Pain in the knee is a weakening condition that can affect the daily movement of a person. Some individuals can walk on flat surfaces without pain in the knee, but when they climb the stairs, they experience knee pain. In most cases, it is usually the front of the knee that is affected which is known as the patellofemoral joint that is affected while climbing stairs.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJB4eh-Vtz8″ width=”220″]Knee pain can be sudden in onset or can occur gradually. This usually depends on the severity of damage to the tissues of the joint of the knee. The knee joint is composed of the cartilage, tendons, synovial fluids, bones, blood vessels and nerves. The cartilage is responsible in protecting the two bones while the tendons make the bones stable and synovial fluids function as a lubricant.
Some causes of knee pain while climbing stairs
- Athlete’s knees or runners knee which is a painful condition that is common among individuals who overuse the knee constantly. It happens among those who engage in repeated movement that requires bending and extending the knee joint such as walking, running long distances and kneeling. After doing these activities, there is tenderness and pain in the kneecap with mild aches on the sides of knee which occur when climbing stairs.
- The kneecap is dislocated or moves out of its original position from the groove of the thigh bone.
- Damage caused to the kneecap tendon can cause pain while climbing due to the overuse of the quadriceps muscles which are found in the anterior side of the kneecap.
- Knee arthritis can cause pain while climbing or performing certain activities. The cartilage functions as padding between the bones in the knee but can be damaged by arthritis. The wear and tearing of cartilage will result to rubbing of bones and pain becomes worse when engaging in any type of movement even when climbing stairs.
Treatment and home remedies of knee pain while climbing stairs
- Rest the affected joint of the knee from any vigorous activities since this helps promote fast healing of the damaged cartilage and other tissues.
- Avoid running and walking fast for long periods of time and avoid engaging in any athletic activities. The individual can still engage in normal walking on flat surfaces.
- Applying an ice compress or ice pack is helpful in minimizing the inflammation of the tendons and muscles that causes pain when climbing stairs. You can use a few ice cubes in a towel and place it over the knee for at least 10 minutes at 2-3 times every day.
- When resting, keep the legs elevated. When sleeping, position pillows underneath or between the knees since this helps with the proper circulation of blood in the affected area. It also helps nourish the damaged tendons and muscles as well as promotes the healing process.
- Massage gently the affected area using coconut oil since it helps in minimizing the inflammation in the knee.
- Take over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammatory medications since these helps in reducing the pain and inflammation.