Why Your Knees Hurt Hiking Downhill (And How to Fix It), by James Appleton on YouTube. 16 min 1 s.
- Video length
- 16 min 1 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Note where the pain sits and when it starts. Pain around or under the kneecap on descents usually points to how your quad handles load, while pain on the outside of the knee often links to hip and glute strength.
Shorten your steps on the way down. Small, quick steps keep your foot under your body instead of reaching out in front, which cuts the braking force through your knee.
Keep a soft bend in the knees and sit back slightly, letting your hips and glutes take the load instead of locking your legs straight.
Use trekking poles on descents. Set them so your elbows sit at about 90 degrees with the tips on the ground, and plant them slightly ahead of you to take weight off your legs.
Slow down and zigzag on steep sections. A gentler line and a lower speed reduce the pounding your knees take over a long descent.
Twice a week, do slow step-downs off a step or stair. Stand on one leg, lower the other heel toward the floor over 3 seconds, then push back up. Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 per leg.
Add split squats and wall sits. Do 3 sets of 8 split squats per leg and 3 wall sits of 30 to 45 seconds, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
Train your glutes with single-leg bridges and banded side walks. Strong hips keep your knee from drifting inward on tired descents. Do 2 sets of 10 to 15 each.
Build up gradually. Add one strength session or one longer hike per week, and ease off for a few days if a knee flares up.
Tips and common mistakes
Stop and rest if the pain is sharp, the knee swells, or it still hurts a day later, and get it checked by a physio.
Lighten your pack where you can, since every extra kilo hits your knees on the descent.
Trekking poles only help if you actually plant them, so practise the rhythm on an easy slope first.
Sore quads after step-downs are normal, but knee pain during the exercise means the step is too high or too fast.
Questions
Why do my knees hurt going downhill but not uphill?
Going downhill your quad muscles work while lengthening to control your body weight, which is a much bigger load than pushing uphill. Weak quads, tired legs and long reaching steps all make it worse.
Will knee braces or tape fix it?
They can take the edge off for a big day out, but they do not build strength. Use them as a short-term backup while you work on the step-downs and glute exercises.
How long until my knees feel better on descents?
Most hikers notice a difference after 4 to 6 weeks of twice-weekly strength work plus better pacing. Stick with it, because the strength fades if you stop training.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
