Knee Pain & Injury

Physiotherapist assessing knee pain during movement in clinic

Knee pain assessment during physiotherapy session

Knee pain can start suddenly after a twist, sport, an awkward step, or a fall. However, it can also build slowly with running, work, repeated squatting, gym training, or long periods of sitting. This page is the main hub for knee sports injuries, overload conditions, and rehabilitation pathways that may help you move with more confidence.

If you are looking for tailored advice, our Brisbane physiotherapy clinics can assess your knee pain and guide your recovery based on your goals and activity level.

Common causes include patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia patella, a meniscus tear, or a knee ligament injury. In active people, tendon overload may lead to patellar tendinopathy. Less commonly, pain may come from popliteus tendinopathy or patella dislocation.

Because several structures can refer pain around the front, inside, outside, or back of the knee, a clear assessment helps identify the main driver. That helps separate overload from instability, joint irritation, tendon pain, or more complex knee injury patterns that may require targeted rehabilitation. For a broader overview, see Understanding Knee Pain: Causes, Relief, Physio & Prevention.

Common signs of knee pain

pain with stairs, squats, lunges, or running
swelling, stiffness, or reduced movement
clicking, catching, or locking
kneecap pain after sitting
giving way or reduced confidence on the leg

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What is knee pain?

Knee pain is a symptom rather than a single diagnosis. It may come from the kneecap joint, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bursae, or surrounding muscles. Some people feel a sharp injury after sport, while others notice a gradual increase in pain with training, work, or day-to-day movement.

What does knee pain feel like?

Knee pain is common across sport, work, and everyday life. For some people, it hurts with stairs, squats, lunges, kneeling, or getting up from a chair. For others, the knee feels swollen, stiff, unstable, or sore after walking and running.

If your pain is more focused around the kneecap, you may also find our guides to knee pain on stairs and walking tips for knee pain useful.

Quick knee pain tip

Pain location matters, but so does symptom behaviour. Pain with stairs, squats, twisting, swelling, locking, or giving way can each point towards a different driver. That is why a targeted assessment is often more useful than guessing from pain alone.

Why does my knee hurt on stairs?

Stairs increase load through the kneecap joint and thigh muscles. Pain often rises when the kneecap joint becomes irritated or when hip and knee control drops with fatigue. Common contributors include patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia patella, or a flare of patellar tendinopathy.

Why does my knee hurt after sitting?

Pain after sitting often relates to kneecap joint compression when the knee stays bent for long periods. This pattern is common with kneecap-related conditions and usually improves with gradual strengthening, load management, and movement exposure.

Common causes of knee pain

Front-of-knee pain often relates to kneecap tracking or tendon load. Pain after a twist can suggest a meniscus tear or a knee ligament injury. Pain at the back of the knee may relate to a popliteus tendinopathy. Longer-term stiffness and swelling may point towards joint irritation, cartilage wear, or arthritis.

Knee pain diagnosis guide

Use this quick guide to help narrow down what may be contributing to your knee pain:

Front of knee pain: often linked to patellofemoral pain or patellar tendon load
Inner knee pain: may relate to meniscus irritation or ligament strain
Outer knee pain: sometimes links to biomechanical load or tissue irritation on the outside of the knee
Back of knee pain: may involve a Baker’s cyst or popliteus tendon
Swelling after activity: often suggests joint irritation or overload
Locking or catching: may indicate a meniscus issue
Giving way: can suggest ligament involvement or reduced muscle control

Note: This guide provides general direction only. A physiotherapy assessment helps confirm the diagnosis and guide the right treatment plan.

How is knee pain assessed?

A physiotherapist will assess your history, swelling, range of motion, strength, walking pattern, and movement control during tasks such as stairs, squats, hops, or single-leg balance. The goal is to work out which structure is irritated and which movements or loads are driving the pain.

Assessment may also help identify whether you would benefit from a guided rehabilitation plan, a taping and strapping approach, or a review of your current strength training program.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome assessment of teenage boy’s knee

Assessment of kneecap pain during a physiotherapy consultation.

When knee pain is more serious

obvious deformity
a loud pop with immediate swelling
rapid swelling within hours
fever or a hot joint
unable to take four steps
repeated giving way
a locked knee

For Australian guidance on knee symptoms and when urgent assessment may be required, see healthdirect’s knee pain overview.

How can physiotherapy help knee pain?

Physiotherapy for knee pain often includes load management, progressive strengthening, mobility work, and movement retraining. Many people also benefit from staged return-to-sport or return-to-work planning so they can rebuild function without repeatedly flaring the knee.

Physiotherapy may also include exercise rehabilitation programs tailored to your sport, work demands, or daily activities.

load management
targeted strengthening
mobility work
manual therapy when appropriate
taping and strapping
kinesiology tape
graded return to sport or work

What exercises help knee pain?

Most knee problems respond well to progressive strengthening. A broader strength training program often forms the foundation of recovery. Early exercise often starts with controlled movements that build confidence before heavier loading returns.

chair squats
step ups
bridges
calf raises
balance drills

Exercise progression matters

Many people do best when they start with a pain-calming level of exercise, then build step height, squat depth, resistance, speed, or running load gradually. Too much too soon often flares the knee, while steady progress usually improves tolerance and confidence.

Post-operative knee rehab

If you have had surgery such as a knee arthroscopy, rehabilitation rebuilds range of motion, strength, balance, and confidence. Post-operative care may also follow procedures such as knee replacement or ligament reconstruction.

Related knee conditions and guides

What to do next

If your knee is swollen, sore, or unstable, reduce aggravating load for 48 to 72 hours and avoid pushing through sharp pain. You do not always need to stop moving completely, but it helps to scale stairs, running, squats, and deep knee bends while symptoms settle.

Seek assessment if the knee locks, repeatedly gives way, or keeps swelling after activity. If pain lasts more than two weeks, a physiotherapist can assess the cause, guide recovery, and help you return to walking, work, gym, or sport with more confidence.

Frequently asked questions about knee pain

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 what movements or activities make it worse.

Why does knee pain hurt more on stairs?

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

Is walking good for knee pain?

Walking is often helpful when the load suits your knee. Start with short, flat walks and build gradually. If pain flares and stays worse the next day, reduce the distance or pace and consider a more tailored rehabilitation plan.

When should you worry about knee pain?

You should seek prompt medical review if you cannot take four steps, the knee locks, swelling rises quickly, the joint is hot and red, or you felt a loud pop followed by rapid swelling. These signs can suggest a more serious injury.

Do I need surgery for a meniscus tear?

Not always. Many meniscus tears respond well to exercise-based physiotherapy. Surgery may be considered if the knee is locked, symptoms persist despite rehabilitation, or clinical findings suggest you need orthopaedic review.

Can physiotherapy help knee pain?

Yes. Physiotherapy may help knee pain by identifying the irritated structure, adjusting load, restoring strength, and improving movement control. Treatment plans usually match your symptoms, goals, and whether you want to return to work, walking, gym, or sport.