Knee Arthritis Relief: The One Exercise That Can Make a Big Difference

Sven Rees
Jun 4
3 min read

When Every Step Hurts, Start Here

You stand up from a chair and feel stiffness. You climb stairs and your knee protests. Knee arthritis can slowly erode your confidence to move—but what if one exercise could help ease the pain?

At Exercise Matters, we guide clients through the GLA:D program, a proven pathway for managing knee osteoarthritis. In this blog, we focus on one of the most effective, accessible exercises for knee arthritis relief.

Understanding Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition where the cartilage cushioning the knee wears down over time. This leads to pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility.

Common symptoms:

Pain with walking, stairs, or prolonged standing
Morning stiffness or stiffness after sitting
Swelling around the joint
Clicking or grinding sensations

Risk factors:

Age (typically over 45)
Prior knee injury
Being overweight
Muscle weakness or poor joint mechanics

Evidence: The GLA:D program has demonstrated a 30–40% reduction in pain and improved quality of life through structured exercise and education (Skou et al., 2018).

The Best First Exercise for Knee Arthritis: The Sit-to-Stand

Also known as the chair squat, this simple movement is highly functional and effective for:

Strengthening the quadriceps and glutes
Improving mobility and balance
Enhancing confidence in movement

Why It Works:

Mimics daily activities (e.g. standing from a chair or toilet)
Builds muscle that supports the knee joint
Can be scaled to your current level

How to Perform the Sit-to-Stand

Setup:

Sit on a firm chair with feet flat and shoulder-width apart
Cross arms over your chest or place hands on thighs for support

Movement:

Lean forward slightly from the hips
Press through your heels and stand up slowly
Pause at the top, then slowly sit back down with control

Prescription:

Start with 8–10 repetitions
Perform 2–3 sets, 3–4 days per week
Adjust chair height to reduce strain if needed

How to Progress

Add Resistance: Hold light dumbbells or wear a weighted vest
Slow It Down: Increase time under tension (e.g. 3-second descent)
Increase Reps/Sets: Work toward 3 sets of 12–15 reps
Unstable Surface: Try standing from a cushion to challenge stability

Other Complementary Movements

Once confident with sit-to-stands, consider:

Step-ups
Glute bridges
Wall sits
Calf raises All included in our structured GLA:D exercise classes

Case Study: John, 67, Knee OA and Walking Pain

John avoided exercise due to knee pain, but needed a solution that felt safe. We started with:

Sit-to-stand from a high chair
Twice weekly practice at home
Added glute bridges and step-ups after 3 weeks

After 8 weeks:

Reported 50% reduction in pain
Improved confidence using stairs
Joined our GLA:D class for structured progression

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Won’t squats make arthritis worse?

No—when done correctly, they build strength and reduce joint load. Pain should be mild and settle quickly.

2. Should I exercise through pain?

Mild discomfort is okay. Sharp or lingering pain isn’t. Start small and scale gradually.

3. Do I need a gym or special equipment?

No. A sturdy chair and consistent practice is enough to get started.

4. Can this delay surgery?

Yes. Strengthening exercises have been shown to reduce symptoms and improve function enough to delay or avoid knee replacements.

Stronger Legs, Happier Joints

If you're living with knee arthritis, movement is medicine. The sit-to-stand is a simple but powerful first step toward managing pain and reclaiming your mobility.

📞 Book your GLA:D Assessment: (07) 5448 3532 🌐 www.exercisematters.healthcare

References:

Skou ST et al. (2018). Good Life with Osteoarthritis in Denmark (GLA:D): Clinical effectiveness of education and exercise. BMJ Open.
Fransen M et al. (2015). Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
Bennell KL et al. (2014). Efficacy of strengthening exercises in knee OA. Ann Intern Med.