Chances are we all either know someone who has knee pain or we have it ourselves. There are a number of different things you can do for knee pain, but there are so many conflicting things you hear on the internet about what to do. Listed below are the top frequently asked questions we, as physical therapists, get asked the most.
What is causing my knee pain?
There are three main causes for your knee pain… A problem with your meniscus, a problem with your ligaments, or a problem with the muscles and joints above and below your knee. The meniscus is the padding between the two large bones of your leg that make up your knee. Damage to this tissue can cause pain. Ligaments attach bone to bone. The main ligaments of the knee are the anterior cruciate ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament, the medial collateral ligament, and the lateral collateral ligament. If those are damaged, it can cause knee pain. Finally, if you don’t have a structurally sound hip and ankle, you are bound to have knee pain. These are the two main structures above and below the knee. Without those working properly, the pain is inevitable.
What can I do right now to decrease my knee pain?
The first step is to stop any movements, positions, or activities that increase your knee pain. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories as well as ice and heat can help, but they are not good long-term solutions. Finding the cause of your knee pain is the most important step. This is discovered by an orthopedic specialist through tests and measures during The examination.
My knee clicks when I go up and down stairs… Is that bad?
We get this one a lot. Clicking in almost any part of the body indicates an alignment issue. It’s super common in the knee if your quadricep muscle is not controlling your patella. The clicking is a tendon or a ligament rolling over a bone. The key factor is the pain level associated with the clicking. If there’s no pain, then it’s not as serious a problem as if there is pain. If you have pain with the clicking, it can be an indication of a more serious problem like a meniscus tear.
I was told I have arthritis in my knee. Can that get better or well I have knee pain forever?
Being diagnosed with arthritis does not mean you will have pain forever. Arthritis is commonly a part of the aging process. There are plenty of people that have knee arthritis and no knee pain. If you can maintain good mechanics in your knee by having a strong, mobile and stable foot combined with a strong and stable hip, then your knee can overcome a diagnosis of arthritis.
What exercises should I do to get rid of my knee pain?
That all depends on the cause of your knee pain. This is discovered during a free screen or an initial evaluation at Robbins Rehabilitation West. Some exercises might help and some might make it worse. Most knee pain sufferers either have a patellofemoral problem, osteoarthritis or meniscus irritation.
Sometimes you can have a combination of these…The point is that it’s difficult to give exercises to help unless we know exactly what is causing the pain because it is often a combination of manual therapy, stretching and exercises. A complete exam is required so that the exercises actually help with the pain. Call 610-841-3555 today to set that up!
Are you looking for more information and someone to tell you what is going on with your knee pain!? Come in for a free screen with one of our therapists.
It’s a 30 minute 1-on-1 appointment with a Physical Therapist where you get the following…
1. A DIAGNOSIS: Discover the cause of your pain so that you can attack the problem successfully.
2. A PROGNOSIS: Find out how long it will take to fix your knee pain for good so you can get back to all the activities you used to do before your injury.
3. A PLAN: Your Physical Therapist will lay out a clear plan that outlines what will be required to get you back to normal.
All you need to do to get started is to call (610) 839 – 8764 and pick your time and location. We look forward to meeting you and getting you back to normal!
