Knee Pain Guide

Physiotherapist assessing knee pain during movement in clinic

Knee pain assessment during a single-leg step-down movement test.

Knee pain may follow an injury, repeated overload, arthritis or reduced movement control. It can affect walking, stairs, squats, kneeling, running, gym training, work and sport.

This page is the main PhysioWorks knee hub. It can help you recognise common symptom patterns and find the most useful next guide. For acute twisting or sporting injuries, visit our sports knee injuries hub. A physiotherapist can assess persistent, swollen or unstable knee symptoms and guide an individual plan.

Quick answer: what might knee pain mean?

Knee pain is a symptom rather than one diagnosis. The likely cause depends on how it began, where it hurts, which activities provoke it and whether you have swelling, locking or giving way.

Pain around the kneecap: often worsens with stairs, squats or sitting.
Pain after twisting: may involve the meniscus or a ligament.
Pain and stiffness with age: may relate to knee osteoarthritis.
Pain below the kneecap: may involve the patellar tendon.
Pain behind the knee: may involve a Baker’s cyst or posterior knee structures.

Important: Pain location gives clues, but it does not confirm a diagnosis.

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Where is your knee pain?

Use these symptom groups to find a useful starting point. Several knee problems can overlap, so consider the location together with swelling, movement and how the pain began.

Front of the knee

Pain around or behind the kneecap often increases with stairs, squats, sitting or running.

Inner knee pain

Inner knee pain may follow twisting, side impact, repeated loading or irritation near the inner shin.

Outer knee pain

Outer knee pain can relate to running load, lateral joint irritation or reduced hip and knee control.

Back of the knee

Pain or fullness behind the knee may come from the joint, a cyst, a tendon or nearby muscles.

Swelling, locking or giving way

These symptoms deserve closer assessment, particularly after a twist, landing or sudden direction change.

What is knee pain?

Knee pain can arise from the kneecap joint, cartilage, meniscus, ligaments, tendons, bursae, muscles or joint surfaces. It may develop suddenly after an injury or gradually as the knee’s workload exceeds its current capacity.

Common causes include kneecap irritation, tendon overload, meniscus injury, ligament injury, bursitis and osteoarthritis. Symptoms may also be influenced by strength, training load, work demands, footwear, previous injury and movement control.

What does knee pain feel like?

Knee pain may feel sharp, dull, stiff, swollen, weak, unstable or blocked. Some people notice grinding or clicking. Others feel catching, locking or reduced confidence when standing on one leg.

The behaviour of your symptoms often matters more than the exact location. For example, pain with stairs differs from pain after twisting, while rapid swelling requires different consideration from a mild ache after activity.

Why does my knee hurt on stairs?

Stairs increase the demand on the kneecap joint and thigh muscles. Pain can rise when the kneecap joint is sensitive or when hip, thigh and knee control reduces with fatigue.

Common contributors include patellofemoral pain, patellar tendon overload and reduced lower-limb strength. Our knee pain on stairs guide explains this pattern in more detail.

Why does my knee hurt after sitting?

Pain after sitting commonly occurs when the knee remains bent for a prolonged period. This position increases pressure around the kneecap joint. People sometimes call this the theatre sign.

Regular movement breaks, gradual strengthening and sensible changes to squat, stair and sitting loads may help. Persistent pain still deserves assessment because several conditions can create similar symptoms.

Why does my knee swell?

Knee swelling may develop after trauma, joint irritation, arthritis or increased activity. Small amounts of swelling can cause stiffness and reduce muscle control. Rapid swelling after a twist, pop or landing can indicate a more significant injury.

Repeated swelling after normal activity should not be ignored. An assessment can help determine whether the knee needs modified loading, rehabilitation, imaging or medical review.

How is knee pain assessed?

A physiotherapist will ask how the symptoms began and how they respond to walking, stairs, sitting, work, exercise and sport. The assessment may include:

swelling and joint movement
walking and stair technique
squats and step-downs
hip, thigh and calf strength
balance and single-leg control
ligament and meniscus tests when appropriate
running, jumping or sport-specific movement

The findings can guide whether you may benefit from knee treatment, progressive exercise, temporary load changes or further medical investigation.

Physiotherapist assessing knee pain during single-leg squat movement test

A movement assessment can show how the knee responds to load, balance and fatigue.

When should you seek urgent help for knee pain?

Arrange prompt medical assessment when knee symptoms include:

obvious deformity after an injury
a loud pop followed by rapid swelling
inability to take four steps
a knee that remains locked
fever with a hot, red or very swollen joint
repeated collapse or severe instability
calf swelling, chest pain or shortness of breath

For Australian guidance about urgent symptoms, see Healthdirect’s knee pain information.

How can physiotherapy help knee pain?

Physiotherapy may help reduce irritation, restore movement, rebuild strength and improve confidence. Your treatment plan should reflect your diagnosis, current capacity, goals and the activities you want to return to.

A rehabilitation plan may include:

temporary changes to aggravating loads
hip, thigh and calf strengthening
knee mobility exercises
balance and movement-control training
manual therapy when appropriate
taping and strapping
graded walking, running, work or sport progressions

Should you rest or keep moving with knee pain?

Complete rest is rarely the long-term answer for most knee problems. Instead, reduce activities that cause sharp pain, rapid swelling or worsening symptoms, while maintaining comfortable movement.

Use your symptom response to guide activity

Continue

Symptoms remain manageable

Continue when discomfort is mild, movement remains controlled and the knee returns to its usual level by the next day.

Modify

The knee stays more irritated

Reduce distance, depth, resistance, speed or impact when symptoms remain clearly worse later that day or the next morning.

Stop and assess

Mechanical or severe symptoms appear

Stop the aggravating task and seek advice if the knee locks, gives way, swells rapidly or develops sharp escalating pain.

What exercises help knee pain?

Exercise usually works best when it progresses from simple, controlled movements towards the demands of daily life, work, gym or sport. The right starting point depends on your symptoms and diagnosis.

A practical knee exercise progression

Settle irritation

Use comfortable movement, short walks, gentle knee bending and low-load muscle activation.

Restore basic strength

Build exercises such as chair squats, bridges, calf raises and supported step-ups.

Increase capacity

Progress resistance, squat depth, step height, single-leg strength and balance.

Return to your activity

Add faster movement, hills, running, jumping, gym work or sport-specific drills when appropriate.

Progress one variable at a time. Increasing speed, depth, weight and frequency together often causes avoidable flare-ups.

When do sports knee injuries need extra care?

Sports knee injuries need closer assessment when symptoms follow a pivot, tackle, landing, collision or sudden change of direction. A pop, rapid swelling, locking or giving way may suggest ligament or meniscus involvement.

The sports knee injuries hub provides more specific pathways for ACL injuries, meniscus tears, ligament injuries, patellar tendinopathy and return-to-sport rehabilitation.

What does post-operative knee rehabilitation involve?

Post-operative rehabilitation may rebuild movement, strength, balance and confidence after a knee arthroscopy, knee replacement or ligament reconstruction.

Your surgeon’s instructions and procedure-specific precautions take priority. Rehabilitation usually progresses from swelling and movement management into strength, walking, stairs and higher-level function.

Knee pain FAQs

What is the most common cause of knee pain?

Common causes include patellofemoral pain, tendon overload, meniscus irritation, ligament injury and osteoarthritis. The most likely cause depends on where the pain is, how it started and which movements make it worse.

Why does knee pain hurt more on stairs?

Stairs increase load through the kneecap joint and thigh muscles. If the joint is irritated or hip and knee control reduces with fatigue, stairs often become one of the first painful activities.

Is walking good for knee pain?

Walking is often helpful when the distance and pace suit your knee. Start with short, flat walks and build gradually. Reduce the load if the knee remains clearly worse the next day.

When should you worry about knee pain?

Seek prompt medical review if you cannot take four steps, the knee locks, swelling develops rapidly, the joint becomes hot and red, or you hear a loud pop followed by immediate swelling.

Do you need surgery for a meniscus tear?

Not always. Many meniscus tears improve with exercise-based rehabilitation. Surgery may be considered if the knee remains locked, symptoms persist despite rehabilitation or clinical findings indicate orthopaedic review.

Can physiotherapy help knee pain?

Physiotherapy may help by identifying likely symptom drivers, adjusting load, restoring strength and improving movement control. A treatment plan can support return to walking, work, gym or sport.

What should you do next for knee pain?

Reduce activities that cause sharp pain, rapid swelling, locking or instability. Keep moving within a comfortable range when you can do so safely.

Arrange an assessment if the knee repeatedly gives way, keeps swelling, remains painful for more than two weeks or prevents normal walking, work, gym or sport. A physiotherapist can assess the likely cause and build a practical rehabilitation plan.