Physical Therapy for Knee Pain in Norwood

The knee is a complex joint in the lower body. People can experience knee pain throughout their lives due to a variety of injuries and conditions. Knee pain can impact many aspects of daily life, such as walking and/or running, going up and down stairs, standing up from a seated position, or participating in sports. Knee injuries commonly affect athletes and can unfortunately lead to athletes being sidelined to recover. Common knee injuries that affect athletes include injuries to the ACL and/or meniscus, patellar tendinopathy, and patellofemoral pain syndrome, which manifests as pain in the front of the knee.

About Your Knee

Your knee is composed of two joints: the tibiofemoral joint between your thigh (femur) and lower leg (tibia), and the patellofemoral joint between your knee cap (patella) and thigh (femur).

The knee is supported by various muscles, tendons, menisci, ligaments, and other structures such as retinaculum. The knee has two menisci, which essentially act as cushions and shock absorbers. The most well-known ligament in the knee is the ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, which helps resist excessive movement of your knee. There are several muscles that work to move or stabilize the knee including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles, amongst others.

What are Common Symptoms of Knee Pain?

Some people experience knee pain due to a specific injury, such as a meniscus tear or ACL injury, while other people develop pain over a longer period of time, perhaps due to conditions like runner’s knee or knee osteoarthritis.

Some symptoms of knee pain may include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness and limited range of motion
• Catching, clicking, or locking in the knee
• Weakness, which may include incidents of "giving way"
• Difficulty walking and performing other activities

Treating Knee Pain with Physical Therapy

Whether you are seeking treatment for a recent injury, dealing with chronic knee pain, or recovering from knee surgery, at Powered Up Physical Therapy, you will always work one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy who will create an individualized treatment plan catered specifically to your needs.

Your Initial Evaluation

During your first visit, you will receive a thorough initial evaluation, which will include a discussion of the history of your knee pain or injury as well as a physical examination to determine your range of motion, strength, movement patterns, posture, etc. Your physical therapist will also evaluate whether your knee pain is coming from your knee or whether your pain is from other areas such as your low back, hip, or ankle. Based upon the findings of your evaluation, your physical therapist will use their clinical expertise and the best evidence available to devise a treatment plan for you.

Follow Up Treatments

Each visit will entail one hour of personalized treatment. Your physical therapist will track your progress and adjust your treatment plan as needed. Your treatment plan may include services such as manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, posture and ergonomic education, or other services to help you achieve your goals. You will always receive a targeted home exercise program at the end of each session to perform in between sessions so you’re constantly working on improving your symptoms and addressing your strength and mobility. When done regularly, these exercises will help lead to a faster and stronger recovery!

Below are a few strategies that we use at Powered Up Physical Therapy to help rehabilitate your knee:

• Manual therapy such as joint mobilization and soft tissue mobilization (massage)
• Therapeutic exercises
• Education on posture and ergonomics
• Home exercise programs