Three Ways Physical Therapy Can Help Ease Knee Pain

Uncategorized July 9, 2021 at 8:03 am · Comments: 0

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As many people know, knee pain can be extremely debilitating and drastically affect an individual’s ability to enjoy life. Whether caused by disease or injury, knee pain is no fun, no matter how you look at it. One of the most common causes of knee pain is knee osteoarthritis

As many people know, knee pain can be extremely debilitating and drastically affect an individual’s ability to enjoy life. Whether caused by disease or injury, knee pain is no fun, no matter how you look at it. One of the most common causes of knee pain is knee osteoarthritis, which is actually the single leading cause of chronic disability among adults age 65 and older in the United States. On the other hand, knee injuries are also extremely prevalent, whether they occur as the result of a direct blow or sudden movement that strains the knee beyond its normal range of motion. Many knee injuries are linked to knee cartilage tears, such as meniscal tears or ligament tears. The good news is that most chronic knee pain is avoidable. In fact, recent studies indicate that exercise and physical therapy are just as – if not more – effective as surgery when it comes to relief from knee pain. Physical therapy works to strengthen the key muscles that support the knees, creating more support and protection for the ligaments and muscles in that area. Furthermore, physical therapy may actually prolong the health and longevity of our knees, enabling you to live as pain-free and active a lifestyle as you desire!

If you are suffering from knee pain for any reason, we encourage you to contact a physical therapist from Classic Rehab today. Our knowledgeable therapists will be able to sit down with you and discuss your particular situation and options, determining whether or not your knee(s) may benefit from physical therapy. That being said, here is a look at some of the main ways in which physical therapy can help ease knee pain:

1. Works to stretch the muscles that support your knees. As mentioned, one of the best ways to get rid of knee pain and improve the health of your knees is by strengthening the muscles that support your knees. By stretching out the support muscles – such as the hamstrings, hip adductors, and gluteus maximus – you can decrease the chance of having to deal with muscle imbalances. As you strengthen naturally weak muscles and stretch supporting muscles, you will be saving your knees and providing them with the help they need.

2. Helps tone your core muscles. You may not realize this, but abdominal weakness can actually cause your pelvis to tilt forward, creating excessive low-back curvature and shifting the leg bones inward, both of which can result in mild to moderate knee pain. By using physical therapy to help strengthen the core, your back will remain in a neutral spine position, encouraging your knees to remain in the best possible position for movement without hurting the joints.

3. Helps strengthen your glute muscles. Research on knee injuries indicates weak hip and glute muscles are among the most common causes of ligament tears. Furthermore, these tears have been linked to other cartilage tears as well as knee arthritis later in life. Most people naturally have weak butt muscles, which can cause the pelvis to drop and the upper thighbone to fall inward. Physical therapy will help strengthen these muscles, providing your knees with the support and strength that they need to prevent injury or further damage.

Knee pain can be annoying and difficult to live with, which is where we come in. Our talented physical therapists will assess your situation and come up with a personalized plan of action that will aim to strengthen and stretch the muscles that matter to your knees, alleviating any pain and helping ensure the overall health and wellness of your knees for many years to come.