Why does it feel natural to take two steps at a time climbing up stairs sometimes but not while going down?

Question

Why does it feel natural to take two steps at a time climbing up stairs sometimes but not while going down?

In: Other

Answer 1

My theory would be that when you go up you (A) can see more clearly the steps ahead making navigation easier and (B) your weight is tending upwards so that were you to fall you’d likely just end up flat on the steps with recovery being simple. In contrast, going down two at a time you (A) cannot so easily see the second step ahead of you as it is partially obscured by the next step down and (B) your weight is tending downwards and were you to fall you would stand every chance of falling down the whole flight and injure yourself.