why does going up the stairs hurt so much

I used to work in a shop and spent all day going up and down stairs, then I cycled home about 4 miles. My knees were killing me! The doctor told me that women have less muscular support around the knees and exercise like cycling and stairs are VERY tough on knees, even when you're very fit, as I was at the time. I would try some lower impact exercise for a while (swimming is great), or alternate with the stairs. I STILL have dodgy knees, so look after them!

ok - I swim 5 days a week / 88 lengths in an hour. i am very heavy 201lbs, and old - 53, and my knees hurt! but i thought i was getting into shape. just went to up and down the stairs for 15 minutes - all so i can have an extra biscuit at red lobster tonight. now - i feel horrible. i can't stop coughing and my knees are killing me. i am very discouraged.

I'm generally healthy. 5'8.5" and 165. "Need" to loose about 15 lbs. I used to swim a lot (I haven't been able to exercise in the last 10 months due to a family emergency) and do spin a lot, but stairs still kill me. I could do spin for an hour and swim a mile and a half non stop, but a flight of stairs winded me. We just bought a condo, and granted I am out of shape now, but my knees hurt and creak and pop a little as I go up just one flight. I think low impact is much better for me.

You could try building up to it slowly over time, instead of couch to 5K, do swim to stairs. If you try to do too much at once you risk pain and discouragment. How about doing 5 minutes, and then build up from there, so that in some weeks (5-10) you can do 15 minutes. Stairs are a super workout, but that's because they are so challenging.

well here r my comments on the issue.... quick back story... i work at a busy coffee shop 45 hrs/week and my knees have hurt for the last year or so and than late june i went on mat leave and my knees got worse where i couldn't sometimes lean on one side, kneel on them whether soft or hard surface , go up or down stairs pain free or if i was kneeling to get up without hauling most of my weight up with a counter.(and i'm only 34) i've been working out on/off since late august but they never got any better sooo last month i went to a physiotherapist and she said it wasn't weight related or arthritis at all. my kneecaps were being pulled out of place by the muscles that surround the knees. i've been doing stretches and such and they are almost 100%. i'll have to keep up with the stretches so the muscles stay loose but i feel great, i can actually go down stairs with no pain, no cracking and walking straight !!!
talk to your doc, see if you can get a referral or try loosening the muscles in your thighs and quads
hope this gives some different insight
good luck

I had one day when my son was in the hospital that we got kicked out of the room so they could do put in an arterial line - a sterile procedure so no one's allowed in. I ran stairs in the parking garage for like an hour. I think I ended up doing 70 something flights (both up and down). Anyway... I was SOOOO sore for like a week. I thought my calves were going to fall off! The nurses laughed at me for days because I could barely move around the room!!!