How to Climb Stairs Without Knee Pain

I bet most of us don’t really think about how we climb stairs. It is just another part of our daily routine like getting our coffee or checking email. Sadly, the way we climb stairs can actually throw off our body balance, create knee pain, and even back pain. 

I'll show you some little fixes that can have significant long-term benefits and maybe will translate into other aspects of your life (hiking, mountain climbing...shopping :)  Small movements like the one in this video from the archives can help you find your weakness and improve upon it. As you’ll see, even a movement instructor can find something that she has to work on!

Remember, it is all about pushing through the heel to make sure that your glutes are firing and helping you up those stairs (to the studio, perhaps)!

Avoid putting all the weight on your knee joint and keep your back upright instead of leaning forward. Try it out and you may see a difference pretty quickly and get a nice workout in the process!

Inside the Pilates Encyclopedia membership, we have a whole chapter called “Pilates Protocols” in which we list appropriate exercises for injuries and pathologies. You'll also find lists of exercises for glute strength, leg alignment, and hip flexor length, all of which help you improve this step-up movement.