Stairs are not kind to knees. After my surgery, stairs were the last thing I could do without any pain. Please take it easy. Look into a brace?

When I walk stairs, my stronger/newly developed arms, hands, calves and non TKR knee work in unison to lift my 170lbs, 5'10" frame up the stairs. It's a team effort. When I was 165lbs, it was even easier so the goal is 165. The "means" is Planet Fitness 3-4x per week and exercise every other day. My knees don't lift me, my calves do most of the work. My feet are never flat foot on the steps, my calves are constantly working to lift me. There is no easy way, but my life is worth living (despite the pain) after I refused to capitulate to pain and the dysfunction the TKR caused.