12 Tips for Walking When You Have Sensitive Knees

Sensitive knees can be a challenge for walking, but it is a recommended way to maintain your function and reduce your symptoms. If you have knee pain due to osteoarthritis or other causes, you don't have to let that keep you from starting a walking program.

A regular program of walking can reduce stiffness and inflammation and it won't make most chronic knee conditions worse. Walking is the preferred exercise by people with arthritis, and can help you improve your arthritis symptoms, walking speed, and quality of life, according to the CDC.

Walking is part of a healthy lifestyle to keep your heart and bones strong and your joints functioning. Here are tips for walking when you have sensitive knees.

Why Walking Is Good for Your Knees

Your knee joint is composed of bone and cartilage. Cartilage doesn't have a blood supply that is always nourishing it by the pumping action of the heart and so it relies on joint fluid for nutrition. Moving your joints is the way that you ensure the cartilage receives the nourishment it needs to stay healthy.

You may notice that your joints are stiff and sore in the morning or when you've been sitting and inactive during the day. By moving your joints, you help them maintain their function and you may help keep them functioning longer.

Regular exercise maintains and builds muscles, which you need to support your knee and maintain functioning. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking also helps maintain bone health.

Should You Walk When You Have Knee Pain?

If you have mild to moderate pain in your knees due to osteoarthritis, walking and other exercise helps mobilize your joint fluid and lubricate the joints. You should walk and do other exercises that move your knee joints. You are likely to find that the stiffness, pain, and fatigue improve with exercise.

If you have moderate to severe pain in your knees before you start walking, take it easy. Do a shorter walk at an easy pace or try an activity that doesn't place much stress on the joint, such as water exercises in a pool. If joint pain remains severe, stop immediately as it is a sign of inflammation or joint damage that needs treatment.

If you have joint pain occasionally the day after a walk or run, you should take a day off and do a shorter workout or one that doesn't put stress on the joint. If you always have joint pain after exercise, you may have to switch to a form of exercise that doesn't put stress on the knees, such as cycling or swimming.

How to Reduce Knee Pain While Walking

Taking certain precautions, like choosing softer walking surfaces and wearing the right shoes and inserts, can make it easier to walk despite having sensitive knees. If you are new to walking, steadily build up your walking time following a plan for beginners. There are also steps you can take before and after you walk to make it more comfortable for you.

While You Are Walking

Preparing with a warm-up and investing in shoes and insoles that lend support to your knees will allow you to walk with less pain.

• Warm up: You may benefit from applying heat to your joints before you walk, or walking after taking a warm shower or bath. Starting at an easy pace is recommended for everyone, but especially when you have stiff or sore joints. Start slow to get your joint fluid moving. Then you can pick up your pace after a few minutes.
• Start slowly: Walking can be broken up into 10-minute segments, with an ultimate goal of 30 minutes per day. Start at an easy or moderate pace as you build endurance. Eventually, aim to walk briskly at 2.5 to 3.5 mph or a pace that you find challenging.
• Aim for 6,000 steps per day: A study found that people with osteoarthritis knee pain benefit most when they walk 6,000 steps or more per day. If you wear a pedometer or use a phone app to track your steps, all of your steps during the day count. Make that your first goal. If you can eventually exceed that regularly without increasing pain, that is good.
• Choose softer walking surfaces: Walking on natural surface trails (dirt, bark dust, pea gravel) is easier on the joints. And sometimes uneven, natural surfaces provide more balanced exercise. For even surfaces, choose a cinder track or asphalt rather than concrete. Note that flooring in malls and stores is primarily concrete. Whether you're on a regular or folding treadmill, be sure it has an adequate shock-absorbing system.
• Choose the right shoes: Shoes should be flat and flexible, bendable in the forefoot with a low heel-to-toe drop. Avoid high heels, pointy toes, and heavy shoes. Look for shoes with a wide toe box. Even a 1.5-inch higher heel can increase pressure on two common sites for knee osteoarthritis damage. Choose heels that are 0.75 inch or less. Some shoes for those with flat feet are also beneficial for those with sensitive knees.
  
• Use inserts: When you have sensitive knees, avoid arch supports and shoes that have a high amount of arch support. You want your foot to move as naturally as possible. You can use over-the-counter orthotics that provide cushioning and support if you think that is helpful for you or they have been recommended by your doctor or podiatrist. Knee sleeves and braces can also provide added support.
• Use walking poles: Some people find that using trekking poles or Nordic walking poles helps them with stability and reducing joint fatigue when walking. Canes and other walking aids may be useful, depending on your condition.
• Walk during low-pain times of the day: If you have a lot of pain or stiffness in the morning, try to get up and move around for a minute or two every half hour. You will better enjoy long walks at a time when you have fewer aches, and that will help you be consistent.

At Other Times

Improving your overall fitness level and keeping your knees and legs strong and flexible can help reduce the pain you feel while you are walking (and even while you're not).

• Add cycling: Incorporate cycling on a stationary bike, bicycle, or an under-desk cycle to help keep your opposing muscles in shape for better support of the knee.
  
• Keep moving throughout the day: Get up and move around or stretch every 15 minutes. This will keep your joint fluid moving and nourish your knees. Even just a minute can help reduce the health risks of sitting and will be good for your joints.​
• Lose excess weight: If you are overweight, losing even a few pounds can reduce stress on your knees. Diet is the most effective way to lose weight. You will be able to walk and exercise with less pain and discomfort after some of the excess weight has been lost.
  

A Word From Verywell

Walking is the most accessible form of physical activity and can help you maintain joint health. However, it's not the only option. If your sensitive knees keep you from walking, you can get the physical activity you need by enjoying cycling, pool exercises, swimming, or water aerobics.

You should also include resistance exercise to build and maintain muscles, including any specific exercises recommended for your knees by your doctor or physical therapist. Balance exercises can also be beneficial. Once you are confident walking, you can even include them in your walking workouts. Just keep moving.