Besides squats, are there other hip exercises to help my knee pain?

A great hip exercise is wall slides. This works your gluteus medius, which helps control the knee. Most people do not work this portion of their body, which can lead to strain on the knee. Other good options for the overall gluteal musculature include ball bridges, lateral tube walking, step-ups, and lunges. These exercises are listed in order of complexity, beginning with exercises that are less complex and progressing to exercises that are more dynamic and complex.

If you're experiencing knee pain, especially with weightbearing exercises, its best to train the hip in non-weightbearing. This would include bridges to strengthen the gluteus maximus, and side leg raises/clam shells to stabilize the gluteus medius. Focus on improving the gluteus medius without overcompensating with the lateral quadriceps or tensor fascia latae muscles.

Once pain decreases in the knee, weightbearing exercises to improve hip stability can then be applied.

The knee is caught between two giants: the hip and the foot. Knee pain is typically due to problems in one or both of these areas. So, yes there are other hip exercises to help your knee pain but you first must understand why you're having knee pain, correct those issues, and it will disappear. Hip exercises may be a component of that solution but also your foot strike or gait pattern.

There are a variety of exercise that can help strengthen your knee and the supporting muscles. Here are a few exercises to gain some strength:

1. Try using the Stepmill or do Step-Up
2. Calf Raises
3. Hamstring Curls
4. BOSU Lunges
5. Single leg, leg press
6. Lateral tube walking

• Remember to not lock your knees
• do not start off with heavy weight
• until you are comfortable with the exercise do not increase the weight
• Stretch