My knees bend backwards and the front hurts when I stand for long. What can I do?

Why standing hurts

Some people naturally have knees that straighten beyond a straight line, known as hyperextension or genu recurvatum. It is common in people with flexible joints. When standing, it is tempting to hang back on the knees, which takes effort off the muscles but presses the kneecap and joint surfaces into the fat pad.

Over a long shift, a queue, or a long event standing, that steady pressure irritates the fat pad and the front of the knee aches.

Practical changes at work and at home

• Stand with a soft, unlocked knee and weight spread through the whole foot
• Shift weight from leg to leg, or rest one foot on a low step or rail
• Use cushioned, supportive shoes rather than flat sandals or heels
• Use an anti-fatigue mat if you stand at a counter, workbench or till
• Take short sitting breaks during long periods of standing

Exercises that help

Strengthening helps you hold the knee in a slightly bent position without effort. Useful starting exercises include small-range squats, step-ups and hamstring curls, as the hamstrings resist the knee snapping back. Balance work on one leg trains control.

A physiotherapist can teach you to recognise the locked position and correct it, and may use tape to remind the knee during the day.

When to have it checked

See a specialist if the pain lasts more than a few weeks despite these changes, you notice swelling, the kneecap feels unstable, or other joints are also painful and very flexible. At Aman Hospital in Doha, Dr. Gelber examines the knee, checks for joint hypermobility and other causes of front knee pain, and plans treatment with you.