5 Exercises That Are Wrecking Your Knees After 60 (And What to Do Instead)

By Alexa Mellardo

June 25, 2026

Your knees have worked just as hard as you have your entire life. That means your joints have experienced a natural decline in cartilage and lubrication. When you pair that with the age-related loss of muscle and any injuries you’ve endured over the years, it’s time to give your knees a bit of tender loving care. We learned from Doug Bertram, M.S., L.Ac., MTCM, Founder & CEO of orthopedic wellness brand Structural Elements®, five exercises that may be wrecking your knees after 60, in addition to what you should do instead.

“No exercise is inherently bad, but certain movements are more likely to aggravate knee pain when they exceed an individual’s current strength, mobility, balance, or recovery capacity. After 60, the goal should be to build resilience rather than simply tolerate stress,” Bertram explains. “The most effective exercise programs after 60 focus on improving overall movement quality rather than simply increasing intensity. When the body moves more efficiently as a system, stress on the knees often decreases, allowing people to remain active, independent, and comfortable for years to come.”

Knee Extensions

The knee extension machine places a significant amount of stress on the fronts of your knee joints—especially the patellofemoral joint. It also recruits the quads in a manner that doesn’t channel everyday activities.

“For knee extension machines, a better alternative is the sit-to-stand exercise from a chair. This movement strengthens the quadriceps while integrating the hips, core, and balance systems in a way that directly improves daily function,” explains Bertram.

Here’s how to do the sit-to-stand:

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1. Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair with your feet placed on the floor under your knees.
2. Lean forward slightly.
3. Try to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
4. Use control to slowly sit back down.

High-Impact Running

High-impact running on hard surfaces like pavement can present major issues when mobility, strength, and recovery capacity decline.

“For high-impact running, brisk uphill walking or incline treadmill walking provides an excellent cardiovascular challenge while significantly reducing impact forces on the joints,” Bertram tells us.

Deep Squats

While deep squats serve as a stellar lower-body workout in some cases, they can potentially wreak havoc on your knees after 60.

“Deep squats are not inherently harmful, but limited ankle and hip mobility often force the knee to absorb more stress than necessary,” Bertram explains.

Try box squats instead.

“Sitting back toward a box or bench encourages proper hip loading, improves movement mechanics, and allows individuals to work safely within their current mobility,” Bertram tells us.

Here’s how to do box squats:

1. Begin by standing tall in front of plyometric box with your feet hip-width apart on the ground.
2. Activate your core and keep your chest lifted.
3. Bend at the knees and hips and lower slowly into a squat—as if you’re about to sit down. Make sure your weight stays in your heels.
4. Lightly touch the surface of the chair with your glutes.
5. Press through your heels to rise back up.

Walking Lunges

According to Bertram, walking lunges can place excessive shear forces on the knee when performed without proper control or strength.

“For walking lunges, step-ups offer many of the same strength benefits while providing greater control over knee alignment and loading,” he says.

Here’s how to do step-ups:

1. Begin by standing tall, facing a sturdy workout bench, plyometric box, or step that’s about knee level. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Place your left foot firmly onto the surface, keeping your core engaged and chest tall.
3. Press through your left heel to lift your body until your left leg is straight and you’re standing on the surface.
4. Use control to lower back to the start position.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Box Jumps

Box jumps and other explosive jumping movements can be hard on aging joints, which are less capable of absorbing the high impact efficiently.

“For box jumps and aggressive plyometric exercises, controlled power and balance drills such as step-and-hold movements, lateral stepping patterns, or medicine ball exercises can improve coordination, reaction time, and power production without the high landing forces associated with jumping,” Bertram says.