Knee Pain
There are many reasons for knee pain. We’ve listed below a few of the most common causes along with our methods of treatment at Lightwater Health & Chiropractic Clinic`:
Patella-Femoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)
PFPS is one of the most common and one of the most challenging conditions. Pain is experienced when the kneecap is not lining up correctly with the femur underneath it.
Symptoms:
Feeling that the knee is grinding or locking are common symptoms. Pain can be worsened by sporting activity, walking downstairs or running. Even prolonged sitting can be uncomfortable.
Treatment:
Conservative treatment of the knee involving massage, acupuncture and mobilisation techniques will relieve symptoms. Rest from aggravating activities, strengthening the glutes, quadriceps and stretching of the hamstring and calves will also assist.
Prognosis:
The majority of cases can take 6-12 weeks to improve, provided rest from aggravating activities is undertaken
Patella Tendinopathy (Jumpers Knee)
This is a pain in front of the knee due to inflammation of the patella tendon. It usually happens when there is a lot of bending at the knee such as jumping or running. The tendon is often very tender and swollen.
Symptoms:
A pain just below the kneecap that can also get worse with movements like running or jumping. The onset of pain is normally gradual and increases with exercise. Rest can relieve the pain, but can also aggravate with prolonged periods of sitting.
Treatment:
Releasing the stress on the tendon as much as possible will assist greatly along with a combination of massage, mobilisation, strapping and shockwave. Rest will also be beneficial.
Prognosis:
The majority of cases can take 6-12 weeks to improve, provided rest from aggravating activities is undertaken.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)
ITB syndrome is often very problematic for keen runners. The illiotibial band is the tendon that runs along the outside of your femur and is attached to the outside of your knee. Repeated flexion of the hip and knee can cause it to rub and irritate the outside of the knee.
Symptoms:
A sharp pain on the outer part of your knee and in some instances a swelling also appearing. The pain can become worse with running and other repetitive knee bending activities.
Treatment:
Analysis of your running and walking techniques will allow observation of the weak or tight muscles and joints. Conservative treatments such as exercises and stretches, fascial release, spinal and extremity manipulation, rest, taping, dry needling will certainly help to relieve symptoms.
Prognosis:
The majority of cases can take 6-8 weeks to improve, provided rest from aggravating activities is undertaken.
Knee Arthritis
There are many types of arthritis that affect the knee but the most common is osteoarthritis (wear and tear). Your knees are one of the main weight bearing joints in the body and over time the joint line can wear away. Large amounts of repetitive movement such as running or increasing in weight can worsen the symptoms.
Symptoms:
Pain, swelling and stiffness is experienced in the knee. The pain is often worse with activity and stiffness can increase during the day. Mornings can be troublesome as the knee 'needs to get going' but the problem mainly comes in waves, fine one minute and bad the next.
Treatment:
Conservative treatment such as spinal and extremity manipulation, taping, dry needling and massage are very effective in relieving symptoms in mild to moderate cases. An exercise program, including stretches along with nutritional & lifestyle advice can also help and assist in avoiding recurrence. In severe cases, surgical intervention maybe needed. If this is the case, it is vital post surgery to get the right treatment to remove any tight muscles and a program of exercises to prevent recurrence.
Prognosis:
The severity of Knee Arthritis guides the prognosis. Mild cases can take 6-12 weeks whereas severe cases can be ongoing and may require surgery.
