One of the first tasks to getting home from hospital post surgery is getting up and over the stairs. If you have been there you know what I mean. and who can for get “the good go to heaven and the bad go to hell”, even if you have forgotten what that acutally means (in terms of stair climbing).

But then there is a period when you abandon crutches and can start to climb stairs normally…

Normally up going up the stairs comes easier than coming down the stairs. Both task need a fair amount of range in the hip, knee or ankle. And from the range the then need strentgh and control.

Climbing stairs is a great workout- I am always amazed at how out of breath I am at the top of the stairs. It requires strength, flexibility and it also challenges our balance.

This is a progression of stair climbing and single leg str post op/ injury:

1) Step up with your good leg and down with your good leg

2) step up with you operated/injured leg and down with you injured leg

3) step up and drive the other knee up (do on both legs)

4) step up and drive other knee up and then step down and lunge back

5) step up with a shoulder press, adding a weight ( weight in opposite hand to leg stepping up)

6) step up with a shoulder press and back lunge

From the step ups you can then move to step down. We start with stepping down to the side. Once you have mastered step down to the side, then you can progress to step down forward. Step downs are often harder because you need more range in knee and ankle compared with step ups. You also need strength and control.

For all exercises watch your form.