An Introduction to Knee Pain
According to a 2018 American Family Physician article, knee pain affects approximately 25% of adults and is one of the most common injuries treated in physical therapy. Knee pain can arise regardless of age, but the joint is critically important to how we walk, run, jump and everything in between. When first experiencing knee pain, we recommend scheduling an appointment with a physical therapist so they can help guide you on your next steps. In some cases, like an ACL tear or severe osteoarthritis, surgical intervention will need to take place.
If surgery is the recommended course of treatment, a physical therapist will work with you pre-surgery to help mobilize and strengthen the muscles around the joint to help with post-surgical recovery and help return you to daily life as soon as possible.
With most knee pain, a physical therapist can craft a personalized treatment plan to get you back to the life you love without surgical intervention. Whether you are struggling with pain that has built up over time or a recent injury, a physical therapist will perform tests to determine the issue and set up a plan for your speedy recovery.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
Knee pain and injuries can affect anyone, but falling into a specific age group may increase a person’s risk of developing certain knee conditions. For example, children may experience knee pain from growing pains, fractures or Osgood-Schlatter disease, an inflammatory condition that develops from overuse.
Additionally, athletes of all ages are prone to ligament tears, including ACL, PCL, LCL and MCL tears; these ligaments help to stabilize the knee joint. There are approximately 400,000 ACL reconstructions every year in the United States, according to a 2023 study. So, how do these tears happen? Believe it or not, most ACL tears are non-contact injuries. However, any of these ligaments can be injured during sporting events, a collision, overuse, or from muscular imbalance in the lower extremity.
Osteoarthritis (OA), a degeneration of the joint, can cause pain in the knee as the bones may not have the support they need to work together correctly. OA is the most common type of arthritis in the body, affecting over 32.5 million adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Regardless of the type of knee pain you’re experiencing, a physical therapist will create a personalized treatment plan that utilizes exercises to help you restore your normal range of motion, strength, and flexibility.
How can a Physical Therapist Help?
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Strengthening Exercises:
Muscle weaknesses or imbalances can cause knee pain and continued symptoms if not worked through. The knee is an incredibly complex joint connected to many leg, foot and hip muscles. For example, if you have weak quadriceps and hamstrings, you may experience pain when bending and straightening the knee. If these muscles aren’t strong, it leaves room for tears and degeneration.
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Stretching Exercises:
While strong muscles around the knee are essential, flexible muscles are also crucial. Muscles that are too tight can cause pain by pulling on the attachment sites at the joint or creating movement compensations that damage the knee. Your physical therapist may prescribe a stretching routine to decrease tension and help restore the normal motion of your joints.
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Patient Education:
Patient education is one of the most essential parts of any treatment plan. Patients should be able to leave physical therapy with tools on how to prevent further injury and/or return of pain. This may include education on anatomical structures, technique and progression exercises.
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Manual Therapy:
Many physical therapy treatment plans include a portion of hands-on treatment, or manual therapy. Manual therapy assists with restoring and improving motion, improving blood flow and guiding the patient’s movements to help minimize compensatory motions.
Find a PT near you
Whether you’ve been experiencing knee pain for days or years, it’s time to get the help you deserve so you can return to the life you love. Use our interactive map tool to find a physical therapist in your area.