Knee Pain Guide

Physiotherapist assessing knee pain during movement in clinic

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

Knee pain is a common symptom. It may follow injury, overload, arthritis, or reduced movement control. It can affect stairs, squats, walking, running, gym training, kneeling, sport, or sitting.

This is the main PhysioWorks knee hub for sports knee injuries, overload problems, arthritis-related knee pain, and rehabilitation options. For a clearer next step, our Brisbane physiotherapy clinics can assess your knee and guide your plan.

Common signs of knee pain

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

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What is knee pain?

Knee pain is a symptom, not one single diagnosis. It may come from the kneecap joint, cartilage, meniscus, ligaments, tendons, bursae, muscles, or joint surfaces. Pain location helps, but symptom behaviour often gives better clues.

Common causes include patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia patella, meniscus tear, knee ligament injury, knee arthritis, and patellar tendinopathy.

What does knee pain feel like?

Knee pain may feel sharp, dull, stiff, unstable, swollen, weak, or blocked. Some people notice pain with stairs, squats, lunges, kneeling, or running. Others feel pain after sitting, walking downhill, changing direction, or getting up from a chair.

If your pain is focused around the kneecap, see our guides to knee pain on stairs and walking tips for knee pain.

Quick knee pain tip

Pain location matters, but symptom behaviour matters more. Pain with stairs, squats, twisting, swelling, locking, or giving way can each suggest a different driver. A targeted assessment is usually more useful than guessing from pain location alone.

Why does my knee hurt on stairs?

Stairs often aggravate knee pain because they increase load through the kneecap joint and thigh muscles. Pain may rise when the kneecap joint is irritated, or when hip, thigh, and knee control drops with fatigue.

Common contributors include patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia patella, and patellar tendinopathy.

Why does my knee hurt after sitting?

Knee pain after sitting often relates to kneecap joint compression while the knee stays bent. This pattern is common with kneecap-related pain. Movement breaks, strength work, load management, and graded practice with stairs and squats may help.

Common causes of knee pain

Common causes of knee pain include kneecap irritation, tendon overload, meniscus injury, ligament injury, bursitis, and osteoarthritis. The likely cause depends on how symptoms started, where pain sits, and whether swelling, locking, or giving way occurs.

Back-of-knee pain may involve a Baker’s cyst or popliteus tendinopathy. Inner knee pain may relate to meniscus irritation, ligament strain, or pes anserine bursitis.

Knee pain diagnosis guide

Use this guide to narrow the likely pattern. It does not replace an assessment.

Front of knee pain: often linked to patellofemoral pain or patellar tendon load
Inner knee pain: may relate to meniscus irritation, ligament strain, or pes anserine bursitis
Outer knee pain: may link to running load, hip control, or lateral tissue irritation
Back of knee pain: may involve a Baker’s cyst or the 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

Next step: A physiotherapy assessment can help clarify the likely diagnosis and guide the right treatment plan.

How is knee pain assessed?

A physiotherapist assesses knee pain by checking your history, swelling, movement, strength, walking pattern, and control. This may include stairs, squats, step-downs, hops, balance, or sport-specific movement.

Assessment may also help decide whether you would benefit from knee treatment, taping and strapping, or a tailored strength training program.

Physiotherapist assessing knee pain during single-leg squat movement test

Physiotherapist assessing knee control and kneecap loading during movement testing.

When knee pain is more serious

obvious deformity
a loud pop with immediate or rapid swelling
fever, redness, or a hot joint
unable to take four steps
repeated giving way
a locked knee
calf swelling, chest pain, or shortness of breath

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 may help knee pain by reducing irritation, restoring strength, improving movement control, and guiding safe return to activity. Treatment should match your symptoms, diagnosis, goals, and current loading tolerance.

Your plan may include strengthening, taping, hands-on treatment, footwear advice, training advice, and sport-specific progression. Active people may also need return-to-sport testing, especially after ACL injury or instability episodes.

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

Match your knee pain pattern to the next step

New swelling or giving way: reduce load and book an assessment.
Stairs or sitting pain: check kneecap loading, hip control, and strength.
Running pain: review training load, footwear, cadence, and strength.
Arthritis flare: keep moving within tolerance and build strength gradually.
Post-surgery stiffness: follow your surgeon’s precautions and rehab plan.

What exercises help knee pain?

Most knee problems respond best to progressive exercise matched to your tolerance. Early exercise often starts with controlled, low-irritation movements. Later stages can add deeper, heavier, faster, or more sport-specific loading.

chair squats
step ups
bridges
calf raises
balance drills
hip and thigh strengthening

Exercise progression matters

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. Steady progress usually improves tolerance and confidence.

When do sports knee injuries need extra care?

Sports knee injuries need extra care when pain follows a twist, landing, tackle, pivot, or sudden change of direction. Rapid swelling, instability, locking, or loss of confidence may suggest ligament or meniscus involvement.

See our sports knee injuries hub for sport-related knee injury pathways.

Post-operative knee rehab

Post-operative knee rehab rebuilds movement, strength, balance, and confidence after surgery. It may follow a knee arthroscopy, knee replacement, or ligament reconstruction.

Related knee conditions and guides

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?

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.

What should you do next for knee pain?

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.

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.