How deeply are you squatting, and how confident are you of your form?
If your knee is drifting forward, you're going to be in pain. You want it to stay directly over your ankle. Depending on your range of motion, you may not be able to go to a full 90 degee squat, but you should be able to get down some.
I had knee surgery, and squats were one of the first exercises they started me back on. Imagine that your rear and your chest are both heavy - think about putting both of them toward the ground. This will help ensure that you're doing the movement properly, not drifting your knees forward. My physical therapist said that most knee pain during squats was due to letting the kneecap drift forward. It is imperative that your knee stay directly above your ankle. Remember - your chest and your butt are heavy, and they go toward the ground. The part of your leg from your ankle to your knee stays straight up and down.
Doing squats against a wall can help, but it's easier with a stability ball behind your back. They're really pretty inexpensive, so it might be a good investment. They can help you maintain appropriate, knee-preserving form...they're good for other exercises, too.
Can you do a step up onto your bench without pain? That's another way to work your quad, but with my knees, squats were way less painful than step ups. Again, watch that knee! Never, ever past the toe!
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