing up. Celebrate the effort, not the distance, and don't push them through sharp pain.
• Go along to appointments. Offer to drive them, and jot down their questions beforehand.

The bottom line

Low impact exercises for knee pain, such as walking, water exercise, cycling and tai chi, plus simple thigh and hip moves, are a gentle way to keep ageing knees moving. Start small, build up slowly, expect a little aching at first, and stop if pain sharply worsens. This week, pick one activity and try it for a few minutes on two or three days. With your doctor, you can look at the full range of options, from staying active, physiotherapy and weight (if you're overweight) to medicines, joint injections or surgery where needed, and decide together what fits you.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Please see a doctor or physiotherapist about your own symptoms.

If you're in your 50s or older, or caring for a parent who is, regular check-ups with a healthcare professional are a good habit, even when nothing hurts.

References

1. Malaysia Health Technology Assessment Section (MaHTAS), Medical Development Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia. Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of Osteoarthritis (Second Edition). 2013. Archived copy of the official MOH PDF.
2. Yeap SS, Abu Amin SR, Baharuddin H, et al. A Malaysian Delphi consensus on managing knee osteoarthritis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021;22(1):514.
3. Lawford BJ, Hall M, Hinman RS, et al. Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024;12(12):CD004376.
4. Yan L, Li D, Xing D, et al. Comparative efficacy and safety of exercise modalities in knee osteoarthritis: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ. 2025;391:e085242.
5. Wang C, Schmid CH, Iversen MD, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Tai Chi Versus Physical Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(2):77-86.
6. Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-1462.
7. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (NG226), recommendations 1.3.1–1.3.4 on therapeutic exercise. 2022.

Source consulted: a Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials article on exercise for arthritis (June 2024), used as background reading only. Facts in this article come from the references above.