Knee pain often also becomes noticeable when climbing stairs or running downhill. One possible cause is overuse and subsequent wear of the patellar tendon (patellar tendon syndrome). Overuse of the patellar tendon, which runs from the thigh through the kneecap to the lower leg, can cause pain at the front of the knee, below the kneecap.
Most often, jumping athletes are affected by such an injury, which is why it is also known as jumper’s knee. With physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications, the irritation usually goes away on its own over time.
Other causes of knee pain when climbing stairs
In addition, knee pain when climbing stairs can also have other causes:
- Bursitis
- Cartilage damage of the kneecap
- Osteoarthritis of the knee
Knee pain after a fall or accident.
If knee pain occurs after a fall in everyday life or after a fall during sports, a doctor should always be consulted to rule out a more serious injury. Especially if the fall is accompanied by twisting of the knee, meniscus damage or a cruciate ligament tear can quickly occur.
A cruciate ligament tear is noticeable not only by swelling and pain but also by instability of the knee joint. If, on the other hand, there is meniscus damage, the knee feels locked and hurts a lot. In old age, injuries to the meniscus can already occur through everyday movements such as a squat, as the tissue loses elasticity.
An injury during sports or a traffic accident can also cause damage to the joint cartilage. A strong impact can crush or even knock out pieces of the cartilage. Smaller injuries can already result from a permanent incorrect load. In the long term, incorrect loading causes more wear and tear, which can eventually lead to osteoarthritis.
Knee pain in old age
Knee pain in old age can be caused just as in younger people by an injury or an incorrect load. However, signs of wear and tear such as osteoarthritis are often behind the complaints.
In osteoarthritis, the wear and tear of the cartilage in the knee joint causes pain when moving and putting weight on the knee. Knee pain at night is also typical of osteoarthritis. The pain occurs because the missing cartilage causes the bones of the upper and lower leg to rub directly against each other.
In addition to age-related wear and tear on the joints, osteoarthritis can also be caused by long-term overuse, previous injuries, and joint inflammation such as rheumatism.
