Sore knees? Here's how to keep training and build back
Written by Coach Moose. Not yet reviewed by a physiotherapist. · Published 6 November 2026
Squats feel sketchy. Stairs have opinions. Wall balls are suddenly personal. Knee pain has a way of making you think your training days are numbered, and for most people they aren't.
Knee pain has lots of possible causes, and this guide can't tell you which one you've got. It gives you a sensible way to train around it, and it tells you when to stop guessing and get it looked at.
The short version
- Rule out anything serious first.
- Exercise has real research behind it for common knee pain, though the average benefit is modest. In knee arthritis, a review of 139 trials found exercise improved pain and function, with benefits of uncertain clinical importance.1
- No single type of exercise has won. Pick something you'll keep doing.
- Swap the movement that hurts and keep coming to class.
First: get it checked if this sounds like you
Emergency doctors use a checklist called the Ottawa Knee Rule to decide who needs an X-ray. In studies of 7,385 adults, it picked up about 99% of fractures when emergency physicians used it.2 It's a tool for clinicians, so please don't use it as a home test. This guide doesn't cover post-surgical recovery, or suspected ligament or meniscus tears. Those need a clinician.
Four phases back
These doses are CrossFit BC coaching starting points, not doses from a study. Stay in a range you can tolerate, and check how it feels the next morning. Our guide to pain in training explains how.
Phase 1: Calm it down
Ease off whatever sets it off for a week or so, and keep everything else going.
- Easy bike or rower if it's comfortable: 10 to 20 minutes
- Upper body, core and the other leg as normal
- Glute bridges: 3 x 12
- Seated or lying straight-leg holds: 3 x 20 seconds
Phase 2: Get it moving
- Box squat to a comfortable height: 3 x 8 to 10
- Low step-ups: 3 x 8 per side
- Band side steps: 3 x 12 per side
- Romanian deadlift, light: 3 x 8
Phase 3: Build it back
- Goblet squat to your comfortable depth: 3 to 4 x 6 to 8
- Reverse lunge or split squat: 3 x 6 to 8 per side
- Slow step-downs: 3 x 6 to 8 per side
- Single-leg Romanian deadlift: 3 x 8 per side
- Hamstring curl: 3 x 10
Add load slowly, a small jump at a time.
Phase 4: Make it ready
- Small two-foot hops, landing quietly: 3 x 10
- Step-offs and soft landings: 3 x 5
- Short run-walk intervals on a flat surface
- Bring back one demanding movement per session
What to do in class
| If the workout says | Try this first | Bring it back when |
|---|---|---|
| Back squat or front squat | Box squat or goblet squat, lighter | Comfortable depth feels solid under load |
| Wall balls | Lighter ball, squat to a box | Squats are settled for a week or two |
| Lunges | Reverse lunges or step-ups | Single-leg work feels even |
| Box jumps | Step-ups | Hops and landings are quiet |
| Running | Bike or rower | Run-walk causes no next-day flare |
| Sled push | Lighter load, shorter distance | Step-ups feel easy |
| Burpees | Step back instead of jumping | Landings feel fine |
| Double-unders | Singles, or bike | Small hops are easy |
Tell your coach before class. Swaps are normal here and nobody will make it a thing.
The return check
| Check | Pass looks like |
|---|---|
| Pain | Little or none, and no swelling the next morning |
| Strength | Single-leg work feels close to your other side |
| Control | Step-downs and landings look steady and quiet |
| Confidence | You aren't thinking about the knee mid-workout |
| Your training | You've done a normal class without a flare |
These are CrossFit BC coaching benchmarks.
Coach note
Don't let one sore knee turn into a month off. Most of your body still works. Keep showing up, change what needs changing, and be honest with your coach about how it's feeling.
Go deeper
- Front-of-knee pain when you squat
- Tendon pain below the kneecap
- Strength training with knee arthritis
- Physio, chiro, RMT or kin: who to see
Quick answers
Are squats bad for your knees?
We can't give you a blanket yes or no. The research we read doesn't prove deep squats safe or harmful for sore knees. Start with a depth you can tolerate and build from there.
Should I wear a knee sleeve?
If it makes you feel better and helps you train, it's fine. We aren't making any claim that a sleeve changes what's going on in the joint.
How long will my knee take to feel better?
It varies too much to give you a date. If you aren't clearly improving after a couple of weeks, get it looked at.
Want a coach to look at your plan?
Tell us what's going on with your knee and what you're training for. We'll help you work out the next step.
Talk to a coachAbout the author. Dai Manuel, known around the gym as Coach Moose, has 30 years of coaching experience across strength, conditioning and lifestyle coaching, and is a co-owner of CrossFit BC in Vancouver.
This article is general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you're unsure what's going on, or it isn't improving, see a physiotherapist or physician.