Why you have knee pain when walking and what you can do about it

Your knees are a vital element to your ability to move around and live independently. Some conditions cause prolonged pain in the knees that gets worse when walking, especially on inclines like stairs. For many people, this pain results in a less active lifestyle, which can impact the ability to enjoy time with family and friends.

Many conditions and injuries can affect the knees and prevent you from walking, jumping or running. However, others may still allow you to retain some use of your knees, so you’re able to walk but you still have pain. Over time, these conditions further limit your ability to walk or use your knees. Fortunately, physical therapy can help.

What causes knee pain when walking?

Common conditions that cause knee pain when walking include: 

• Arthritis — This is a chronic condition that causes the cartilage in your joints, including the knees, to wear down. This is painful and limits the range of motion in your knees. Arthritis symptoms can be more noticeable when walking or standing up.
• Bursitis — The bursae are tiny sacs of fluid located between the tendons and muscles and your bones. Overexertion and repetitive use of the knee can cause inflammation in the bursae known as bursitis. This is painful and can limit your range of motion when trying to walk.
• Tendinitis — Overexertion of the knee can also cause inflammation in one or more of its tendons, which is known as tendinitis. Tendinitis is painful and its symptoms are more noticeable when walking.
• Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS or IT band syndrome) — The IT band is a long strand of tough fibrous tissue that runs from your hip to your knee along the outside of your leg. Repetitive overexertion of the knee can cause this tissue to rub against the thigh bone, which is painful when attempting to walk or run. 

Treating knee pain with physical therapy

Physical therapists have several methods for treating these causes of knee pain. Typically, the goal of physical therapy is to improve the strength and flexibility of the soft tissue in your knee. This helps reduce pressure off the joint and helps keep inflammation away. 

When you visit Peak Performance Sports and Physical Therapy for knee pain treatment, a physical therapist will examine your knee to determine which methods will be best for your recovery. This examination includes a thorough assessment of your symptoms and your medical history to ensure you get the treatment that suits your needs. 

Visit Peak Performance Sports and Physical Therapy today for knee pain treatment 

Do you have knee pain that gets worse when walking? Don’t let knee pain keep you glued to the chair. Our team can help. Contact us today to learn more about knee pain treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.