Knee pain after an autumn hike: when it is more than sore muscles
Sang-Hoon Shin, director of the Orthopedic Pain & Rehabilitation Center, on arthritis, the meniscus and how to return to the trail.
2 min read
With the autumn hiking season, Sports Seoul asked Dr. Sang-Hoon Shin about knee pain after a hike, especially for people who already have arthritis.
Going downhill puts repeated load on the knee. Light muscle soreness usually settles within a few days of rest. Swelling or warmth in the joint itself, pain that gets worse on stairs, or difficulty bending and straightening the knee are signs to have it checked.
Right after a hike, rest and 15 to 20 minutes of cold compress at a time can help in the early stage. When the pain eases, start again with walking on flat ground and build up gradually rather than going straight back to the mountain.
If pain continues, the cause is assessed before treatment is chosen, from exercise rehabilitation to injection treatment.
This is a summary written by Kwangdong Hospital. The full article was published in Korean.
Sports Seoul · 2026.10.06
