Hip, Knee, Ankle & Foot Exercises

Six flexibility exercises targeting hamstrings, calves, shoulders, and hips. Designed to maintain and improve range of motion.

Targeted ankle strengthening exercises to improve stability and reduce fall risk. Includes ankle circles, calf raises, and resistance exercises.

Gentle ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion stretches to maintain ankle mobility and reduce stiffness.

Standing hip extensions using a chair for support. Strengthens the glutes and lower back for improved posture and walking endurance.

A seated hamstring stretch using a chair. Targets the posterior chain to improve flexibility and reduce lower back tension.

Free balance exercises for older adults. Single-leg stance, tandem walking, heel-toe raises. Printable handout.

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, affecting approximately 2 million people annually in the United States.

Seated and supported lower body exercises. Targets quads, hamstrings, and calves for patients with limited mobility.

Sit-to-stand exercise using a chair. A functional movement that builds quadricep and glute strength for daily activities.

The gluteus medius is the primary hip abductor and lateral stabilizer of the pelvis.

A balance and coordination exercise program designed to reduce fall risk. Includes weight shifts, single-leg stands, and directional stepping.

Falls are the leading cause of injury death in adults over 65, and the leading cause of traumatic brain injury across all age groups.

The hip and knee joints work as an integrated kinetic chain — weakness in one almost always affects the other.

The hip flexor muscles (primarily the iliopsoas) and inner thigh muscles (adductors) are among the most commonly shortened muscle groups in the…

A stretch, optional foam rolling and hip strengthening for pain on the outside of the knee, with a video.

Standing hamstring curls using a chair for balance. Strengthens the hamstrings which support knee stability and walking.

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, affecting approximately 250 million people globally.

Leg raises, hip strengthening and hip hikes for patellofemoral pain around the kneecap, with a video.

Osteoarthritis affects over 32.5 million adults in the United States, with the knee and hip being the most commonly affected weight-bearing joints.

Watch Hip Exercises for Arthritis. Strengthening, hip mobility, gluteal activation. Demonstrated by physical therapists. Free.

Four stretches and three strengthening exercises for deep buttock pain, with a video and suggested holds and reps.

A resistance band workout targeting the lower body including hips, thighs, and calves. Builds strength and stability for daily activities.

The seated leg extension is one of the most fundamental knee rehabilitation exercises, targeting the quadriceps femoris muscle group in an isolated,…

Standing side leg raises holding a chair for support. Targets the hip abductors essential for stability and gait.

Single-leg standing balance exercise to improve proprioception and reduce fall risk. Can use a chair for support as needed.

A standing balance circuit that progressively challenges stability. Includes tandem stance, single-leg holds, and dynamic weight shifts.

A focused strength training session targeting major muscle groups. Includes squats, curls, and functional movements for older adults.

A supported straight leg raise exercise targeting the quadriceps. Performed lying down with controlled movement for knee rehabilitation.

Rise up on your toes while holding a chair for support. Strengthens the calves and improves ankle stability for better balance.

The wall squat (wall sit) is an isometric quadriceps strengthening exercise that provides high muscle activation with reduced joint shear stress…

The windshield wiper exercise is a supine hip mobility drill that targets internal and external rotation of the hip joint — two ranges of motion that…

Gentle exercises designed to maintain and improve hand and wrist mobility for those with arthritis.

Arm straight, gently pull the fingers back to stretch the inner forearm. For forearm tightness.

Elbow at your side, turn the palm up and down. Restores forearm rotation after injury or stiffness.

Move the fingers through five positions (straight, hook, fist, tabletop, straight fist). Keeps tendons gliding.

Squeeze putty or a soft ball, then pinch and spread. Rebuilds grip and hand strength.

Move the hand and wrist through a gentle sequence that slides the median nerve. Used for carpal tunnel.

Lift the weight with the other hand, then lower slowly with the sore side. A staple tennis elbow exercise.

Lift the knees alternately, sitting or holding a chair. Builds hip strength, balance and stamina.

Step sideways with a band around the knees or ankles. Strengthens the outer hip for knee and hip control.

Tighten the thigh to press the back of the knee down. The first knee strengthening exercise after injury or surgery.

With a roll under the knee, straighten the lower leg. Strengthens the quads in the last part of knee straightening.

Lying down, slide the heel toward your bottom to bend the knee. Restores knee bend after surgery.

Step up onto a low step and down again with control. Builds leg strength for stairs.

Holding a chair, bend one knee and hold the ankle behind you. Stretches the front of the thigh.

Calf stretch with the back knee bent to target the deeper soleus muscle. For Achilles and heel pain.

Point and flex your feet repeatedly. Helps circulation and stiffness after surgery or long sitting.

Trace the letters A to Z with your big toe. Restores ankle movement after a sprain.

Push the foot up, down, in and out against a band. Strengthens the ankle after sprains.

Rise on both feet, then lower slowly on one heel off a step. A staple Achilles tendinopathy exercise.

Cross your leg and pull the toes back to stretch the sole of the foot. Best before first steps in the morning.

Roll the sole of the foot over a ball or frozen bottle. Eases plantar fasciitis heel pain.

Use your toes to scrunch a towel toward you. Strengthens the small muscles of the foot.

Keep your eyes on a letter while turning your head. A vestibular rehab exercise for dizziness.

Touch the thumb tip to each fingertip, then build pinch strength. For stiff or weak thumbs.

Gentle elbow, wrist and hand movements that slide the ulnar nerve. For cubital tunnel symptoms.

With the forearm supported, curl the wrist up and down with a light weight. Forearm and grip strength.

In a split stance, lower the back knee toward the floor and rise. Builds leg strength one side at a time.

Sit back into a squat with a band behind the knees and hold. Loads the quads with less knee pain.

With a band behind the knee, straighten the knee fully against it. Strengthens the last part of knee extension.

Lying down, press the heel into the bed to tighten the back of the thigh. Gentle early knee exercise.

Squeeze a ball or pillow between the knees and hold. Strengthens the inner thigh and groin.

Holding a chair, lift the leg out to the side and lower slowly. Strengthens the side of the hip.

Front shin across the body, back leg long, lean forward. Deep stretch for the hip and buttock.

Sit with both knees bent to 90 degrees and rotate the legs side to side. Improves hip rotation.

Roll slowly along the thighs and calves on a foam roller. Eases muscle tightness before or after exercise.

Lean on a wall and lift the toes and front of the feet. Strengthens the shins for walking and balance.

Lift the big toe while the other toes stay down, then swap. Trains small foot muscles.

Walk sideways and backwards along a kitchen counter. Balance training for everyday stepping.

Stand on a foam pad or cushion beside a counter. Challenges balance and ankle control.

Stand on one leg and tap the other foot to points on an imaginary clock. Builds dynamic balance.

Standing on one leg with support, draw slow, controlled circles with the other knee. Keeps the hip moving.

Standing side-on on a step, slowly lower the other heel to the floor and back. Builds knee and hip control.

Straight arm, palm down, gently bend the wrist down to stretch the top of the forearm. Often used for tennis elbow.

On hands and knees, lift a bent knee out to the side. Strengthens the side of the hip and glutes.

Upper back on a sofa or bench, drive the hips up. A stronger version of the glute bridge.

Open your fingers against a rubber band. Balances grip strength and helps hand function.

Standing on a step, drop one side of the pelvis and lift it back up. Strengthens the side of the hip.

Lying at the end of a bed, hug one knee and let the other leg hang. Stretches the front of the hip.

Rest your heel on a rolled towel and let the knee relax straight. Helps regain full knee extension.

Lying on your side, gently move the hip and knee to glide the nerve at the front of the thigh.

Gently shorten the foot to lift the arch without curling the toes. Strengthens the small foot muscles.

Lying face down, knee bent, lift the thigh a little off the bed. Targets the glutes.

A bridge on one leg. Builds glute strength and pelvic control; the marching bridge is the easier step.

With the thigh relaxed, gently glide the kneecap up, down and side to side. Keeps the knee from stiffening.

Holding a counter, slowly shift your weight side to side and front to back. A safe first step for balance.

Lying on your back, tighten the thigh and lift the straight leg to the height of the other knee. Builds quads.

Standing on one foot with hand support, rise onto the ball of the foot and lower slowly. Builds calf strength.

Lying on your back, loop a strap around one foot and gently draw the straight leg up. Stretches hamstrings.

Lying on your back, cross one ankle over the other knee and draw the legs toward you. Stretches the buttock.

Kneeling on one knee, tuck the pelvis and squeeze the glute to stretch the front of the hip. Helps tight hips.

Holding a counter, bend the knees partway (about 30–45 degrees) and stand back up. Gentle thigh strength.

Lying on your side, lift the top leg up and slightly back, then lower slowly. Strengthens the side hip.

Stand with one foot directly in front of the other, heel to toe, holding a counter. Builds standing balance.

A side plank with your top leg on a bench, lifting your hips. Strong inner-thigh (adductor) exercise.

Kneeling with feet anchored, slowly lower your body forward using your hamstrings. Strong eccentric exercise.

Forearm on a table, thumb up, move the hand up and down side to side. Restores side-to-side wrist motion.

Forearm supported, bend the wrist up and down slowly. Eases wrist stiffness after a cast or with arthritis.

In a lunge facing a wall, drive the knee toward the wall with the heel down. Improves ankle bend.

Gently bend the big toe back toward you and hold. Eases a stiff big toe and the sole of the foot.

Lying down, squeeze your buttocks together, hold for 5 seconds and relax. A gentle early strength exercise.

Lean on a wall and slide down to a shallow squat, then hold. Builds thigh strength without moving the knee.

Lying face down, let the lower leg hang off the bed edge so gravity gently straightens the knee.