Is Physiotherapy Effective for Knee Pain?
The quick answer is yes! Physiotherapy is particularly effective for knee pain, whether you have an acute sporting injury or more long-term discomfort due to osteoarthritis. Physiotherapists are mobility and function specialists who are well-equipped to assist you in your rehabilitation. We encounter many patients with knee discomfort at West Pennant Hills Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Centre. We have amazing outcomes in bringing them back to the things they like, such as high-level sport, longer walks or runs, and increased overall mobility!
So, how would physiotherapy improve my knee pain?
To begin, your physiotherapist or chiropractor will complete an evaluation to establish the reasons and contributing factors to your knee discomfort. Your flexibility, strength, and balance will be evaluated.
Hands-on treatments such as soft tissue massage and joint mobilizations are then used to ease any muscular tightness or joint stiffness.
We also utilize ultrasound, hot packs, and TENS for pain treatment. All these things increase blood flow to the region, which speeds up healing and relaxes the muscles.
Taping may also be required to temporarily alleviate your knee discomfort when you resume sport or activities. During sports, we may propose using a knee brace to assist unload the structures and offer additional support.
If a structural problem or biomechanics causes knee discomfort, we may prescribe that you wear orthotics to aid with lower limb alignment and correct your foot posture.
Can exercising relieve knee pain?
Exercise is one of the most effective strategies to alleviate knee discomfort. However, the workouts you undertake should be specifically customized to you.
WPH Physio prescribes workouts that are tailored to your individual needs. We will evaluate your strength and flexibility and prescribe exercises to treat our findings, which may include weakness, stiffness, or muscle imbalances. In addition, we customize your programme depending on your objectives and the activities you want to resume.
If you want to return to sports, we will provide you with sport-specific workouts to ensure your knee is ready to handle all the obstacles and demands of your activity. If you are a frequent gym goer, we will advise you on which equipment are safe to use. We may also work with your trainer or coach to determine which workouts you can and cannot undertake throughout your recovery. If you like running, we will make any required changes to your running programme while your knee recovers. We will advise you on how often, how long, and how hard you should run. We may also evaluate your running technique to discover if any problems are contributing to your discomfort.
If you have just had knee surgery, we will walk you through the post-operative rehabilitation process and help you increase your range of motion, strength, balance, and endurance.
As your discomfort improves and you gain strength, your workout routine will be adjusted regularly.