How To Make Downhill Walking Easier On The Knees

Dr. Alyssa Kuhn, arthritis specialist, gives the low-down:

Easier now, easier later

Many people struggle with downhill walking due to lack of control or knee pain. This happens because muscles also act as brakes, and weak muscles shift the stress to joints. So, the fix will be strengthening those muscles. But first:

Quick tip for the “easier now”: use a zigzag walking pattern when descending; not only does this make the incline (or relatively speaking: decline) functionally less steep, but also, the stress is now at a different angle to your joint, which takes pressure off it too.

Now for some exercises, for the “easier later”:

1. Seated leg extensions with resistance band: sit at the edge of a chair and use a loop or long resistance band around your shins; kick one leg out straight, then slowly return it—variations include using thicker cotton bands to avoid rolling, anchoring the band under a chair leg, or crossing a long band for added resistance—aim for 10–15 slow, controlled repetitions per leg, adjusting reps per ability.
2. Slow chair squats: with your feet shoulder-width apart and without touching the back of the chair, slowly sit down over a count of 3 and then stand back up—keep knees aligned with ankles to avoid inner knee pain and improper muscle use—this builds essential downhill control strength; begin with 5–10 reps and increase as it becomes easier.
3. Step-down lunges: place one foot on a step stool or low stair, extend your rear leg behind you with both knees bent, and lower your body slowly (counting to 3) before pushing back up—this mimics the single-leg control needed for descending; using a raised surface helps keep the knee behind the toes to avoid pain—aim for 10–12 controlled reps per side before progressing to floor lunges.

Limitation: if you have a connective tissue disorder such as some kind of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (there are many kinds; it’s an umbrella term), there’s a good chance that no matter how much you strengthen your legs, your associated nerves aren’t going to believe it, so every now and again your legs will still fold like laundry no matter how strong they are, in an effort to save you from what they mistake for a breaking-point level of physical stress. We’ll drop a link in the “learn more” section below, for a way of addressing this.

For more on all of this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

The Best Exercise to Stop Your Legs From Giving Out ← this one’s a little different; if your legs are plenty strong but you have a connective tissue disorder that causes your joints to occasionally just collapse for no obvious reason

Take care!