Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
Place a pillow under your knees
Try gentle diaphragmatic breathing
Apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes if the pain is new or after strain
Apply heat for 15 to 20 minutes if the pain feels tight or stiff
Change positions every 20 to 30 minutes
Do a gentle knee-to-chest stretch
Do a gentle cat-cow stretch
Do a gentle child’s pose if it feels comfortable
Walk slowly for a few minutes
Avoid heavy lifting and twisting
Use an over-the-counter pain reliever if safe for you
Maintain a neutral spine when sitting or standing
Seek urgent medical care if you have numbness, weakness, fever, loss of bladder or bowel control, or severe pain after injury
