Strong Knees Start at the Hips and Feet

abeskaw5
May 2
3 min read

Why your knee pain may be linked to weakness and dysfunction in your hips and feet — and how to fix it.

Knee pain is often a sign that something else in your body isn’t working properly.

You might have felt it during a squat, a run, or even after standing for long periods: a nagging ache in the knee. It could be sharp, dull, or just a general feeling of instability.

What you might not realize is that the problem isn’t necessarily in your knee. In fact, your knee is just one part of the larger movement system — and often, it’s the result of dysfunction elsewhere in your body, particularly in your hips and feet.

At Chippewa Valley Movement, we take a full-body approach to knee rehab. We’ll show you why strong knees start with proper movement mechanics, including the often-overlooked areas of your hips and feet.

How Your Hips Affect Your Knees

Your knees don’t work in isolation — they’re part of the kinetic chain. Poor hip stability and movement control can force your knees to do more work than they should.

When your hip muscles are weak or inefficient, your knees compensate by taking on excess load during activities like running, squatting, or walking.

How This Plays Out:

Weak glutes or hip abductors can cause the knees to collapse inward (valgus collapse) when squatting or running.
Limited hip mobility, especially in rotation and flexion, can lead to poor alignment of the knee joint.
Inadequate hip stability can result in abnormal forces on the knee, leading to irritation or wear-and-tear over time.

How Your Feet Influence Knee Health

Your feet are the foundation of every movement you make. If your feet aren’t in the right position, or if your foot muscles are weak or not firing properly, it can disrupt the entire alignment up the chain — including the knee.

The Link Between Foot Dysfunction and Knee Pain:

Flat feet (overpronation) or high arches (supination) can cause the knees to rotate inward or outward during movement.
Weak foot muscles can lead to poor arch support, which, in turn, creates abnormal stress on your knees.
Foot mobility issues, such as a lack of flexibility in the ankle, can limit proper shock absorption during running or squatting, which can lead to knee pain.

What Can You Do About It?

Instead of focusing solely on the knee, a successful rehab approach must address your hips and feet. Here are some key strategies for building strong knees that don’t just depend on passive treatments:

1. Strengthen Your Hips

To reduce knee pain, your hips need to be strong, stable, and move well. Focus on exercises that target the glutes, hip abductors, and deep hip rotators.

✅ Recommended exercises:

Hip bridges
Clamshells
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts
Lateral band walks
Hip flexor stretches and mobility drills

2. Improve Foot and Ankle Function

If your feet aren’t functioning properly, your knees will pay the price. Start by improving foot mobility and strength, along with controlling your foot posture while standing, walking, and running.

✅ Recommended exercises:

Toe curls and spreads
Ankle dorsiflexion stretches
Calf raises
Foot arch lifts (strengthen the intrinsic foot muscles)
Barefoot walking to improve foot awareness and proprioception

3. Integrate Full-Body Movement Training

Knee health depends on how the entire body moves together. Work on core stability, functional movement patterns, and full-body integration to enhance your overall movement mechanics.

✅ Recommended exercises:

Planks and side planks
Squat variations (focusing on knee tracking and hip control)
Deadlifts and lunges
Dynamic stretches like lunges with rotations

Ready to Strengthen Your Knees from the Ground Up?

If you’ve been dealing with knee pain and haven’t seen lasting results, it’s time to address the real causes — starting with your hips and feet.

At Chippewa Valley Movement, we provide a movement-based, holistic approach to knee rehab. Our team works with you to assess your movement patterns, correct dysfunctions, and build long-term strength and stability.

👉 Click here to request your Free Discovery Visit. Let’s get your knees working the way they should — so you can move pain-free and stay active for the long run.