The answer to this question is that it very well could be. Arthritis is a common cause of knee pain, but knee pain when going down stairs can also be a sign of several other common issues.
Knee pain is the second most common cause of chronic pain, but it’s estimated that only 10% of men and 13% of women over 60 develop knee osteoarthritis. This means that there is a good chance that your knee pain when going down stairs isn’t a sign of arthritis. A physical therapist can help you learn other issues that could be causing your pain, and they can also help you find effective treatment for many causes of knee pain.
What issues besides arthritis can cause knee pain when going down stairs?
It’s not uncommon for knee pain to be linked to certain activities such as climbing or descending stairs. However, just because you’re feeling pain when moving around doesn’t mean you have arthritis. For one thing, arthritis is more common in older people. So, younger people are more likely to be suffering from some other issue. A few of the other issues that could also be causing your activity-related knee pain include:
- Patellofemoral syndrome
- Meniscus tears
- Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome
- Knee ligament injuries
- Thigh or calf muscle strains
What can physical therapists do to help your knee pain when going down stairs?
Tackling knee pain is something physical therapists have a lot of experience with, and they can start by helping you figure out what is causing your pain. This could involve having you do movement tests and asking questions about your daily routine and symptoms.
To treat your pain, physical therapists have many therapy techniques at their disposal. Often, knee pain therapy plans include several different therapy methods, like:
- Joint mobilization to improve knee range of motion and reduce pain.
- Trigger point therapy intended to break up myofascial trigger points that are causing tension in soft tissue around the knee.
- Therapeutic exercises that can strengthen and stretch knee muscles.
- At-home care sessions where you work with your physical therapist one-on-one in your home.
- Virtual therapy sessions that involve working with your therapist over a secure online video link.
Ready to stop having knee pain when going down stairs? Panther PT can help!
You can reduce your knee pain during normal daily activities with help from Panther Physical Therapy. Our team has experience treating a wide range of knee injuries and conditions, and we offer free screenings that can help you discover the source of your knee pain. In addition, our physical therapists excel at building personalized therapy plans designed to reduce and prevent knee pain.
Contact us today for more information about all our knee pain treatment options or to schedule an initial appointment.