The knee is a crucial joint in our body that can support two to five times our body weight. For an 80 kg person that is up to 400 kg that the knee joint can support. To help manage this load the knee is made up of several different structures. All of which serve a different purpose but are primarily designed to distribute force and provide stability while the knee bends and straightens.
Knee pain can occur at any age. It can occur during growth spurts in children, or with injuries from sport, trauma, or it may come on as we age with everyday wear and tear. To categorise knee pain it can be classified into acute knee pain and chronic knee pain.
Acute knee pain can come from:
- Ligament (e.g. ACL, MCL & LCL) tears or ruptures
- Cartilage (meniscus) tears
- Fractures and dislocations of the knee joint
- Muscle strain
Acute knee injuries most often occur with sports which involves rapid acceleration, deceleration, twisting or a sudden change of direction. Physiotherapists play a crucial role in identifying which structure has been damaged and to provide immediate protection to allow optimal healing to occur. Use of braces, crutches or taping is important in the early phase to protect the injured knee joint.
Once the injured knee joint is protected our physiotherapists at Physio Ready will provide LIPUS which is a therapeutic ultrasound which promotes healing and swelling reduction to manage acute inflammation and accelerate healing. Soft tissue massage will also be used for muscle relaxation, swelling reduction and pain reduction.
Common chronic knee pain conditions include:
- Bursitis (inflammation of bursa)
- Tendinopathy/Tendonitis (overloaded tendons)
- Osteoarthritis
- Patello-femoral joint pain (poor kneecap tracking due to muscle imbalance)
Chronic knee pain is often a result of poor biomechanics, overuse, muscle imbalance and muscle tightness. It is crucial a physiotherapist go through a detailed assessment to work out the exact cause of the chronic knee pain rather than just focus on the symptoms. Here at Physio Ready our physiotherapists have expertise knowledge with knee pain and will make sure you receive the correct diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation to get you knee better.
Whether it is an acute sporting injury, chronic knee pain or a movement issue in the knee. Our physiotherapists can come up with a solution for your knee pain.
In our treatment program we will help you get rid of your knee pain, get your knee moving the way it should be and provide you with the appropriate exercises and self-management programs to keep you knee pain free.
If you would like to book an appointment for your knee problem, contact Physio Ready on 9249 9122 for Ryde or (02) 8622 1681 for Ermington or make an online booking today.