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Knee pain while going up stairs? Here are 3 ways virtual PT can ease your pain

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Feeling a twinge in your knee can make it painful to walk, stand or even sit. And if you have to use stairs on a daily basis, such as in your home or your place of work, it can be even more difficult. 

If you’re feeling knee pain while going up stairs, virtual physical therapy may be one of the most effective treatment options. Not only can it help alleviate the pain, but it can also help to improve your knee’s strength, flexibility and range of motion to prevent the risk of future injury.

Keep reading to learn about possible reasons why you’re feeling knee pain while going up stairs as well as how virtual physical therapy can help. 

Possible causes of knee pain while going up stairs

Knee pain is often used as an umbrella term, but there are quite a few reasons why you could be feeling an ache in your knee when you’re climbing stairs. Some causes are injuries, while others are conditions that may need further medical assistance.

A few reasons for knee pain while going up stairs include:

  • Arthritis — Joint inflammation can cause pain throughout many parts of the body. Arthritis in the knee usually refers to osteoarthritis, which can cause the joint to become stiff and painful to move, reducing your range of motion.
  • Fractures — A patellar fracture refers to the break of a bone in the kneecap, or the patella. It can cause severe pain as well as swelling around the kneecap, reducing the mobility of your knee joint. A knee fracture can also make it difficult to fully extend your leg.
  • ACL injury — The anterior cruciate ligament connects your thighbone to your shinbone. If this band of tissue tears or sprains, it can cause pain, swelling and instability. ACL injuries usually stem from sports like basketball, soccer or skiing. 
  • Torn meniscus — There are two menisci that work as shock absorbers between your tibia and femur, playing a huge role in your stability. Tearing a meniscus can restrict your range of motion due to swelling, stiffness and pain.

3 ways that virtual physical therapy can help knee pain from going up stairs

Knee pain can be quite common, making it easy to brush off as something that can go away without treatment. But if the pain makes it difficult to do something that’s required in your daily lifestyle, like climbing stairs, then it’s important to know about the best ways to treat it, such as working with a virtual certified physical therapist.

Here are a few ways that virtual physical therapy can help with knee pain caused by going up stairs:

  • Pinpointing the cause — As we mentioned above, there are several potential causes of your knee pain, but it’s not always easy to determine what’s triggering your specific pain. A virtual physical therapist can do an evaluation to help figure out the cause of your knee pain. They can ask you questions about the exact location of the pain and its severity. They can also ask you to perform movement tests to determine your range of motion.
  • Suggesting tips for movement — If going up stairs is unavoidable in your day-to-day life, then it’s important to determine ways to decrease your pain while going through the movements. A virtual physical therapist can give you tips on how to ease the pain while climbing the stairs. This can include adjusting your gait as you walk up the stairs or using external assistance, such as a cane.
  • Teaching exercises — Stretching and strengthening the muscles surrounding your knee joint are essential to alleviating the pain you’re experiencing while climbing stairs. A virtual physical therapist can walk you through exercises that can help with pain management by easing the pressure off your knee joints, as well as increasing your knee’s flexibility and range of motion. Your virtual physical therapist will design a customized exercise program that will cater to your specific capabilities. Your plan may include exercises such as squats, doorway hamstring stretches and bridges.

Agile Virtual PT can provide you with virtual physical therapy for knee pain while going up stairs

Any sort of pain that gets in the way of you getting from point A to point B can be frustrating. 

If you’re feeling knee pain while going up stairs, then it’s important to get the proper treatment needed to not only alleviate the ache in your knee, but also to make it stronger and more flexible to reduce the risk of knee pain or injury in the future. That’s where virtual physical therapy comes in.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.