Short answer: staying active with knee or back problems is encouraged: for back pain the NHS says stay active and keep up daily activities, avoiding long periods in bed; for a sore knee, reduce the load on it and see how it settles.[1][9]
Staying active with knee or back problems: what to know
- Back: gentle exercise and stretches, and walking, swimming, yoga and pilates may help.[1]
- Knee: put as little weight on the knee as possible, for example by avoiding long standing; cold pack wrapped in a towel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.[9]
- Build up slowly, changing one thing at a time and keeping rest days.[6][7]
- Warmth for stiffness can be comforting for the back; a heat pack or hot-water bottle wrapped in a tea towel.[1]
When to see a doctor
See a GP if back pain doesn't improve after a few weeks or stops you doing daily activities, or if knee pain doesn't improve within a few weeks.[1][9] Urgent: back pain with numbness in both legs, loss of feeling around the genitals or anus, or bladder or bowel changes needs emergency care; a knee that is very painful, can't take weight, is badly swollen, locks or gives way needs urgent advice.[1][9]
Sources
- NHS, Back pain
- Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Return to activity or sport after injury
- Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, Exercise and your health: a guide to getting started
- NHS, Knee pain
Written by the Prife iTeraCare team and last reviewed on 10 October 2026. This is general information, not medical advice, and it does not replace your doctor or physiotherapist. A session is a wellness experience, not a medical treatment.
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