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How to Go Up and Down Stairs on Crutches With a Knee Injury

Crutch stair technique depends on weight-bearing instructions, handrails, and balance. Learn a published non-weight-bearing sequence and safer alternatives to discuss with a physiotherapist.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Use the weight-bearing instructions from your treating clinician, and have a physiotherapist teach and observe your stair technique. For one published non-weight-bearing method, go up with the uninjured leg first and bring the crutches to that step; going down, place the crutches on the lower step first, then lower the uninjured leg while keeping the injured leg off the floor. This is not a universal technique: weight-bearing permission, handrails, balance, and local clinical guidance all matter.

Check your weight-bearing instructions before using stairs

“Non-weight-bearing” means the injured leg must not take weight. Do not assume that you can load your knee just because you can manage a step. Partial- and full-weight-bearing instructions call for different approaches; NHS Inform’s crutch guidance separates these situations. Follow the restriction and stair method given by your treating team, and ask them to check your technique in person.

Hospitals do not all recommend the same stair approach. Some teach patients to use crutches with a handrail; the Northern Care Alliance NHS advises against using crutches on stairs and describes moving on your bottom instead. Ask your physiotherapist which method is suitable for you and your home.

Non-weight-bearing method: one step at a time

The sequence below comes from Royal Devon’s non-weight-bearing leaflet, version dated March 2026. Keep the injured leg off the floor throughout. The familiar cue is: good leg up first; crutches down first. Practise with a clinician before attempting this alone, especially if you are unsure of your balance or strength.

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Going upstairs

  1. Stand close to the first step, with the crutches positioned as your clinician has shown you.
  2. Keep the injured leg off the floor and behind you.
  3. Step up with the uninjured leg.
  4. Bring the crutches up to the same step.
  5. Pause and regain your balance before repeating the sequence.

Going downstairs

  1. Keep the injured leg off the floor and in front of you.
  2. Move the crutches down to the next step.
  3. Bring the uninjured leg down to that step.
  4. Pause to steady yourself before continuing.

If there is a handrail

A handrail changes how you hold and move the crutches, so use a transfer method demonstrated by a physiotherapist rather than improvising. Kingston and Richmond NHS’s non-weight-bearing guidance describes transferring the crutch nearest the banister into the opposite hand, holding the rail with the free hand, and stepping up with the good leg while keeping the affected leg behind. The exact hand and crutch arrangement should be shown to you and checked for your situation.

Instructions differ between providers, including whether patients should use crutches on stairs at all. If the handrail is loose, awkward to reach, or leaves you unable to manage the crutches as taught, stop and ask your care team about another method.

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If there is no handrail, or you do not feel steady

Do not attempt a crutch technique that you have not been taught. If crutch stair use feels unsafe, ask your physiotherapist about an assessed alternative. Some NHS guidance describes going up and down on your bottom and carrying both crutches in one hand; University Hospitals Plymouth also suggests a slow seated descent for people worried about walking downstairs. A seated method is not automatically safe for every injury, home layout, or person. Practise it with help if your clinician recommends it, and have someone carry the crutches if available.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals provides separate instructions for non-weight-bearing stair use with and without a handrail and says patients should be taught before discharge after surgery. If you cannot manage the method you were taught, contact your therapy team about a different mobility option.

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Make the route safer before you start

  • Clear obstacles from the stairs and landing, and make sure the route is dry and well lit.
  • Wear supportive shoes with flat soles.
  • Check the crutches for damage and make sure the rubber ends are not worn or dirty.
  • Do not adjust your crutches or change your weight-bearing approach unless your care team tells you to.

These precautions are included in Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s crutch guidance. If a stair feels difficult or you are losing your balance, stop rather than rushing to complete the flight; get help and contact your clinician for advice.

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