Why Do Your Knees Hurt on Stairs? The Complete Guide to Pain-Free Steps
If you've ever winced while walking downstairs or dreaded that flight of steps at work, you're not alone. Knee pain on stairs is an incredibly common issue that affects people of all ages and fitness levels. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore why stairs can be particularly challenging for your knees and, more importantly, what you can do about it. Understanding the Biomechanics: Why Stairs Challenge Your Knees When you descend stairs, your knees experience forces up to 346% of your body weight with each step. Compare this to walking on flat ground, which only generates forces of about 150% of your body weight. Here's what's happening: Eccentric Loading : Your quadriceps must control your descent against gravity while lengthening under tension Increased Pressure : The patellofemoral joint (kneecap area) experiences 7-8 times more compression force compared to walking Multi-Joint Movement : Stairs require coordinated movement of your hips, knees, and ankles