Pain in or around the knee that can affect walking, running, lifting, or daily movement

What it is

Knee pain is extremely common, especially with activities like running, lifting, or going up and down stairs.

A lot of people assume something is “wrong” with the knee itself—but the knee is often just where the pain shows up, not the root cause.
More often, it’s influenced by how the hips, ankles, and surrounding muscles are working together.

In some cases, there may be irritation to structures like the patellar tendon, cartilage, or meniscus—but more often, the bigger issue is how load is being distributed and managed through the lower body.

Why you’re experiencing it

Knee pain is rarely caused by just one thing.

In most cases, it’s a combination of factors that build up over time:

• Poor movement patterns or compensation strategies
• Limited mobility at the hips or ankles
• Weakness in the quads, glutes, or surrounding muscles
• Repetitive stress (running, jumping, lifting)
• Sudden increases in activity or training volume

When the knee is forced to take on more stress than it can handle, it starts to become irritated. It’s meant to be a relatively stable joint, but when the hips or ankles aren’t doing their job, the knee often ends up taking on more movement and stress than it’s prepared for.

How it shows up

You might notice:

• Pain going up or down stairs
• Pain with squatting, lunging, or running
• Stiffness or discomfort after activity
• Clicking or irritation with movement
• Pain that comes and goes or keeps returning

How we help

At CSPC, we focus on more than just calming knee pain—we focus on fixing why it started.

Your plan is built around:

• Reducing pain and irritation
• Improving mobility at the hips and ankles
• Building strength and control through the lower body
• Restoring efficient movement patterns
• Gradually increasing your capacity so your knee can handle more without flaring up

Whether your goal is to run, lift, or just move without pain—we build a plan to get you there.