Climbing stairs

Postures and exercises to reduce knee pain.

It is necessary to perform continuous stretching to keep the pressure inside the knee low. Additionally, it is recommended to avoid sitting cross-legged on the floor or kneeling, and to sit on a chair instead.

You need to build strong thigh muscles that can support the weight load on the knees through exercise. Strengthening exercises for the front thigh muscles, the quadriceps, have a longer-lasting effect on improving knee health compared to injections or physical therapy.

First, it is recommended to perform squat exercises by gradually bending and straightening the knees to the point where there is no knee pain. If maintaining balance is difficult, it is advised to hold onto a table or chair for safety. After holding the bent position for 10 to 15 seconds, slowly straighten the knees, then bend again. Doing about 10 repetitions per set and performing three sets intermittently is effective.

You can strengthen your quadriceps through exercises that involve climbing stairs, hills, or mountains. However, descending can cause pain by putting shock and load on the knee joint without much exercise benefit. Therefore, it is better to take the elevator after climbing stairs or to descend slowly on foot. [Source: Hankook Ilbo]