Knee Pain Going Down Stairs

Knee pain going down stairs or down hill is typically because of dysfunction in the quadriceps muscles. The quads are the main muscles used to help slow your descent down stairs or hills. Most often the dysfunction in the quads is a weakness caused by:

• An old injury or fascial adhesions
• Pelvic, hip, or ankle instability
• A reaction to a medication or supplement
• IBS, SIBO, or SIFO

 Old injuries or fascial adhesions can cause an imbalance in the strength of the quadricep muscles. Since there are 4 of these muscles all pulling on the patella and knee in slightly different angles a change in strength in one of these muscles can cause excess ‘wear and tear” on the knee leading to pain. All 4 quad muscles need to work together for efficient movement of the knee. This imbalance in the muscles could be caused by scar tissue, trigger points, or fascial adhesions within the muscle itself or a muscle near the knee or quad. These issues are typically going to be addressed with manual treatment to the affected area, ideally with your, or someone’s hands so that you can feel the area of tight tissue.

Pelvic Hip, or Ankle Instability Causing Knee Pain Going Down Stairs

The pelvis, hips, and ankles have a huge impact on the knees. It is well known across many professions that the cause of knee pain is often due to a dysfunction in the joint(s) above or below the knee. The pelvis, hips, and ankles all play a role in the stability of the knee itself. Each of these joints could be an article on their own, so it is important to have someone take the time to evaluate each of these joints for any instability.

Supplement or Medication Toxicity

The quads are related to the small intestine. Quads tend to weaken when there is a supplement or medication irritating the small intestine. If the knee pain began after a new supplement or medication take the time to see if you see a correlation with your knee pain, or any other symptoms, and what you are taking. Of course, work with your prescribing doctor to discuss any possible side-effects of your specific medications.

IBS Causing Knee Pain Going Down Stairs

Since the quads are related to the small intestine if there is a bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or fungal overgrowth (SIFO) present then they often won’t function properly. Check out my articles on IBS for more information on how to address this issue. Often a few different antimicrobial herbs will be needed to balance the gut flora.

Knee pain can be a more complex issue than it initially seems. Don’t suffer with knee pain for longer than you need to. Give the office a call and schedule an appointment so we can determine the underlying cause and get you back to living without knee pain.

Have knee pain going up stairs? Check out this article!