Knee Pain Physical Therapy involves a thorough examination and assessment of the entire lower limb, from the hip to the foot. Your physical therapist can examisne your knee pain and prescribe the correct treatments, including exercises and modalities, to relieve knee pain and improve your overall condition.
Structure of Knee:
The human knee is a hinge joint made up of the tibia (shinbone) and femur (thigh), and the kneecap, or patella, is at the front of the knee. Four ligaments support the knee. Inside the knee are two shock absorbers, each known as the meniscus.
Knee pain can be caused by trauma and strain or injury. Occasionally it happens for no apparent reason. When knee pain occurs, functional impairments may occur, including difficulty walking, getting up from a sitting position, or climbing and descending stairs.
Localization of Knee Pain Symptoms
The localization of your knee pain can help determine which structures are faulty and can help ensure proper treatment.
Be sure to consult your doctor, physical therapist, or health care provider if symptoms are severe or lasts more than a few weeks.
Front Knee Pain: If you experience pain in the front of the knee, there may be a problem with the movement and position of the patella. The tendon between the kneecap and the shinbone can swell and hurt. Pain here generally limits the ability to kneel, climb or descend stairs, or run and jump.
Inner Knee Pain: There is likely an injury to the knee in front of the ligament if you have inner knee pain. These structures are generally injured during exercise when the foot is on the ground, and the body is twisted over the knee. Occasionally, it suffers from wear and tear and gets damaged without a specific injury.
What to Expect From Knee Pain Physical Therapy?
If you are referred for knee pain physical therapy, your first visit is important to ensure a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. In this visit, your physical therapist will ask you about your history information. About your problem, aggravating and relieving factors and all previous illnesses contribute to the overall problem. Then, a targeted examination is carried out from the information gathered during the anamnesis. The exam can consist of several sections including, but not limited to:
Gait Rating: An assessment of your gait. The therapists of knee pain physical therapy are skilled in examining small changes in movement around the knee during various phases of gait.
Palpation: It involves touching various structures around the knee with your hands to feel abnormalities or to assess whether you feel pain by touching the structure.
Range of Motion Analyses: Range of motion is how far the knee is bent or extended. The physical therapist may use special devices to measure a range of motion to guide treatment.
Strength Measurements: There are many muscle attachments around the knee, and a force measurement can help determine if muscle weakness or imbalance is causing the knee pain.
Your Balance Assessment: If your balance is compromised, excessive stress may be placed on your knee and cause pain.
Circumference or Swelling Measurements: Occasionally, swelling in the knee joint can occur after an injury. A therapist of knee pain physical therapy Las Vegas can measure the swelling to aid indirect treatment.
Special Tests: Special tests are specific treatments performed around the knee to determine which structure is possibly failing and causing the problem.
Knee Pain Physical Therapy Treatment:
After a specific examination, your physical therapist can work with you to initiate the correct treatment. It is very important that you are active and involved in the program. Knee mobility is important. You may need to exercise at home or as part of a home exercise program.
Exercise should be your primary tool in treating knee pain. Exercises for knee pain relief may include:
- Quad Sets and Straight Leg Raises
- Short Arch Quads
- Exercises to Strengthen the Hips (the muscles of weakness here can cause knee pain)
- Lower Limb Stretches
- Exercises to balance the body
Your physical therapist will guide you to do your exercises at home, and they should monitor your progress when you visit the physical therapy clinic. You can also have other treatments during your stay at the physiotherapy clinic, including:
- Ultrasound
- Electrical Stimulation
- Kinesiology Bandage
- Heat or Ice Application
- Soft Tissue Massage or Knee Mobilization
- Note that passive treatments such as ultrasound or stimulation have not proven effective for knee pain.
However, your approach with the physical therapist should insist on restoring functional mobility. In addition, you should discuss the overall goal of each treatment to understand what to expect.
If knee pain remains for more than two to three weeks or occurs due to severe trauma, you should visit a doctor.
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