Common reasons for pain on stairs
- Patellofemoral pain: pain around or behind the kneecap, often worse with stairs, squats or prolonged sitting.
- Knee osteoarthritis: more common with increasing age and may cause pain, stiffness and reduced walking tolerance.
- Meniscus problems: may cause joint-line pain, swelling, catching or locking.
- Muscle weakness or movement control: weakness around the thigh and hip can increase load around the kneecap.
When should you get evaluated?
Evaluation is useful when pain persists, limits daily activity, is associated with swelling, locking, repeated giving-way, loss of movement or follows a significant injury.
An X-ray or MRI is not always the first step.
A clinical examination helps decide which imaging, if any, is appropriate for the suspected problem.
What treatment may involve
Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may include activity modification, physiotherapy, strengthening, weight management where relevant, medication, selected injections or surgery for specific structural problems.
Red flags after an injury
Seek urgent assessment for severe deformity, inability to bear weight after major trauma, a locked knee, rapidly increasing swelling with severe pain, or numbness/circulation concerns.