Knee Pain Climbing Stairs

Of all the parts of your body that suffer stress on a daily basis, your knees are among the top of the list. Whether you are walking, standing, playing basketball, running or going up the stairs, your knees are taking an enormous amount of pressure with every step. In fact, climbing up the stairs can mean your knees are taking a pressure equal to four times what you weigh! Is it any wonder that 50 million people in the United States suffer from knee pain?

Causes of Knee Pain Climbing Stairs

Knee pain isn’t just painful – it is also a hindrance, because it prevents you from moving around as much as you need to. The pain can make it very difficult to get from one place to another, even in the comfort of your own home. This pain is especially pronounced when you try to go up the stairs. That’s because of compression at the patella femoral joint – that’s the place where the kneecap meets the front of your thigh bone.

There are many causes of this pain, as you will see from this list:

1. Kneecap Tracking

Your kneecap is attached to the thigh bone by a thick tendon. The kneecap fits neatly into a groove at the top of that bone, and moves smoothly along the groove as you flex your knee. But when it slides out of place, the result is serious pain. That’s known as kneecap tracking, which can be exacerbated by weak muscles on either side of the knee.

2. Tendon Damage

The patellar tendon straightens your knee and keeps it from bending too quickly when you move. When this tendon is damaged, it becomes inflamed. That can lead to pain and instability in the knee, as well as swelling. If the problem continues, micro-tears can develop, making it harder to heal.

3. Kneecap Arthritis

Between the bones is cartilage, a material that helps cushion you from the pain of those bones rubbing together. Arthritis can destroy that buffer, and that leads to pain that develops over time. This might mean you have dull pain when at rest, but sharp knee pain when climbing stairs.

4. Osgood-Schlatter Disease

More common in athletes and children, this is a disorder in which the patellar tendon pulls away from the bone when under stress, thus leading to a “bump” under the kneecap that causes pain upon movement. While the pain might decrease in later years, the bump becomes permanent.

5. Patellar Tendinitis

When the patellar tendon is used repeatedly, during rigorous sports, injury might be result. It is usually associated with too much use, and can be debilitating if not treated properly.

6. Bursitis

Your knee joint has a fluid-filled sac, called the bursa, that helps prevent friction and pain in your knee. When the bursa become inflamed, it spells trouble. This can happen with knee trauma, if you are kneeling for too long, or if you have a bacterial infection of the bursa.

Except for causes mentioned above, serious pain maybe caused by some sports injuries.

7. Torn Knee Cartilage

This injury happens when you twist your knee while putting weight on it. If your knee has already been under a great deal of pressure, such as with frequent squatting, the cartilage can tear much more easily.

8. Chondromalacia

Also known as runner’s knee, this injury happens when you engage in a repetitive motion, such as sports, over a long period of time. Eventually the cushioning under the kneecap wears away. You feel this most often when you go up a flight of stairs or other incline.

9. Iliotibial Band Pain

The tendon that runs down the outer side of the knee can sometimes become tight, and when you move, it rubs against the end of the thigh bone. This can lead to pain with movement.

Home Remedies and Preventions for Knee Pain

Fortunately, there are many home remedies for knee pain that work well. Here are some of the most common ones.

1. Home Remedies for Knee Pain

If your knee pain is a result of using the joint too much, such as those with sports injuries, you can reduce the pain and inflammation with these tips.

  • An elastic wrap can help stabilize the knee, so it hurts less when you move. Keep your leg elevated; this helps reduce the swelling and alleviates the pain.
  • Medications can help. Look for NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin. These help reduce the swelling. If you are in serious pain, try acetaminophen.

2. Preventions for Knee Pain

The best way to avoid the pain of a knee is to avoid the injury in the first place. These tips can help you be kind to your knees.

  • When you run, make sure you do it safely. Avoid hilly or hard terrain, but also avoid soft terrain that can slip under your feet. All of these options put excess pressure on your knee.
  • Do your shoes fit properly? A good-fitting shoe is essential to keep the stability in your knee joint and help avoid injury.
  • Sometimes the problem with your knee begins with your feet. Ask a doctor to check you for various problems, such as over-pronation, flat feet, poor leg alignment and more.
  • When on a bicycle, make sure your seat is at the right height, and avoid pedaling in high gears. To find the proper seat height, make sure your knee is only slightly bent at the bottom of the stroke.
  • Strong leg muscles can mean less knee pain. Condition the quadriceps by alternating biking with running. You can also strengthen those muscles by walking up hills or stairs.
  • Pay close attention to knee problems. Don’t try to power through the pain; instead, take it easy on the stairs, inclines and other areas that hurt your knees. Avoid things that put pressure on your legs, such as full squats.

Want to learn how to climb stairs correctly? Yes, there is a right way to do it, and this video can help: