How Can Physiotherapy Help with Knee Pain?

The knee joint is one of the most complex joints in the human body. It plays a major role in facilitating movement and supports the body’s entire weight, due to which the risk of knee injuries and knee pain is exceedingly high. Because of the convolution of the knee joint structure and the fact that it is a weight-bearing joint, knee disorders are widespread, and the knee is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body that can get easily injured.

Knee pain is commonly caused by ageing, injury, or recurrent stress on the knee. Cartilage tears, sprained or strained ligaments, arthritis, and tendinitis are common knee ailments.

Causes Of Knee Pain:

Minor knee injuries are commonly caused by stretching, twisting and any activity that exceeds the knee’s endurance. Knee injuries can also be caused by sudden movements or jerks, which commonly occur while walking on uneven routes or when athletes train on rough surfaces.

Some injuries and diseases that can cause chronic knee pain are as follows:

Muscle injuries: The movement of the knee is controlled by various muscles. Injuries to these muscles can make the knee more prone to instability.
Bursitis: is an inflammation of the bursa, which is a structure that provides lubrication to the joint. Bursitis develops as a result of direct bursa damage (a blow) caused by overuse of the joint or excessive pressure on it.
Tendinitis: is an inflammation of the tendons caused by the overuse of the joint.
Patellofemoral syndrome: also known as patellar pain syndrome, is more common in women and causes pain above the patella at the front of the knee.
Iliotibial band syndrome is an inflammation of a fibrous band that runs through the lateral aspects of the knee.
Arthritis: It is an inflammation of the knee joint caused by infections (septic arthritis), inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and others), and other factors. It is accompanied by joint swelling, stiffness, fever, and other symptoms.
Osteoarthritis: is a chronic condition in which the joint cartilage slowly deteriorates. It mainly affects the elderly and people who are overweight or obese.
Baker’s cyst: It is a cyst that develops behind the knee. Its rupture causes pain to spread throughout the calf.
Osgood–Schlatter disease: This occurs when there is an inflammation of the tibial spine. It is most common in adolescents and children, and it has a negative impact on their development.
Referred pain: such as a herniated disc, spinal impingement, or other hip diseases.
Pain from nearby structures: such as the skin (cellulitis) or bone (osteomyelitis).
Osteochondritis: This occurs due to the lack of blood flow in the joint area.

Snapping and popping within the knee are frequent, but this should not be considered a symptom of any problem. Instead, it is a kind of knee injury which occurs when a ligament is torn. So, this is one problem that needs immediate attention as it can cause tremendous knee soreness for the victim. If left untreated for an extended period of time, it can result in permanent disability for the injured person.

How Can Physiotherapy Help with Knee Pain?

There are many ways in which knee physiotherapy can help reduce pain and improve the condition of a knee injury.

Getting physiotherapy sessions for your knee can have a significant effect in reducing pain. Your therapist may help you with some exercises or massage techniques during a physiotherapy session or suggest a treatment plan.

The following is a list of how knee pain physiotherapy can benefit you:

Reduces Pain

Endorphins are naturally released by the body to cope with pain or stress. Physiotherapy reduces any metabolic disturbances by relaxing the muscles and tendons around the knee, allowing them to relax. Furthermore, it relieves the pressure on the knee and allows for pain relief.

Improves Flexibility

Regular physiotherapy will not only help with pain relief but will also improve knee mobility and leg flexibility.

Reduces Stiffness of Joints

Overuse or participation in strenuous physical activity will cause the knee muscles to stiffen. This will usually result in an injury, such as a sprain/strain or a ligament injury. Physiotherapy can help relieve this knee stiffness by relaxing the muscles and allowing the knee joints to rest.

Helps Strengthen and Rebuild Muscles

Lastly, knee physiotherapy will help rebuild the muscles around the joint. Knee muscles must be strong because they support the tendons, ligaments, and kneecap. Weak muscles result in less support, leading to further injury to the knee or foot. Physiotherapists perform gentle knee exercises to help the muscles soften and relax, allowing them to rebuild the damaged tissue. This will not only strengthen the knee but will also improve the condition of the initial injury.

Overall, physiotherapy is incredibly beneficial for knee injuries. Manipulation of muscles, tendons, and tissues allows the knee to release pressure as the muscles soften and relax. Physiotherapy can help with the rehabilitation of sudden, acute injuries like ligament damage or sprains. Additionally, injuries caused by overuse may benefit from a course of physiotherapy sessions to provide time for the knee to rest and recover and rebuild the strength of damaged muscles and ligaments.

When Should You See a Physiotherapist for Knee Pain?

When you are experiencing pain in your muscles or joints for more than 2-3 weeks or require assistance in rehabilitating from an injury, it is advisable to consult a physiotherapist for an assessment. While there is no specific period in which you should seek physiotherapy for knee pain, it is better to get an assessment and diagnosis as soon as possible.

How Painful is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is not painful, but it is normal to have some short-term soreness after the treatment. Physiotherapists use modalities to reduce pain and increase healing before moving the affected joint, then progress to different exercises depending on the patient’s capability and strength. Physiotherapy should not be forceful to the point that the patient feels pain and uncomfortable because they might resist their movement, leading to more injuries.

Apollo HomeCare:

Eliminate pain and recover faster at home with the help of the best physiotherapists. To get physiotherapy treatment for knee pain at home contact our professional team for assessment and diagnosis.