Hip Strengthening Exercises for Kids with Knock Knees
- Juliana Lucky
- 20 minutes ago
- 9 min read
Knock knees are one of the most common alignment concerns I hear from parents. A child stands up straight, and their knees angle inward while their ankles stay apart. It looks awkward, and many parents worry it will get worse. The good news is that in most cases, hip strengthening exercises for kids can significantly improve knee alignment without any special equipment or clinic visits.
I've worked with hundreds of children who show signs of knee valgus (the medical term for knock knees), and the pattern I see again and again is the same: the hips are weak. When the gluteal muscles and outer hip stabilizers don't fire properly, the thigh bones rotate inward, pulling the knees together. Strengthening the hips gives the legs a better foundation and helps the knees track straight. In this post, I'll walk you through six of my go-to hip exercises for knock knees in children, along with a weekly schedule and tips for keeping kids engaged.
Why Hip Weakness Causes Knock Knees in Children
The hip joint is one of the most influential joints in the body. It connects the pelvis to the thigh bone and controls how the entire leg lines up below it. When the muscles around the hip are strong, the thigh bone stays neutral and the knee points forward over the foot. When those muscles are weak, the thigh rotates inward and the knee collapses toward the midline.
Research published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science has shown that children with knock knees consistently demonstrate weaker hip abductor and external rotator muscles compared to children with neutral knee alignment. The gluteus medius, a muscle on the outer side of the hip, is typically the weakest link. This muscle's job is to keep the pelvis level and prevent the thigh from caving inward during walking, running, and single-leg activities.
According to Nemours KidsHealth, mild knock knees are a normal part of development in children between ages 2 and 5. By age 7 or 8, most kids naturally straighten out. But when the inward angle persists past that age, or when it's pronounced enough to affect how a child walks or runs, targeted hip strengthening becomes an effective first step.
Children who sit in W-position frequently, spend long hours sitting at desks, or avoid active play are more likely to develop weak hips. Modern childhood involves a lot of sitting and very little climbing, crawling, or squatting, all movements that naturally build hip strength. Without those daily challenges, the hip muscles never develop the endurance they need to keep the legs aligned.
6 Hip Strengthening Exercises for Kids with Knock Knees
These exercises target the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and deep hip rotators. They require no equipment and are appropriate for children ages 4 and up. For younger children (ages 4 to 6), keep sessions to 5 minutes and choose 2 to 3 exercises. Older children (ages 7 to 12) can complete all six in a single 10-minute session.
1. Side-Lying Leg Lifts
This is the most direct way to isolate the gluteus medius, the muscle most responsible for controlling knock knee alignment.
Lie on one side with legs stacked and the body in a straight line.
Keep the hips stacked (don't let the top hip roll backward).
Lift the top leg about 12 inches, keeping the knee straight and toes pointing forward, not up toward the ceiling.
Hold at the top for 2 seconds, then lower slowly.
Do 10 to 12 repetitions on each side. Complete 2 sets.
I tell kids to pretend their legs are scissors opening and closing. The key coaching cue is to keep the toes pointing forward throughout the lift. If the toes rotate upward, the hip flexor takes over and the gluteus medius gets less work.
2. Clamshells
Clamshells strengthen the deep external rotators of the hip, which help pull the thigh bone outward and reduce the inward collapse at the knee.
Lie on one side with knees bent to about 45 degrees and feet together.
Keeping the feet touching, open the top knee as high as possible without letting the hips roll backward.
Hold the open position for 2 seconds.
Close slowly. Do 12 to 15 repetitions on each side. Complete 2 sets.
My younger daughter calls these "butterfly wings." The opening and closing motion does look like wings flapping, and that imagery helps kids keep a steady rhythm. If your child's hips rock backward during the movement, have them lie with their back against a wall to keep the pelvis stable.
3. Glute Bridges
Bridges build strength in the gluteus maximus and teach kids to activate their glutes instead of relying on their lower back.
Lie on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
Press through the heels and lift the hips toward the ceiling until the body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Squeeze the glutes at the top and hold for 3 seconds.
Lower slowly. Repeat 10 to 12 times. Do 2 sets.
Watch your child's knees during bridges. If the knees drift inward as they lift, that's the exact pattern you're trying to correct. Place a soft ball or rolled-up sock between their knees and ask them to gently squeeze it throughout the movement. This cue keeps the thighs parallel and reinforces proper alignment.
4. Monster Walks
Monster walks challenge the hip abductors during movement, which is closer to how these muscles actually work in daily life.
Stand with feet hip-width apart and bend the knees slightly into a quarter squat.
Take wide steps to the side, keeping the feet parallel and the knees pointing over the toes.
Take 10 steps to the right, then 10 steps back to the left.
Stay low the entire time (no standing up between steps).
Do 3 trips in each direction.
Kids love these because the low, wide stance really does look like a monster stomping around. I use monster walks as a warm-up before other exercises because they activate the glutes and get blood flowing to the hips. If you have a resistance band at home, looping it around the ankles adds more challenge for older kids.
5. Single-Leg Stand with Hip Hike
This exercise trains the hip stabilizers to hold the pelvis level during single-leg activities like walking and running.
Stand on one leg on a low step or the edge of a thick book (about 2 inches high).
Let the other foot hang off the edge.
Drop the hanging hip down, then use the standing leg's hip muscles to lift it back up to level.
Keep the standing knee straight but not locked.
Do 10 repetitions per side. Complete 2 sets.
This one takes some practice. Younger children may need to hold onto a wall or chair for balance at first. The movement is small, only an inch or two of drop and lift, but the demand on the gluteus medius is significant. I use this exercise as a diagnostic tool as well: if a child can't keep the pelvis level on one side, that tells me which hip needs more focused work.
6. Wall Sit with Knee Alignment Hold
Wall sits build endurance in the glutes and quadriceps while training proper knee tracking under sustained load.
Stand with the back flat against a wall and slide down until the knees are bent to about 90 degrees.
Position the feet hip-width apart with toes pointing straight forward.
Focus on pushing the knees outward slightly so they point directly over the second toe.
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Rest and repeat 3 times.
The conscious effort to push the knees outward activates the same hip muscles that prevent knock knee collapse. Start with 15-second holds and add 5 seconds each week. My older daughter got up to 45-second holds within a month, and we both noticed her knees tracking straighter during her soccer practices.
Building a Weekly Hip Exercise Routine for Your Child
For hip strengthening exercises to make a visible difference in your child's knee alignment, consistency is essential. Aim for 3 to 4 sessions per week, keeping each session under 10 minutes so your child doesn't lose interest. Here's the schedule I use with my own kids:
Day 1: Side-lying leg lifts + Clamshells + Glute bridges (8 minutes)
Day 2: Monster walks + Single-leg hip hike (6 minutes)
Day 3: Glute bridges + Wall sit + Clamshells (8 minutes)
Day 4: All 6 exercises in one session (10 minutes)
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for school-age children. Hip exercises won't fill that entire window, but they complement whatever sport, outdoor play, or movement your child already does. Think of them as targeted maintenance for the muscles that keep the legs aligned.
If your child also has flat feet or ankle instability, combining hip exercises with ankle strengthening exercises and flat feet exercises creates a complete lower-body routine. The hip, knee, ankle, and foot all work as a connected chain. Strengthening one level supports the others.
How to Tell if Hip Exercises Are Improving Your Child's Knock Knees
Progress with knock knees is gradual. Don't expect to see changes after a few days. Most families I work with notice improvements in 4 to 8 weeks of consistent practice. Here are the signs I look for:
Knees track straighter during squats. Ask your child to do a slow squat while you watch from the front. If the knees used to collapse inward and now stay more aligned over the feet, that's real progress.
Less tripping during running. Children with knock knees sometimes clip their own ankles when they run. As alignment improves, this happens less often.
Longer single-leg balance. If your child can stand on one foot for 15 seconds longer than they could a month ago, their hip stabilizers are getting stronger.
Standing posture looks different. When the hips get stronger, the whole lower body lines up better. You might notice your child's feet pointing more forward and less outward, or that their overall posture looks more balanced.
A simple tracking method: take a photo of your child standing from the front, with knees and feet visible, every 4 weeks. Comparing photos side by side reveals changes that are hard to see day to day. I recommend this approach to every parent I work with because it provides objective evidence of what's changing.
If you don't see any improvement after 8 weeks of consistent hip exercises, or if your child's knock knees are severe or causing pain, a personal diagnostic can help identify whether additional factors are contributing and what adjustments to make.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Kids' Hip Exercises
Getting the exercises right matters more than doing more of them. Here are the pitfalls I see most often:
Letting the hips roll during side-lying exercises. If the pelvis tilts backward during leg lifts or clamshells, the wrong muscles take over. Keep the hips stacked and the core gently engaged.
Going too fast. Slow, controlled movements build more strength than quick, sloppy ones. Count "two Mississippi" on both the lift and the lower.
Skipping one side. Most children have one hip that's weaker than the other. Always do both sides equally, even if one side feels easier.
Overdoing it in the first week. Start with fewer reps and shorter holds, then build up over 2 to 3 weeks. Sore muscles make kids resistant to doing exercises again.
Building strong hips also supports core strength, since the hip and core muscles work together to stabilize the pelvis. When the hips fire properly, the core has a stable base to work from, and the entire trunk becomes more balanced.
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Test Your Knowledge: Hip Exercises and Knock Knees
See how much you picked up from this post. Check your answers below each question.
1. Which hip muscle is most often weak in children with knock knees?
a) Hamstring
b) Gluteus medius
c) Quadriceps
d) Calf muscle
Answer: b) Gluteus medius. This muscle on the outer hip is responsible for keeping the pelvis level and preventing the thigh from rotating inward.
2. What should you watch for during glute bridges to check alignment?
a) Whether the feet lift off the floor
b) Whether the knees drift inward
c) Whether the arms stay at the sides
d) Whether the head stays flat
Answer: b) Whether the knees drift inward. Inward knee drift during bridges reveals the exact muscle weakness that contributes to knock knees. Placing a soft ball between the knees helps correct this pattern.
3. How many sessions per week are recommended for hip exercises?
a) 1 long session
b) Every day for 30 minutes
c) 3 to 4 short sessions
d) Once every two weeks
Answer: c) 3 to 4 short sessions. Keeping sessions under 10 minutes and spreading them across the week builds strength more effectively than one long workout.
4. At what age do most children naturally outgrow mild knock knees?
a) Age 2 to 3
b) Age 7 to 8
c) Age 12 to 13
d) They never outgrow it
Answer: b) Age 7 to 8. Mild knock knees are normal in children ages 2 to 5 and typically resolve by ages 7 to 8. Persistent or pronounced knock knees after that age benefit from targeted hip strengthening.
5. Why are monster walks effective for knock knees?
a) They stretch the inner thigh
b) They challenge the hip abductors during movement
c) They strengthen the ankles only
d) They improve hand-eye coordination
Answer: b) They challenge the hip abductors during movement. Monster walks train the hip muscles in a dynamic, weight-bearing position, which is closer to how they function during walking and running.
A Full Program Built Around These Exercises
These hip exercises are a strong starting point for improving your child's knock knee alignment. For a structured, video-guided program that addresses hips, knees, ankles, and feet together, my Posture and Feet course provides step-by-step progressions so you always know what comes next.
Strong hips give the legs a stable foundation, and every short session moves your child closer to better alignment.
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