My knees bothered me for much of the past year. Through physical therapy, I learned some exercises and ways of moving that diminished the pain I was feeling. Having the knee pain also caused me to be much more observant about how I walk, climb stairs, squat, etc. I have become an ardent “student” of my knees and related parts – at least for now, and I’ve made some surprising discoveries.

First of all, I realized that when going up and down stairs, I tended to rush. To build speed and momentum, I used just the balls of my foot to touch the stair surface and propel me forward. It worked. It had worked for years. It got me up or down in a hurry.

But it doesn’t work anymore. Taking the stairs on the front part of my feet makes my knees carry more weight than they should, and they complain with pain. Overworking of my knees this way over the years probably contributed to the build-up of the pain.

So I’ve become kinder to my knees. I make every effort to place my whole foot on each step. I have to move more slowly to do that. But then, what’s the rush?

My second discovery came when I was driving the car. Once again, I realized I was using just the balls of my feet to push the pedal, which meant that my knee and lower leg absorbed much of the pressure. Again, this habit probably helped weaken my right knee over time.

So now I’ve been practicing putting more of my foot on the pedal and letting the “push” come all the way from the hip. I initiate the movement from the strong core muscles of my body. By using more of my body, I distribute the pressure beyond the foot.

The third discovery was not entirely a new one. I’ve known for a long time that my “be good” upbringing trained me to walk modestly and carefully, with very little hip movement. This, I believe, also contributed to knee strain. My knees had to work extra hard to pull each side of my body forward, since the hips weren’t able to do their share.

These days I try to be conscious of actively moving my hips with each step. Walking this way does not feel familiar. I feel like I’m learning to walk all over again.

In fact, that’s just what I’m doing. Relearning how to walk with the ease and freedom I had as a young child, before I was trained to tighten my pelvis as a “good girl.” This kind of walking feels freer and more fun as I get used to it. And my knees like it too.

Once again, my body has let me know—this time through knee pain—that something I was doing wasn’t good for me. I think I’ve learned my lessons. Just watch me swing my hips as I go about my day.