Physiotherapy for Knee Pain
Need help with with acute or chronic knee pain near Toowoomba or Warwick? You’re in the right place.
Are You Experiencing Knee Pain?
Our knees are essential for our mobility – they allow us to walk, jump, twist, squat, sit and all manner of other everyday leg movements. The knee joint itself consists of bones, cartilage, muscles and other soft tissue that all work together in providing smooth, streamlined movements.
Knee pain can present in a variety of ways, including aching, burning, or stabbing pain. Some patients come to us with acute knee pain, which is defined as pain in the knee for less than three months. This is typically due to an injury, and it’s essential that you seek treatment to avoid it from becoming a more chronic problem. Other patients come to us with chronic knee pain, which is defined as pain in the knee for three to six months or even longer.
Common Knee Pain Conditions.
The complexity of the joint means that our knees can become injured quite easily, even whilst performing everyday activities. Common types of knee pain that we regularly treat include:
Knee Fractures:
This is a broken bone in the knee joint. It occurs if you fall onto or strongly impact your knee (such as a sports accident). A cast or surgery may be required to help the bone heal.
Knee Dislocation:
This occurs when the bones in your knee move out of their normal position. It can be incredibly painful and make it difficult to move your knee until it’s popped back into place.
Knee Sprains:
This occurs when the ligaments in your knee become torn or stretched. It can occur if you twist or awkwardly bend the joint. Rest, ice, compression and elevation will help with healing.
Knee Strains:
This occurs when the muscles or tendons around the joint become torn or stretched. It can occur if you overuse your knee or put too much pressure on it.
Meniscus Tears:
A cushioning cartilage in the joint, tears can occur if you twist or rotate your knee forcefully. It often causes pain, swelling and difficulty with movement.
Patellar Dislocation:
Also known as the kneecap, the patella is a bone that protects your knee joint. A dislocation can occur when the patella moves out of its normal position, and it can be quite painful.
Patella Tracking Issues:
Sometimes, the kneecap moves inwards instead of outwards as the leg bends and straightens. Specific exercises and stretches, taping, and manual therapy can assist.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries:
These can occur if you twist or land awkwardly on your knee. They can cause pain, swelling and difficulty with everyday tasks (like walking).
Patella Tendinopathy:
Other Ligament Injuries:
While ACL injuries are the most common, other ligaments in the knee – including the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL)- can also be injured.
Tendinopathy, Tendonitis & Tendinosis:
These are injuries that involve various tendons in the knee. They’re often caused by strain, overloading, trauma, and sudden or repetitive force. If left untreated, tears and ruptures can occur.
Is Physiotherapy Good for Treating Knee Pain?
Yes! Whether you’re suffering from an acute sports injury or are dealing with more chronic pain due to osteoarthritis, physiotherapy can be extremely beneficial in treating your knee pain.
Your physiotherapist will begin with a thorough assessment to determine the cause of your knee pain, along with any other contributing factors. They will also assess your strength, flexibility, and balance.
For short-term pain relief, particularly when returning to sport or activity, we may recommend heat packs, taping or the use of a knee brace. For long-term pain relief, we may utilise hands-on techniques (like soft tissue massage and joint mobilisations), ultrasound, TENS, or the use of orthotics.
Are you ready to stop letting knee pain rule your life? Optimise Health is here to help !
Book your appointment at our Toowoomba or Warwick clinic today!
How Optimise Health Can Help You?
Our multidisciplinary team will work with you and provide a thorough assessment to identify the issues behind your knee pain. Some of the healthcare services that you may be recommended in treating your pain and any underlying issues include:
Did you know that knee pain is often associated with foot issues? Our podiatrists can offer assistance with underlying factors that could be causing your knee pain.
Don’t let discomfort slow you down. Let Toowoomba’s Top Physiotherapists assist you in reaching your wellness goals. Our specialised treatments include soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation, and muscle strengthening.
Understanding Your Knee Pain.
Knee pain can present in a range of ways, such as aching, burning, or stabbing pain. Knees are strong but sensitive, so there can be a wide variety of reasons why you might experience pain. Some patients experience acute knee pain, which is defined as pain in the knee that has lasted less than three months. This is typically due to an injury, and it’s essential to seek treatment to avoid the knee condition developing into a chronic problem.
If you’ve been experiencing persistent pain for three to six months or more, this is defined as chronic knee pain. Treatment for acute and chronic pain is different, so be sure to inform your practitioner so you can receive treatment suited to you.
Frequently Asked Questions.
It might but, depending on why you started experiencing pain in the first place, it might also return. Seeking treatment will not only help you to reduce the pain in the short term, but it can also identify underlying issues and treat them to prevent pain from reoccurring in the future.
Whether you injure your knee playing sports or during everyday activity, it’s essential that you care for it properly to prevent further issues from occurring. Rest, elevate your leg, and apply ice to reduce swelling. It’s also recommended that you see a doctor or physiotherapist.
Optimise Health team will provide a full assessment to determine the cause of your knee pain and other contributing factors. From this, we will be able to involve the therapists who are best suited to help you find relief and prevent further issues from occurring.
Ultimately, recovery time will vary depending on the type and severity of your knee injury. Mild injuries can heal in a few weeks with rest and physiotherapy, whilst more severe injuries can take several months or even longer to heal, and may require more invasive treatment (like surgery).
There are actually a number of conditions and injuries that could cause knee pain beyond what we’ve discussed here, including:
- Bone degeneration due to overuse
- Bone diseases and conditions (such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and bone tumours)
- Maligned joints, biomechanical dysfunction, or dislocation
- Inflammation (such as bursitis and synovitis)
- Osgood Schlatter’s disease
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Post-operative care and treatments for knee replacement and reconstruction surgeries
Why Choose Optimise Health?
Multiple Treatment Options
Our team consists of a variety of allied health professionals, allowing us to use different techniques and approaches in treating your knee pain.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
Our clinic features high-quality equipment and tools (including reformer machines, shockwave and gait analysis equipment) to assist in your recovery.
Multifaced Approach
Depending on the source of your pain, our care may involve various treatment types, education, prevention methods, and provision of exercises and resources.
Always Seek Treatment for Knee Pain.
If you injure your knee or notice pain, it’s important that you seek treatment promptly. Early intervention is the best way to ensure a quicker recovery and prevent further damage from occurring.
Early treatment can help to alleviate your pain, reduce swelling, and restore normal function in your knee. Physiotherapy techniques – including manual therapy, exercises and modalities (like heat or ice) – can promote healing, improve flexibility, and strengthen the muscles around your knee joint.
In some cases, surgery may be required. Our physiotherapists can assist you through the post-operative recovery process, guiding you through exercises and rehabilitation techniques to ensure a successful outcome.
Optimise Your Health Today.
Knee pain can be debilitating and significantly affect your mobility. It’s important that you seek treatment to avoid the issue from intensifying and persisting. The team at Optimise Health is here to assess, diagnose and treat your knee pain, helping you to get back to the activities you love.
Our multidisciplinary team is experienced and highly trained in various knee pain conditions. We are dedicated to helping you find relief and reduce the likelihood of further issues. Get in touch with us today and stop letting knee pain rule your life.