I have pain on the inside of my knee, just below the joint, on the stairs. What is it?

Where it hurts and why

Three hamstring and thigh tendons join on the inner side of the shin just below the knee. Their shape reminded early anatomists of a goose's foot, which is where the name pes anserine comes from. A small bursa lets them glide over the bone. When the tendons are overloaded, the bursa and tendon attachments become sore.

Typical features are a tender spot you can press with one finger below the joint line, pain climbing stairs or rising from a chair, and aching at night when the knees touch. Sometimes there is slight local swelling.

Who gets it

• Runners and walkers who increase distance quickly, often on treadmills in summer or on hard pavements
• People with knee osteoarthritis, in whom it often adds a second source of pain
• Women in middle age and people carrying extra weight
• People with tight hamstrings or weak hip muscles
• Those with flat feet or knees that angle inwards

What helps at home

• Reduce stairs, hills and long runs for a few weeks
• Ice the tender area for 15 to 20 minutes after activity
• Sleep with a pillow between the knees
• Gentle hamstring and inner thigh stretches daily
• Strengthen the hip and quadriceps with bridges, side-lying leg lifts and supported mini squats
• Supportive shoes, and orthotics if your feet roll in markedly

Many people improve over several weeks of consistent exercises.

When to see a knee surgeon

Book an assessment if the pain lasts more than a few weeks, you have pain on the joint line itself, the knee swells, catches or gives way, or it hurts at night without relief. These can mean a meniscus tear or another problem that feels similar. At Aman Hospital in Doha, Dr. Gelber examines exactly where the tenderness is and may use ultrasound or MRI to separate bursitis from a meniscus tear or a stress injury of the bone. An injection is sometimes considered for stubborn cases.