Why Your Knees Might Hurt—And What Ankles & Hips Have to Do With It
When we think about knee pain, most of us focus directly on the knee itself. But what if the real problem is coming from above or below?
At Avalon Wellness & Performance, we often see clients struggling with chronic knee issues that haven’t improved with rest, braces, or even targeted exercises. One of the most overlooked contributors? Poor mobility in the ankles or hips.
🔁 The Knee's Role in the Body: Stability First
Your knee is a hinge joint, meaning it’s designed to bend and straighten (flexion and extension). It also allows a very small amount of rotation, but that’s not its main job.
The knee is meant to be stable.
However, if the joints above (hip) or below (ankle) aren’t moving the way they should, your knee often compensates—twisting, shifting, and absorbing forces it’s not built to handle. That’s when we start to see irritation, inflammation, or injury.
🚨 Common Signs of Mobility Issues
Pain on the inside or outside of the knee (often a result of rotation compensation)
Stiffness during squats, lunges, or running
Recurring knee injuries despite strengthening efforts
Flat feet or tight hips
These are red flags that something upstream or downstream isn't moving right.
🧘♀️ Mobility First, Then Stability
To protect your knees, you need to focus on creating:
Mobility at the hips and ankles
Stability at the knee
It’s about creating the right movement in the right places.
🎥 Try These Mobility & Stability Drills
We’ve put together some quick and effective drills you can try at home or in the gym. These are designed by our team at Avalon Wellness & Performance to restore healthy movement patterns and protect your knees:
🔗 Hip Mobility Routine
Loosen up tight hip capsules and restore rotation and flexion
👉 Watch on YouTube
🔗 Ankle Mobility Drills for Squats & Running
Improve dorsiflexion and prevent knee-forward compensation
👉 Watch on YouTube
🔗 Knee Stability Series
Strengthen the muscles that support proper knee tracking
👉 Watch on YouTube
(Replace these links with the real ones to your YouTube channel.)
🙌 When to Seek Professional Help
If you're doing all the right things and still feeling discomfort or instability, it might be time for a deeper assessment. Our therapists are trained to evaluate your movement patterns, joint function, and compensations to get to the root cause of your pain—not just the symptoms.
We offer:
CranioSacral Therapy (CST)
Ready to Move Better and Feel Better?
Book a mobility-focused session with us today and give your knees the support they need from the ground up.
📍 Avalon Wellness & Performance – Naples, FL
📅 Book Online
📞 Call Us: 239-427-4697
