Stairs, Sitting, and the Ache at the Front of Your Knee
There’s a specific knee complaint that shows up constantly, and it has a pattern so recognizable that you can often spot it from the description alone.
It hurts going down stairs more than going up.
It aches after you’ve been sitting for a while — in the car, at a desk, through a movie — and you find yourself straightening your leg out or shifting position to relieve it.
It bothers you squatting, kneeling, or getting up from a low chair.
And it’s at the front of the knee, around or underneath the kneecap, rather than off to one side.
If that’s you, you likely have what’s called patellofemoral pain — and there are two things worth knowing about it. It’s extremely common. And the most effective treatment often isn’t aimed at your knee at all.