Patrick step-down
Standing on a low step on one leg, the free heel reaches forward and down to tap the floor: a single-leg squat through a small, controlled range.
Single-leg squat family
Patrick step-down
DemandMedium
Equipment requiredA step
Muscle focusQuads · Glutes · Hip abductors
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Source-researched guide. Clinical review is pending.
How to move
- Stand tall on a low step on one leg, the other leg free in front.
- Bend the standing knee forward over its toes, reaching the free heel forward and down until it just touches the floor.
- Straighten the standing leg to return, then change sides.
Form cues
- Keep the standing knee in line with its toes.
- A higher step or a slower descent makes it harder.
Practice and cautions
No universal dose is assigned. Choose a manageable amount for your current capacity, leave room for controlled repetitions, and allow recovery. A clinician’s individual plan takes priority.
Lowering off a step loads the kneecap more than stepping up the same step, and more the higher the step: with pain at the front of the knee, start with low step-ups and add step-downs from a low step once those are comfortable. This is movement education, not an assessment or treatment prescription. Stop for sharp or increasing pain, dizziness, numbness or tingling; seek individual guidance for symptoms, injury or restrictions.
Sources and review status
Sources support the educational description; they do not establish that this exercise is suitable for you.
- NASM · Single-leg squat ↗
- Song 2023 · Kneecap joint loading across 35 rehabilitation exercises and daily activities in 20 adults (lowering off a step loaded the kneecap more than stepping up the same step; lab study, Am J Sports Med) ↗
- Piva 2006 · The lateral step-down test from a 20 cm step in 30 people with kneecap pain (reliability study, BMC Musculoskelet Disord) ↗
No variation is labeled clinically validated.
What it works
Muscles
Main: Quads, Glutes. Also: Hip abductors.
Anatomy: Sartorius, Quadriceps, Rectus femoris, Vastus medialis, Vastus lateralis, Gluteus maximus.
Equipment
A step
Level
Intermediate. See the easier and harder options above.
Workouts that use it
- Knee control warm-up · 20 min
- Knee strengthening workout: from first steps to full range · 25 min
- Pistol squat progression · 25 min
- Hiking training workout · 35 min
- Return to running after birth: readiness checks and strength · 25 min
- Strength workout for dancers: feet, hips, hamstrings, trunk and landings · 55 min
- Handball warm-up: Knee Control, Shoulder Control, landings and a throwing build-up · 20 min
- Dance fitness strength and landing workout: calves, ankles, hips, knees, trunk and quiet landings · 40 min
Show all 15 workoutsShow fewer workouts
- Step-up workout: from the bottom stair to a loaded box · 30 min
- Sissy squat progression: from the reverse Nordic to the weighted sissy squat · 25 min
- Knees-over-toes Pilates: a 25-minute class for the side hips, the feet and knee tracking · 25 min
- Shrimp squat progression: split squats, skater squats and the shrimp · 25 min
- Trail-ready Pilates for hikers: a 25-minute class for ankles, a trunk that carries a pack, hips, the lowering leg and one-leg balance · 25 min
- Landing-leg Pilates for netball players: a 25-minute class for the ankles, the landing leg for quick stops, trunk control, the hips and shoulders · 25 min
- Knee-kind Pilates after ACL surgery: a 25-minute class in three stages, with no kneeling until you're cleared · 25 min
Pain guides that use it
Part of a staged plan, with when to get help first.
- Exercises for hip pain, and when to get it checked
- Hip bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy: exercises that help, and positions to avoid
- Hip impingement (FAI): exercise first, and what to expect
- Exercises for knee pain: what helps, and a plan to follow
- Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain): exercises that help
- Exercises for knee arthritis (osteoarthritis)
- Jumper's knee (patellar tendinopathy): a loading plan
- IT band syndrome: exercises for outer knee pain
Show all 72 pain guidesShow fewer pain guides
- Meniscus tear exercises: when exercise is the first treatment
- Exercises after a knee replacement: a stage-by-stage recovery plan
- Exercises after a hip replacement, and what hip precautions mean
- ACL injury: rehab, surgery or not, and how to prevent it
- Hip labral tear: exercise first, what surgery adds, and what to avoid
- Dislocated kneecap: what to do, exercises, and stopping it happening again
- Hip dysplasia in teenagers and adults: exercise, surgery and what to expect
- Pes anserine bursitis: inner knee pain below the joint, and what helps
- Exercises after a broken leg (tibia and fibula): the recovery stages and warning signs
- Exercises after meniscus surgery: recovery after a trim or a repair
- Plica syndrome: a painful fold in the knee, and what helps
- Fat pad impingement (Hoffa's syndrome): pain below the kneecap when the knee straightens fully
- Tibial plateau fracture: weight-bearing limits, rehab and the long-term outlook
- Exercises after knee cartilage surgery: microfracture, cell transplants (ACI) and grafts
- Knee pain when squatting: what's likely, what to change today and how to build back to depth
- ACL surgery recovery: the stages back to running, jumping and sport, and the return-to-sport tests
- Knee pain when running: what's likely, what to change in your running today and how to build back
- Hip pain when running: what's likely, the stress fracture not to miss, and how to build back
- Knee pain when cycling: where it hurts, what to change on the bike today and how to build back
- Hip pain at night: lying on your side, the outer hip, arthritis and the warning signs
- Knee pain on stairs: going up or coming down, what it means, and how to build back
- Hip pain when walking: the joint, the outer hip, a limp, walking sticks and how to build back
- Knee pain when walking: where it hurts, arthritis, the kneecap, shoes, sticks and how to build back
- Knee pain when bending or straightening: the kneecap, the meniscus, behind the knee and what helps
- Inner knee pain: arthritis, the meniscus, an MCL sprain, pes anserine pain and how to build back
- Outer knee pain: the IT band, the outer ligament, the meniscus, the nerve and how to build back
- Outer hip pain: the tendons and bursa, the IT band, the back or the hip joint, and how to build back
- Front of knee pain: the kneecap, the tendons, growing knees or arthritis, and how to build back
- A swollen knee: an injury, arthritis, gout, bursitis, a Baker's cyst or infection, and what helps
- Hip pain when standing: getting up, standing still or on one leg, the tendons, the joint or the back
- Outer thigh pain: a trapped nerve, the hip tendons, the IT band or your back, and how to build back
- Knee pain when sitting or standing up: the kneecap, arthritis, the back of the knee and what helps
- Groin pain when walking: the hip joint, a strain, a hernia, pregnancy and a stress fracture
- Knee pain in women: kneecap pain, ACL injuries, arthritis, the menopause, loose joints and pregnancy
- Knee pain after a workout or leg day: soreness or an injury, the moves behind it, and training again
- Knee pain in older adults: arthritis and other causes, what helps, walking aids, stairs and falls
- Knee pain in men: twisting injuries in sport, the tendons, kneeling work, gout and arthritis
- Hip pain when climbing stairs: the outer hip, the joint, the front of the hip and what helps
- Knee pain when twisting: the meniscus, the ligaments, the kneecap, arthritis and what helps
- Ankle pain going down stairs: the front of the ankle, the Achilles, arthritis and old sprains
- Knee pain when crossing your legs: the kneecap, the outer knee, the meniscus, a nerve and what helps
- Knee pain when lunging: the kneecap, the tendon, the back knee, stride and depth, and what helps
- Knee pain on the leg press: the kneecap, the tendon, depth, foot position, lockout and what helps
- Knee pain in Bulgarian split squats: the front knee, the back knee, stance, depth and what helps
- Knee pain when doing step-ups: the kneecap, the tendon, box height, knee path and stepping down
- Knee pain on the elliptical: the kneecap, stride and resistance, foot position and what helps
- Knee pain on a rowing machine: the catch, the kneecap, the back of the knee and the foot stretcher
- Knee pain when hiking: going downhill, the kneecap and the outer knee, poles, pack weight and pace
- Knee pain when doing wall sits: the kneecap, how deep you sit, where your feet go and how long
- Hip pain when doing step-ups: the front of the hip, a pinch in the joint, the outer hip, box height
- Knee pain on the treadmill: the kneecap, incline and speed, the outside of the knee and what helps
- Knee pain on the stair climber: the kneecap, step depth and speed, the rails and what helps
- Hip pain when hiking: uphill and downhill, the outer hip, the groin, the pack, poles and what helps
- Foot pain when hiking: blisters, boots, laces, the heel, the ball of the foot, toes and what helps
- Shin pain when hiking: shin splints, stress fractures, descents, boots and laces, and what helps
- Knee pain skiing: twisting falls, the ACL and MCL, kneecap pain, bindings and what helps
- Knee pain from pickleball: the meniscus, arthritis, kneecap pain, courts and shoes, and what helps
- Knee pain from golf: the lead knee, a worn meniscus, arthritis, walking the course and what helps
- Knee pain when driving: the kneecap, the pedals, the back of the knee and driving after surgery
- Knee pain after dancing: jumps and landings, turns, deep pliés and turnout, heels and what helps
- Knee pain from bowling: the fast bowler's front knee, the ten-pin slide, lawn bowls and what helps
- Knee pain from tennis: the kneecap, the meniscus, arthritis, courts and shoes, and what helps
- Knee pain after football (soccer): twists, tackles, ligaments, the meniscus, growing knees and help
- Knee pain after rugby: twists and tackles, the ACL and MCL, the meniscus, the kneecap and what helps
Guides that use it
- Pilates for knock knees guide
- Pilates for IT band syndrome guide
- Pilates for hikers guide
- Pilates for netball guide
- Pilates after ACL surgery guide
- Yoga for hikers guide
- Knee joint guide
- Knock knees guide
Show all 31 guidesShow fewer guides
- Bow legs guide
- Lateral pelvic tilt guide
- Pistol squats guide
- Bulgarian split squats guide
- Step-ups guide
- Sissy squats guide
- Reverse Nordic curls guide
- Step-downs guide
- Skater squats guide
- Stair climber guide
- Sled drags guide
- Muscle imbalances guide
- Strengthen your knees guide
- Strengthen your hips guide
- Strengthen your legs guide
- Strengthen your quads guide
- Running uphill guide
- Training for a hike guide
- Shrimp squats guide
- Hiking and hillwalking guide
- Dance guide
- Handball guide
- Zumba and dance fitness guide
Similar moves
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Questions people ask
What muscles does the Patrick step-down work?
Mainly the quads and glutes, with help from the hip abductors.
What equipment do I need for the Patrick step-down?
A step.
Is the Patrick step-down good for beginners?
It is graded intermediate. If it is too hard right now, start with the Bodyweight squat.
What is an easier alternative to the Patrick step-down?
Try the Bodyweight squat or the Low step-up. It works similar muscles at a lower grade.
How do I make the Patrick step-down harder?
Progress to the Skater squat or the Pistol squat. Follow that guide’s technique and any stated timing.