Claire Slater-Gallon, a registered osteopath and physiotherapist from the Get Strong Physiotherapy and Osteopathy Clinic, tells Stylist that knee pain when walking downhill can be caused by too much force from the quadriceps (your thigh muscle).

“Walking downhill is harder work because the muscles and bones have to contract in a way that requires a lot of control in a lengthened position,” explains Slater-Gallon. That’s in contrast to how we move when climbing uphill: “When going downhill, forces travel through the quadriceps down to the tendon attached underneath the kneecap.

“The tendon naturally pulls on the bony part at the bottom of the kneecap during activities such as walking downhill, and if the force is greater than the muscle and tendon can handle, different structures around the knee can become irritated and painful.”

Walking downhill: how to protect your knees and move with confidence