Dr. Zachary Watts, DC

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Knee Pain Going Up Stairs

Knee pain going up stairs or uphill specifically is due to an issue (typically weakness) within the gluteus maximus muscle (glute max). This is a powerful muscle that is used to help extend your leg at the hip. This muscle makes up about 70% of the iliotibial band (IT band), a thick band of connective tissue running down the outside of the thigh and connecting to the knee. Because of the connection to the IT band, weakness in this muscle leads to less lateral stability in the knee causing the knee to cave inward. This puts more strain on the medial and anterior collateral ligaments (MCL and ACL), and more compression forces through the lateral knee. Low back pain is also common with weak glute max muscles as they help with hip hinging and picking objects up off the floor.

What Causes Knee Pain When Going Up Stairs?

A weak glute max causing knee pain while going up stairs is often due to an old injury or compensation from instability in the hips. Balancing and strengthening the muscles of the pelvis through various myofascial therapies can help when this is the case.

The glute max muscles, and many other muscles of the pelvis, are related to our reproductive organs (prostate, testes, uterus, and ovaries). This means if there is some stress or dysfunction in our reproductive organs then it is very likely and common for there to be low back pain, or knee pain, due to pelvic instability.

Conditions that may lead to a weakness in the glutes include, but are not limited to:

Low testosterone
Low progesterone
High estrogen
PCOS
Prostatitis

Ovarian cysts
Cancer (prostate, testicular, ovarian, or uterine)
Uterine fibroids
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Epididymitis

If your chronic knee pain going up stairs has not resolved with a musculoskeletal approach, it may be time to have your hormones tested. Ideally use a salivary test for steroid hormones as this will tell you the amount of free hormone there is. Most standard blood tests for steroid hormones will test the total including hormones bound to protein. Hormones bound to protein are not used by the body until in dire need. So, knowing how much free testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone you have will give a better picture of what the body is currently using.

Living with chronic knee pain is certainly not normal, work with a holistic doctor that will look at all aspects of your health and start living pain-free.

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

Find a Systems Health Care practitioner here.

Find an ICAK doc here.

Dr. Zachary Watts

I am a chiropractor with extensive training in functional medicine and exercise science. I have a passion for truly natural and holistic healthcare. I utilize dietary and nutritional therapies, movement therapies, as well as manual therapies to help the body heal and prevent future illness and injury.

Learn more about the technique I use: Systems Health Care

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   Dr. Zachary Watts, DC: Functional Medicine, Applied Kinesiology
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   Claire Gallagher 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I traveled from New Orleans to Chapel Hill to see Dr. Watts at the recommendation of a good friend, and the trip was more than worth it. Dr. Watts has truly been a game-changer for me. For over three years, I struggled with a range of unexplained health issues—digestive problems, cycle irregularities, autoimmune concerns, joint aches and pains, and more. Dr. Watts was able to identify several underlying factors and begin addressing them right away. I experienced significant improvement within just a few days, and my health has continued to improve steadily since returning home. After years of doctors shrugging their shoulders or prescribing medications to mask symptoms, I am incredibly grateful to finally have real answers and a clear path forward. As a dancer, I’ve also noticed tremendous improvements in my balance and sense of groundedness—something I didn’t even realize could be connected. I genuinely believe that being under Dr. Watts’ care will dramatically improve my quality of life. If you’re searching for relief, clarity, compassion, and long-term, solution-oriented treatment, I cannot recommend Dr. Watts highly enough.
  
 
 
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   Sarah Williams 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Dr. Watts has been transformative for both mine and my daughter's health. I went to him with a variety of seemingly unconnected ailments that had been causing me issues since as far back as high school, including chronic low back and hip problems. At the first visit he fixed 90% of the back and hip pain. After a few more visits my hip and pain pain is fully gone. I literally did not remember what it felt like not to have hip pain all the time. He has also addressed a host of other issues including a thyroid issue, unbalanced hormones, and vertigo.  I had seen many doctors and specialists over the years for these issues to no avail. I cannot recommend Dr. Watts highly enough.
  
 
 
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   Jason Kristof 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Dr. Watts is a fantastic practitioner! I hobbled into his office barely able to walk, and he fixed both my foot and my knee. He takes time to truly understand your issues and addresses each with attentiveness and care. I believe that without Dr. Watts I would still be in pain today! If you have had issues that other doctors have not been able to fix, I would highly suggest to make an appointment with Dr. Watts!
  
 
 
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   Zach McKeel 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I’m 32 years old and I have had a chronic GI symptoms dating back to 2017, and acid reflux for the last 20 years.  Over the last two years, I was in constant discomfort, sometimes chronic pain.  I had already been stuck in the cycle of conventional medical doctors that could not identify any real problems they could fix.  They would only give common diagnosis like acid reflux, GERD, and gastroenteritis and prescribed medicine to mask symptoms, which none of them successfully did. I ultimately gave them up and turned to functional medicine. But even that journey started 4 years ago and didn’t get me very far. I was anxious. I wasn’t performing well at work or as a father. I wasn’t sleeping well and I was drinking a lot before bed on weeknights and weekends.  A friend of mine recommended Dr. Gangemi’s office.  After my first visit with Dr. Watts, I left with a plan and a genuine hope for healing I haven’t had in 8 years. Zach listened intently, and was very thorough in getting to the root cause of what was happening in my body.  He answered any and all questions honestly and professionally. Six weeks and four visits later, I am experiencing improvements that are changing my life.  I’m incredibly grateful for Dr. Watts and everyone on their team.  I would recommend them to anyone for any health concern.
  
 
 
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   Allison Crooker 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I love working with Dr. Watts. He is both a knowledgeable kinesiologist and a great listener. I came to him with a persistent physical issue which he worked on from it's root cause out. Through a regimen of supplements and kinesthetic adjustments, I no longer suffer from that physical issue! I am thankful to have Dr. Watts as the lead of my healthcare team.
  
 
 
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   Kathleen Lee 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I have been doing my own research and biohacking for over 15 years. There were a few things I could not pin point. I’ve tried several different doctors across multiple fields (standard and natural) and wasted a lot of time and money with several and others leading me back in circles starting over. I found Dr. Watts because I’m a barefoot runner (have been since I was a kid) and I wanted to run a marathon. Not knowing how his office could actually help me with my few items I was trying to pin point I decided to give it a shot. Very glad I did. Not only has Dr. Watts helped me in health issues and with running my first marathon but he is also open to a lot of questions and ideas I have. Others will shut you down as soon as you mention something that goes against what the norm is and Dr. Watts is far from that. Muscle testing is a game changer because everyone is different and you cannot blanket everyone into the same fixes. It’s specific to you alone. BUT you also need someone who knows what they are doing and constantly tests themselves to make sure there is no bias to best help the patient. I travel several hours one way to see Dr. Watts. His office is filled with open minded people who genuinely care. I wish I found Dr. Watts earlier it would have saved me a lot of time, frustration and money. Thank you Dr. Watts and everyone at Systems Health Care!!!
  
 
 
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   Talya Tacosa O’Dea 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Dr. Watts is fantastic! My family and I drive 6 hours round-trip to see Dr. Watts and it is absolutely worth it. He has completely changed our lives within just a few months. He found and cured the hidden cause of a difficult condition my 6 year old daughter had, helped me get off of a medication that I had been trying to stop for nearly 6 years, cured chronic issues I struggled with, helped me manage my grief after the loss of a loved one, and more. He has “nailed-it” with each and every issue I have brought to him. Thanks to Dr. Watts, my family's health is now thriving and we are so grateful. I don’t question any of his health and lifestyle recommendations because I completely trust him. My family and I will be patients of Dr. Watt’s for life.
  
 
 
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   Casey O'Dea 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I went to Dr. Watts with an issue that my doctors had told me would take minimally 3 months to even START to see any improvement, and probably closer to 6 months to reach any level of full recovery. After the first 3 appointments with Dr. Watts I was already back on my feet - and with 2 months I was fully recovered, a full month before I was supposed to even start seeing any improvement at all. Dr. Watts dialed in on what would actually heal and correct the issues, as opposed to just masking symptoms. Today I'm not only fully recovered ahead of schedule, but over all I feel better now than I did before. I'll be a lifelong patient of Dr. Watts.
  
 
 
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   Melissa 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I can't say enough about Dr. Watts. The first thing I will say is that he cares. Not just about what he does, but he cares about the person sitting in front of him. I was so tired of being in front of other Doctors and feeling like I barely got time, and didn't feel heard. I highly recommend Dr. Watts. It the first morning I woke up a little more rested and in hardly any pain :)
  
 
 
  
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