Physical Therapy for Knee Pain
What symptoms accompany knee pain?
Since the knee is subject to several different injury types, symptoms will vary, appear alone or in combination with others. The most common symptoms include:
- Joint stiffness and limited range of motion
- An inability to completely extend the knee and straighten the leg
- Inflammation and swelling which may be in different spots for various disorders
- Redness accompanied by a warm to the touch feeling
- Instability and weakness causing the knee to give out easily
- Cracking, popping or crunching noises
What commonly causes symptoms and pain in the knee?
The knee and the area surrounding the joint has many components, bones, ligaments, cartilage and the cushioning bursa sac. Injuries to any of these may cause knee problems. Among the more common knee conditions are:
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL): Frequently sports related, an injury usually stemming from sudden direction changes
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout causing knee pain
- Bursitis: Caused by inflammation of the bursa sacs of the knee
- Broken bones: Any of the bones of the knee joint may suffer fractures
- Meniscus tears: Resulting from twists while bearing weight on the knee
- Patellofemoral syndrome: Refers to general pain around the patella and femur
- Tendinitis: An injury often resulting from sports participation
How are knee problems treated at PhysioNetics?
While treatment depends on the nature of the knee pain, Dr. Varveris and her team use a variety of techniques. Inflammation and swelling respond well to soft tissue oscillators, while cold light lasers stimulate deep tissue to promote healing. Scarring in the soft tissue around the knee is a candidate for Graston technique manipulations and radial pulse treatment. PhysioNetics can help with post-surgery knee replacement rehabilitation. The Alter G anti-gravity treadmill permits aerobic exercise after injury, or surgery with a fully adjustable weight bearing function to protect the injured knee.
