Knee Pain
Knee pain can be a debilitating condition and hinder you from participating in the activities you love. Knee pain often leads to more weakness and muscle atrophy over time. Physical therapy is a great treatment option if you are struggling with knee pain that seems to be worsening over time.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
Meniscus Tear
The meniscus is a cartilage structure that sits between the thigh bone and the shin bone. Under normal conditions it acts to absorb impact during our daily activities. Higher level activities put more stress on the meniscus. The meniscus is damaged when the foot is planted on the ground and a twisting force is applied through the knee. Typically the meniscus does not heal well due to very poor blood supply.
Arthritis
Knee arthritis is a very common condition that is age related most of the time. The older you are the higher your chances of getting knee arthritis. Bone spurs, cartilage damage, muscle weakness, meniscus tears, and inflammation are all common with this condition. Physical therapy can help manage knee arthritis for those who wish to avoid knee injections and total knee replacement surgeries.
ACL Injury
The ACL is one of the ligaments that help stabilize the thigh bone to the shin bone. The ACL is very strong under normal conditions. It can be torn with a high impact activity. ACL injuries are common in sports that require fast direction changes such as soccer and football. Surgery is usually the first line of treatment for a complete ACL injury. Under the right conditions it can be managed conservatively with physical therapy.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is a common condition that causes knee pain. Usually located on the border of the knee cap. The pain will tend to increase with your level of activity and then will subside after you stop the aggravating activity. Physical therapy is a very effective treatment for tendinitis and should be considered the first treatment option.
Can Physical Therapy Help My Knee Pain?
Physical therapy should be considered the first line of treatment for most knee conditions. Physical therapy will work on pain control techniques including dry needling. Once your pain is controlled and your movement is restored, then physical therapy can begin to address the cause of your knee pain. Research is now showing that physical therapy is effective for knee pain long term.