Knee Pain & Weakness Down Stairs

Pain on Stairs

People complain of knee pain when going downstairs. This pain may cause the knee to feel weak or buckle under their weight. The pain can be sharp and surprise them, causing a fall. Incidentally, because of some common asymmetries, it happens to the left leg about twice as often.

There are several different pain patterns around the knee. This is specific to feeling like it is in or on the knee cap. Other patterns create pain to the side or under the knee cap.

Sleeping

This knee pain may also bother them while sleeping, especially when they change positions or bend the knee. This nocturnal pain also seems sharp and may alarm them. Some of these people seek medical attention to check for tears in cartilage, bone spurs, etc. Failure to find those problems leads them to bodywork.

Kneeling

Often, this bothers them while kneeling. In addition, this stretch often results in complaints about knee pain. Still, they get the pain, even when the knee does not touch the ground.

Fall, Accident, Strain

Usually, this trigger point activates after a near fall that twists the leg or bumps the hip. However, some patients have no idea why it happened.

At times, a latent trigger point becomes much more active and painful when stressed. This could be a sudden, unexpected step. In addition, this is a common problem after heavy leg workouts, hiking, walking on unstable sand, or a day at a hilly amusement park.

Carry On! Ouch.

Often, people shake it off and carry on. It may not bother them until days later when the soreness goes away. Often, they do not concern themselves about it until they descend some stairs. Then, it produces some sharp, unexpected pain. Instead of pain on stairs, this may create pain while sleeping or kneeling, but stair pain is most common.

My experience

I fell in the driveway and landed on my back, jarring my hip. Weirdly, I didn’t hit the knee at all. I felt fine. This problem developed several days later. I had pain on the top of my knee when I walked downhill or downstairs. Other clients have told me similar stories about this pain from hiking, tripping, auto accidents, etc.

Musculoskeletal Anatomy

About these Illustrations…

This anatomy post contains the standard information about origin, insertion, function, and innervation. It also includes information on functional considerations and anomalies. This is also the place to find all posts related to this muscle.

Clinically Proven
Self-Care Strategies

Self-Care Posts have common sections to make them easy to follow and understand:

• Activities to Avoid or Change
• Strategies for Quick Relief
• Stretches and Exercise for Longer-Lasting Relief
• Yoga Corner

Better Bodywork
Through Shared Expertise

Therapy Notes provide details for cranial, spinal, and local joint work. These notes also link to a traditional neuromuscular protocol.

By treating integrative components first, direct work on the muscle becomes less intense while providing longer-lasting relief.

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