An online personal trainer for bad knees

This page is for people with achy, stiff or "bad" knees who want to get stronger without making things worse. Maybe it's arthritis, an old injury or years of wear. HipTrain is live 1-on-1 personal training over video with the same certified coach every session. Sessions cost about $14, and your first one is free. If you haven't had your knee checked, start with your doctor. Once you know what you're working with, we can help you train around it.

The short version

• MedlinePlus notes that stretching and strengthening exercises are often part of the plan for knee pain, and suggests strengthening the muscles on the front and back of your thigh.
• Lower-impact choices, like cycling or swimming instead of running, put less stress on the knee.
• Most knee-friendly training is about range, angle and load: a higher seat, a shorter step, a slower lowering.
• See your doctor first if your knee buckles, locks, is very swollen or can't hold your weight.

Why a live coach helps with knee pain

Strong thighs support the knee. MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's health site, lists stretching the quadriceps and hamstrings among its tips for knee pain, and notes that your provider may have you learn stretching and strengthening exercises. NIAMS adds that for osteoarthritis, strengthening exercises with weights or bands help strengthen the muscles that support affected joints.

Small changes make a big difference. The same squat can feel fine from a high chair and painful from a low one. A coach watching on camera can see when your knee drifts inward, when you're leaning too far forward, or when it's time to shorten the range, and fix it in the moment.

Lower impact, same work. MedlinePlus suggests options like cycling or swimming instead of running, walking down hills instead of running, and modifying the exercise you do. Your coach can give you a full workout without jumping or deep kneeling.

Extra body weight adds pressure. MedlinePlus notes that each extra pound of body weight adds about 5 pounds of pressure on the kneecap on stairs. Regular strength training and activity can be part of a plan your doctor supports.

What we're not. HipTrain coaches are certified personal trainers. They are not doctors or physical therapists, and they don't diagnose knee injuries. If you've just hurt your knee, or you're recovering from surgery and still in therapy, follow that plan first.

What a session looks like

An example, not a prescription. Imagine a 55-year-old woman with sore knees from mild arthritis. Her doctor has cleared her for exercise. Stairs bother her, and squats used to hurt. She has a resistance band, a sturdy chair, a cushion and a step.

• Warm-up (5 minutes): seated knee extensions, ankle pumps, gentle marching and hip circles.
• Strength (16 minutes): sit-to-stands from the chair with a cushion to raise the seat, glute bridges, standing band hip abduction, hamstring curls with a band, and low step-ups on the bottom stair holding the rail. Her coach watches that her knees track over her toes.
• Balance (5 minutes): heel raises and single-leg stands near the counter.
• Cool-down (4 minutes): quadriceps and hamstring stretches, as MedlinePlus suggests.

If step-ups hurt, her coach swaps them for a standing march. Over the weeks, as sit-to-stands get easy, the cushion comes out. Same plan, adjusted to the day.

What members say

"Great option to do a virtual workout with a 1:1 trainer. Angel is great at adapting exercises to my needs." (Emma S., Google review)

"Hip Train has been a game changer with my wonderful trainer Miranda!! They have individualized my training needs based on my goals and needs." (Otishia H., Google review)

These are individual members' experiences, not promises. HipTrain is rated 5.0 on Google from 81 reviews.

What it costs

Two 30-minute sessions a week is $119.99 a month, which matches the CDC's 2-day strength guideline for adults, at about $14 a session. The first session is free, no credit card needed. HipTrain's own benchmark for a typical in-person trainer is $75 or more a session.

HipTrain is HSA / FSA eligible. Under IRS Publication 502, exercise usually qualifies only when it's for a specific condition your doctor has diagnosed, which often means a Letter of Medical Necessity. Our HSA guide walks through it. Always confirm with your plan.

When HipTrain isn't the right fit

• If your knee is newly injured, locking, giving way or very swollen, see a doctor first. We don't diagnose injuries.
• If you've just had knee surgery and still have therapy visits, finish that first. We can help when you're cleared for general exercise.
• If you want hands-on help, like taping or manual work, you need an in-person professional. We're video only.
• If you'd rather follow a routine on your own time, a recorded program is cheaper.
• We're small: a handful of featured coaches and 29 App Store ratings.

Questions

Can I strength train with bad knees?

Many people do, with the right adjustments and their doctor's okay. MedlinePlus and NIAMS both describe strengthening and stretching as common parts of a knee plan. Your coach will keep moves in a range that feels okay.

Which exercises are easiest on the knees?

Usually ones with less impact and less deep bending: bridges, hip work with a band, sit-to-stands from a higher seat, seated leg work, cycling or swimming. What feels fine varies by person, which is why a coach watching helps.

When should I see a doctor instead?

MedlinePlus says to contact your provider if you can't bear weight on your knee, it buckles, clicks or locks, it looks deformed, it's red, warm or very swollen, or pain lasts after 3 days of home care.

Is this the same as your arthritis page?

They overlap. If your knee pain comes from arthritis, our arthritis page covers other joints too, and our leg exercises guide has moves you can try today.

Ready to get stronger without fighting your knees? Try your first session free. No credit card needed.

Sources

• HipTrain
• MedlinePlus: Knee pain
• NIAMS: Osteoarthritis diagnosis, treatment and steps to take
• CDC: Physical activity guidelines for adults
• IRS Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses