Knee Pain
I can go up the stairs fine. Why do I need the rail coming down?
What happens at my first visit?
Keep the support you need. We’ll start with a step you feel comfortable trying and pay attention to where the pain starts as you lower yourself.
During treatment, we’ll check the movement again and use what changes to decide what to try next. [12]
Free 30- to 45-minute hands-on evaluation in Clovis. Choose whether to continue. One-on-one treatment is $200 per hour.
Near Willow and Nees in North Clovis · Open in Google Maps
Where does your knee hurt when you come down the stairs?
Pain around or behind your kneecap on stairs or in a squat can fit what’s called patellofemoral pain. That means pain around the joint where your kneecap meets your thigh bone. Arthritis can make stairs hurt too. If there’s swelling, a recent injury, or the knee gets stuck and won’t straighten, that changes what I check. [1, 2, 3]
Let’s see what changes on the same step
I’ll start with a step you can safely repeat. I might check what your hip and ankle do as you lower, or see what changes when you have more support. If we try something and it still hurts the same way, tell me. I can change course right there. [4]
How does your knee feel the next morning?
Exercise can help with pain and movement when you have knee arthritis. We can start with a range or amount you can manage and adjust from there. Tell me how the knee felt later that day and on the first few stairs the next morning. I use that to decide how much to ask of it next time. [5, 6, 7]
Frequently asked questions
What if I can go down one step here but need the rail on a full flight?
Tell me where in the flight you start reaching for the rail. One step helps us compare what changes. The whole flight tells us whether that change is showing up where you need it. Keep using the rail when you need it.
A step felt easier here. What should I notice on my stairs at home?
Use the rail as you normally would. Notice whether you pause, favor one side, or lean on it more as you descend. We can compare those details at your next visit.
Why does my knee hurt getting off the floor when I can get out of a chair?
I’d ask whether kneeling, bending the knee farther, or shifting your weight is the harder part. We can compare a supported version and talk through which options let you get up more comfortably.
What if the first few squats feel fine and the last ones make my knee sore?
I’d ask how many you do before that happens and how it feels later. We can compare depth, load, or repetitions one at a time so you have a clearer sense of which change fits.
Does a meniscus tear on MRI mean I need surgery?
Meniscal changes can appear on scans even in people without knee pain. In the ESCAPE trial, exercise-based physical therapy was comparable to surgery at five years for people with degenerative tears. A knee that physically locks after an injury needs a different assessment. [8, 9]
Do I need an MRI first?
It depends on the exam and injury history. For ongoing knee pain, X-rays are often the first imaging test when imaging is indicated. MRI may help answer a more specific question. [10]
When should I get my knee checked right away?
Get medical care right away if you can’t put weight on your leg after an injury, your knee swells a lot soon after an injury, or it feels hot and swollen and you have a fever. [11]
Should I stop squatting?
If a deep squat consistently brings on pain, we can test a smaller range or a different setup. We’ll pick a starting point that fits your goals and see how the knee responds afterward.
How will I know if it’s helping on my own stairs?
Use the rail as you normally would. Notice whether you still pause at the top or have to lean on it as much on the way down. The stairs you use every day are the ones I want to hear about.