Knees injuries are common amongst both the sporting and recreational population and can be a really debilitating problem.
CAUSES OF KNEE PAIN
There are lots of different structures around your knee that can cause pain. The knee joint is effectively two separate joints. Firstly, there is the hinge joint between your femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) and then secondly, the joint between your patella (knee cap) and the femur.
These joints are lined with a layer of hyaline cartilage which assists in shock absorption. Your main knee joint also has two thick croissant shaped cartilages called your menisci and 4 main ligaments which give it some stability.
Your muscle bulk around your knee such as your quadriceps are responsible for strength and control of your knee joint.
Any one, or more, of these structures can be injured making there many possible causes of your knee pain.
Some of the most common problems that we treat within physiotherapy are:
- Ligament injury
- Cartilage/meniscal injury
- Osteoarthritis
- Patella femoral joint pain or ‘mal-tracking’
- ITB syndrome
- Bursitis
- Patella tendonitis
- Fat pad irritation
- Referred pain from your spine or hip
- Paediatric conditions such as Osgood schlatters
KNEE INJURY TREATMENT
Our experienced chartered physiotherapists will start your consultation by asking a series of questions to best understand the problems that you are having. These will aim to identify whether your pain is stemming from overuse, or whether there is any potential structural damage from an acute injury. We will also need to ascertain what sort of activities are affecting your pain and will therefore enquire about your work and leisure activities as well as your medical fitness.
The treatment for knee injuries varies greatly depending on the cause of your pain, so the next stage of your assessment will be a thorough physical examination to investigate your knee and also other areas that can have an effect on your knee, such as foot biomechanics and your hip and spinal joints. Depending on your problems this may involve you running, jumping or completing other functional tasks such as squatting.
It is important that you understand your diagnosis in order to engage in your course of treatment and we will spend time with you to ensure that this is the case. Here at Lilliput we understand the inconvenience of a knee injury and aim to help you recover and get back to your sporting or recreational activities as swiftly as possible.
If you have a knee injury or indeed any knee pain, call us today on 01202 725090 to book your assessment with our expert Chartered Physiotherapists in Poole and Bournemouth.
