You’re the Active Parent — So Why Does Your Knee Make You Feel Like You’re Faking It?

You’re the parent who shows up. But knee pain is making you question how much longer you can keep it up. Here’s what’s happening and what to do.

You Are Not Ruining the Trip- But Your Knee Is Making You Think You Are

The trip is booked. The flights are set. Everyone’s excited. And you’re already doing math. How much walking will there be? Are there cobblestone streets? How many stairs does the Airbnb have? Is there an elevator at the museum or just a marble staircase from 1847? Can you

Knee Pain Only Going Downstairs But Not Up: What That Pattern Tells You

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS Going downstairs loads the kneecap with roughly 3.5 times your body weight. Going up is closer to 3 times. That difference matters. When you descend, your quadriceps muscles have to work eccentrically, meaning they lengthen under tension to control your body weight

How to Go Down Stairs with Knee Pain: Techniques That Actually Help

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS When your knee hurts going down stairs, there are a few simple technique changes that can reduce the load on your kneecap right away. Leading with the painful leg when descending, using a handrail, taking one step at a time, and leaning slightly

The Biggest Sign You Need to Stop Ignoring Your Knee

Your spouse is pulling ahead on the trail. You used to keep pace. A Doctor of Physical Therapy explains what changed, why rest won’t fix it, and what will.

IT Band Syndrome and Running Form: How Your Stride Is Making It Worse

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS You might be doing everything right at the gym. But if your running stride has these patterns in it, the IT band will keep getting irritated every single time you go out. Your Form Is Part of the Story Most conversations about IT

Can You Keep Running with IT Band Syndrome? A DPT's Honest Answer

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS This is the question every runner with IT band pain is really asking. The answer is not what most people expect. The Question You Are Really Asking You are not just asking whether your knee can handle another few miles. You are asking

IT Band Pain at Mile 16: Why Marathon Runners Break Down and How to Prevent It

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS Everything felt okay and settled down after each run. And then mile 16 happened. The Runner Who Does Everything Right and Still Breaks Down You trained for months. You hit your long runs. You tapered properly. You showed up healthy on race morning.

IT Band Syndrome Exercises to Avoid (A Physical Therapist's Honest List)

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS The wrong exercises do not just waste your time. They can make your IT band worse and push your recovery back by weeks. You Are Doing Everything You Can Find Online. So Why Is It Not Getting Better? If your IT band is

Why Foam Rolling Your IT Band Doesn't Work (A Physical Therapist Explains)

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS If foam rolling your IT band helped, it would have worked by now. Here is why it has not and what your body actually needs. You Have Been Rolling. It Still Hurts. Here Is Why. You bought the foam roller. You watched the

New Runner Knee Pain: Why the Outside of Your Knee Hurts and How to Fix It

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS You started running. Your knee started hurting. Here is what is actually going on, and what to do about it. First, a Deep Breath You did something good. You laced up. You got out the door. You started moving your body in a

IT Band Pain During Half Marathon Training: A DPT's Modified Training Plan

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS You have put in the miles. The race is on the calendar. And now your knee is telling you something you do not want to hear. Can You Run a Half Marathon With IT Band Syndrome? Short answer: For most runners, yes. But

itband syndrome

IT Band Syndrome in Runners: Why Rest Doesn't Work and What Actually Does

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS If your IT band keeps coming back no matter how much you rest, this is the article you've been looking for. You Rested. It Got a Little Better. Then It Came Back. You felt that familiar tightening on the outside of

stiff ankles

Ankle Mobility for Better Squats: The Connection to Your Knee Pain

Tight ankles might be the real reason your knee hurts when squatting. Learn how ankle mobility directly affects your knee and what to do about it.

kneeling

Why Kneeling Hurts and How to Actually Get It Back

Kneeling hurts and getting back up can feel worse. A DPT with 17 years of experience explains why, and what to do to actually rebuild the ability to kneel.

Getting In and Out of the Car With Knee Pain (and the Secret No One Told You)

Struggling with knee pain every time you get in or out of your car? A Doctor of Physical Therapy explains the mechanics and what your body actually needs.

You're Knee Isn't Ruining Your Life...But It Is Making You Hate Carrying Laundry On the Stairs

Does carrying a laundry basket make your knee ache? Here’s why loaded walking triggers knee pain and what your body is telling you about balance and strength.

Why Getting Off the Toilet Shouldn't Be the Hardest Part of Your Day

Struggling to stand up from the toilet because of knee pain? A Doctor of Physical Therapy explains why this happens, what your body is actually doing, and how to start fixing it.

Knee Pain When You've Been Sitting Too Long (Why Just Get Up and Move Is Bad Advice)

Your knee stiffens up after sitting for 30 minutes? A DPT explains why prolonged sitting triggers knee pain and what’s actually going on inside the joint.

hip weakness knee pain

Hip Weakness and Knee Pain: How Outer Hip Strength Fixes Your Squat

Discover how weak outer hip muscles cause knee pain and what to do about it. Learn which exercises strengthen the hip muscles that stabilize your knees.

Why Your Favorite Recliner Might Be Making Your Knee Worse (And What to Do About It)

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS — Orthopedic Specialist You finally sit down after a long day. You pull that lever (or push that button, fancy), and your recliner kicks back. Feet up. Head back. Netflix on. This is your favorite part of the day. And I hate to be

best quad exercises for sore knees

The Quad Strengthening Program for Pain-Free Squats

Learn how to safely strengthen your quads when you have knee pain. Progressive exercises designed for pain-free knee strengthening.

Sharp Knee Pain: What's Causing It and What You Should Actually Do About It

Here's what I want you to know first: sharp knee pain is common. It doesn't automatically mean something is structurally wrong. But it is your body sending you a signal and the better you understand that signal, the better you can respond to it.

What Helping Soldiers Get Ready for Afghanistan Taught Me About Your Knee Pain

By Dr. Shari Miller, PT, DPT, OCS Orthopedic Specialist & Founder of Stride Lab In 2010, I was a civilian physical therapist working with soldiers during one of the largest military surges of the Global War on Terror. These weren't desk jobs. These were men and women preparing