Knee pain on hikes shows up most on the way down, because going downhill asks your thigh muscles to act like brakes with every step.
The short version
- The two things that help most are strengthening your quads and glutes in the weeks before a hike, and using trekking poles on steep descents — poles have been shown to meaningfully cut the load going through the knee.
Why it happens
Walking downhill is a different job for your legs than walking up. On the way up, your muscles are mostly pushing you forward. On the way down, they're doing the opposite — contracting while lengthening to control your speed and stop you from falling forward with each step. That braking action puts more force through the knee than climbing does, which is why knees that feel fine on the way up can start aching on the way down.
If your thigh muscles aren't used to that kind of work, the knee joint itself ends up taking on more of the load. Training that specific braking action in the weeks before a big hike — not just general leg strength — is what studies point to as the more effective preparation, and even short amounts of downhill walking practice seem to build that tolerance.
Trekking poles help by sharing some of that braking load with your arms. One study measuring the actual forces through the knee on a steep downhill found poles reduced the total load on the leg, though the effect specifically on the kneecap-to-thigh-bone compression that causes this kind of pain was smaller and not clearly significant in that study. Poles are still a reasonable thing to try — they're low-risk and many people find them helpful — but don't expect them alone to fix a knee that isn't also getting stronger.
⚠️ When to see a doctor in person
Get medical help the same day if the knee is hot, red, swollen, or unusually painful to touch (a fever may or may not be there — it doesn't need to be present for this to be serious), or you can't put any weight on it after a fall or twist.
- Book an appointment if the knee locks, catches or gives way on the trail, it swells up after hiking, or the pain hasn't improved after about two weeks of rest and gentle strengthening.
Most hiking-related knee ache is muscles that aren't yet used to downhill load, not joint damage.
Starter exercises
Aim to start these several weeks before a big hike, 2–3 times a week.
- Step-downs — 3 sets of 8 each leg. Stand on a low step, slowly lower your other foot to lightly tap the floor, then push back up. Control the lowering part — that's the part that mimics downhill braking.
- Box squats — 3 sets of 10. Sit back onto a chair or box, then stand. Go slowly on the way down.
- Glute bridge — 3 sets of 12. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Lift your hips into a straight line from knees to shoulders, squeeze, lower slowly.
- Wall sit — 3 sets, hold 20–30 seconds. Back against a wall, slide down to a comfortable knee bend and hold.
On the trail
- Use trekking poles on steep descents. They take some of the braking load off your knees.
- Shorten your stride going downhill and let your knees stay slightly bent rather than locking them out with each step.
- Train on some downhill terrain beforehand if you can, not just flat ground — even short amounts seem to help your legs adapt.
Progression note
Build up the training load over several weeks rather than starting hard the week before a trip. If step-downs or box squats feel easy, add reps before adding depth or weight. On the trail itself, build up to longer or steeper hikes gradually rather than jumping straight to your biggest planned route.
Bottom line
Knee pain on hikes, especially going downhill, usually comes down to muscles that aren't yet strong enough to handle the braking demand. A few weeks of targeted strengthening beforehand, plus trekking poles on steep descents, covers most of what the evidence points to.