How to Correct Knock Knees with Exercise
Perform targeted physical therapy exercises to strengthen hip abductors and external rotators while improving knee tracking and foot arch alignment.
This guide shows how to correct knock knees with exercise in 20-25 minutes. Start with foam roll the adductors and it band; follow the safety notes and step checkpoints below.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Yoga mat
- ✓ Medium resistance loop band
- ✓ Yoga block
- ✓ Foam roller
- ✓ Sturdy chair or wall
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Athletic clothing
- ✓ Bare feet or grip socks
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Stop immediately if you feel sharp, pinching joint pain inside the knee capsule.
- • Maintain a neutral spine throughout all movements without overarching the lower back.
- • Ensure knees always track directly over the second and third toes during loading.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Foam Roll the Adductors and IT Band
Lie prone on the mat and place the foam roller under the inner thigh of one leg, perpendicular to your body. Roll slowly from just above the knee up toward the groin for 45-60 seconds, pausing on tight trigger points. Switch to the outer thigh to release the IT band and tensor fasciae latae.
- • Leg angled out at 90 degrees with the inner thigh resting directly on the roller
- • Controlled, slow breathing with no torso twisting
- • Rolling directly over the knee joint bone
- • Holding breath and tensing the target leg muscles
Perform Banded Clamshells
Place the resistance band 2 inches above your knees and lie on your side with hips stacked at 45 degrees and knees bent at 90 degrees. Keeping your feet glued together, rotate the top knee toward the ceiling using your glute. Hold at the top for 2 seconds, then lower under control for 15 reps per side.
- • Top knee raised high while inner edges of feet remain touching
- • Pelvis remains perfectly vertical without rolling backward
- • Rolling the top hip backward to cheat the range of motion
- • Letting the feet separate as the knee opens
Execute Side-Lying Hip Abductions
Lie straight on your side with the bottom leg slightly bent for stability and the top leg completely straight. Slightly turn the top toes downward toward the floor, then lift the top leg toward the ceiling at a 45-degree angle. Lower slowly to tap the floor, completing 12-15 controlled repetitions per side.
- • Top leg straight with heel slightly higher than the toes
- • Leg moves slightly backward and upward behind the midline
- • Pointing toes upward, which shifts load from glutes to hip flexors
- • Kicking the leg forward in front of the body
Perform Banded Squats with External Knee Drive
Loop the resistance band around your legs just above the knees and set your feet shoulder-width apart. Sit your hips back and down into a squat while actively pushing your knees outward against the band's resistance. Stand up through your mid-foot, keeping knees aligned over toes throughout the entire movement.
- • Knees remain parallel or pushed slightly wider than ankles throughout squat descent
- • Torso angle matches shin angle at the bottom of the squat
- • Allowing knees to cave inward during the upward ascent
- • Letting the arches of the feet collapse flat
Train Short Foot and Arch Activation
Stand barefoot with feet hip-width apart. Without curling your toes, pull the ball of your big toe toward your heel to lift and engage the medial longitudinal arch. Hold this tension for 5 seconds while keeping all five toes flat on the mat, repeating for 10 reps per foot.
- • Visible rise in the medial arch without toe clawing
- • All toe pads resting flat against the floor
- • Clawing or curling the toes into the floor
- • Rolling all weight onto the outside edge of the foot
Single-Leg Balance with Wall Press
Stand parallel to a wall, lift the inside leg to 90 degrees hip flexion, and place a yoga block between your knee and the wall. Press your lifted knee firmly into the block against the wall while balancing on the standing leg for 30 seconds. Keep the standing knee micro-bent and tracking over the middle toes.
- • Pelvis level to the floor without lateral hip drop
- • Standing knee steady with no inward shaking or collapse
- • Allowing the standing hip to shoot out sideways
- • Hyperextending and locking the standing knee joint
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Jessica Dudas — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Medium resistance loop band? Tied elastic exercise strap or pantyhose tied in a firm loop
- No Yoga block? Thick foam roller, rolled towel, or firm couch cushion
- No Foam roller? Tennis ball or rolling pin wrapped in a towel