Delicately Engineered — Do You Really Know Your Knee?
Do you really know your knee? First, let’s briefly understand the structure of the knee. Use your fingertips to gently explore your knee, and you’ll find a movable bone at the front called the patella, commonly known as the kneecap. This small triangular bone increases the efficiency of the thigh muscles at the front and protects the knee joint from impact.
Behind the kneecap is the femur, commonly known as the thigh bone. The lower end of the femur has a groove that resembles a pulley, and the patella is like a rope running inside that pulley groove. Normally, the patella slides up and down within this groove, acting like a pulley to help the knee bend and straighten. If the patella deviates to one side, it can collide and wear against the lower end of the femur during movement—just like a rope slipping out of a pulley groove and becoming prone to wear and jamming.
Below the kneecap is the tibia, commonly known as the shinbone. Between the femur and the tibia are the meniscus and articular cartilage that serve as "cushions" to absorb impact and reduce vibration. The surrounding ligaments and muscles help ensure the stability of the knee joint.
Why Do Your Knees Hurt When You Climb Mountains Often?
Too Much Mountain Climbing, Too Much Knee Strain
Your knees bear most of your body weight. Studies show that when lying down, the knees bear almost zero weight, while standing puts about 0.43 times your body weight on the knees. When walking on flat ground, each step places 3–6 times your body weight on the knees, and climbing mountains puts even greater strain on them.
When walking on flat ground, the muscles at the front and back of the thighs, the buttocks, and the muscles at the front and back of the calves all work together to coordinate normal forward motion. When going uphill, unlike walking on flat ground, you have to work against gravity to move upward. When stepping on stairs, the thigh muscles have to work harder than during regular walking. This is because you need to lift your several-dozen-kilogram body from a lower position to a higher one using your legs, so the effort required from the front thigh muscles is much greater than during normal walking.
Repeated contraction of the front thigh muscles can lead to fatigue in the surrounding knee muscles, reducing their ability to stabilize the knee joint. As a result, the patella may shift from its normal movement path during repeated motion, causing friction and collision between the femur and the patella. Over time, this leads to wear of the patella, resulting in pain around and behind the kneecap. The greater the incline, the more the front thigh muscles have to work, and the more pressure is placed on the knee—thus increasing the pain.
Imbalanced Muscle Strength Around the Knee Causes Patellar Friction and Injury
Another cause of knee pain is imbalanced muscle and tissue strength around the patella. The patella is surrounded by muscles and other tissues that normally keep each other in check, maintaining balance so the patella can move smoothly within the "pulley groove" of the femur. But if the muscles and tissues on the inner and outer sides of the patella become imbalanced, the patella may be pulled toward the stronger side. During movement, it then rubs against the femur, causing injury.
From the upper thigh down to the shinbone, there’s a long, thick band of tissue called the iliotibial band (IT band), which works with the thigh muscles to stabilize the knee joint. If this band lacks flexibility, becomes too tight, and the inner thigh muscles are not strong enough, it may pull the patella outward, causing it to deviate from its normal movement path and resulting in knee discomfort or pain. When climbing downhill, the knees bend significantly, and the repeated bending can fatigue or even inflame the IT band, leading to knee swelling and outer patellar pain.
Descending Puts High Impact on the Knee and Can Easily Cause Injury
Additionally, descending is another major cause of knee pain. When going downhill, due to gravity, less muscle effort is used, the ligaments are looser, and the joint is less stable, leading to twisting movements that can damage the knee and cause pain. Moreover, the impact on the knees when your feet hit the ground is greater when descending compared to walking on flat ground or going uphill. Studies report that the pressure on the knees when descending is 3–4 times greater than on flat ground, making prolonged downhill movement particularly strenuous. Some hikers descend too quickly due to gravity—even jumping or running downhill—which further increases the load on the knees and raises the risk of injury. At the same time, descending causes the knees to repeatedly over-flex, straining surrounding tissues and leading to knee pain.
Improper Footwear Causes Knee Pain
Many mountain climbers don’t pay much attention to choosing proper hiking shoes. Some wear regular sports shoes, others wear skate-style shoes, and even dress shoes. When walking on flat ground with low activity levels, inappropriate footwear may not cause obvious discomfort. But mountain climbing is a high-intensity activity on uneven terrain, and if your shoes don’t provide adequate ankle support or posture control, they can twist the shinbone. Repeated twisting of the shinbone can affect the knees, causing pain.
How to Protect Your Knees When Climbing Mountains Frequently?
Climbing mountains is a great way to stay fit, but how can we achieve fitness goals without harming our knees? Below are several knee protection methods we recommend for frequent climbers.
1. Strengthen the muscles around your knees regularly. Well-developed muscles can alleviate the pressure on your knees to some extent and reduce the risk of injury. Stretch the back of the thighs, outer thighs, and calf muscles, and maintain good muscle condition around the knees to enhance stability and keep the patella moving along its correct path—preventing wear and injury.
2. Do thorough warm-ups before climbing. Stretch your leg muscles to promote blood circulation. You can also use your fingers to gently rub the lower edge of your kneecaps to boost lubrication and protect the knees. After climbing, perform proper cool-down exercises to help tired muscles recover.
3. Use proper and efficient techniques when climbing. Keep your feet flat on the ground, avoid lifting them too high, and maintain a smaller knee bend. Rely more on leaning forward and using your glutes to move steadily and efficiently. Descend slowly and avoid running. On steep slopes, use sidestepping techniques to reduce knee flexion. Take breaks during long climbs to relieve knee tension.
4. Use trekking poles when climbing. When descending, poles support the path ahead, almost like giving you two extra arms—like walking on four legs—so the shock can be distributed to your wrists and arms, reducing the impact on your legs. Shock-absorbing trekking poles can also ease wrist and arm strain and fatigue.
5. Wear knee braces for protection. Knee braces provide mild compression and support for the knee and surrounding tissues, helping prevent knee swelling after long hikes. They also offer warmth retention. Choose a brace that fits comfortably—not too tight. But if your knees feel fine or aren’t injured, or if you’re not descending long distances, it’s best to use knee braces cautiously, as excessive localized pressure and poor sweat ventilation can affect knee metabolism and accelerate fatigue.
6. Choose a suitable backpack and use the correct carrying method to keep your body’s center of gravity stable during the climb. For light loads, go with a lightweight backpack or waist pack. For heavier gear such as tents, sleeping pads, or DSLR cameras, opt for specially designed mountaineering backpacks. Unlike casual backpacks, these distribute the load to your hips via frames and waist belts, rather than your shoulders—greatly reducing shoulder and spine strain. This pressure-redistribution design is called the backpack’s suspension system. Even so, try to minimize backpack weight; don’t carry more than a quarter of your body weight.
7. Choose good hiking shoes. Pay serious attention to your climbing footwear. Opt for sturdy, high-top shoes. Higher collars support your ankles, aid posture control, and prevent over-reliance on inner or outer foot muscles. Depending on your walking style, selecting insoles with arch support can also help.
Climbing is a simple joy, but even in simplicity, a bit of self-care goes a long way. Like an off-road vehicle, poor maintenance leads to breakdowns early on, while good care keeps it running to the horizon. Take care of your knees, broaden your horizons, and enjoy the wonders nature has to offer.