Knee pain is one of the most common issues that patients present with at The Body Refinery.
Knee pain can be multifactorial, which means that treatment can vary considerably, depending on an accurate diagnosis.
Knee pain can arise from:
- Soft tissue injuries such as meniscus, ligament sprains, muscle strains and overuse tendinopathies.
- Bone conditions such as arthritis, stress fractures, Osgood-Schlatters
- Biomechanical dysfunctions, like Patellofemoral pain syndrome.
- Lower back issues that result in referred pain.
Here are some tips to help you avoid or relieve your knee pain:
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Strengthen your glutes! They tend to be a lazy muscle these days.
Weak glutes can cause a biomechanical disadvantage for your knees. Weakness can cause the pelvis to drop and the thigh bone (femur) to rotate inward. This imbalance creates painful stress on the hip, knee, and ankle while you walk, run, and climb stairs.
Strengthening weak muscles like the glutes and your vastus medialis oblique (VMO), and stretching supporting muscles (mentioned below), should reduce muscle imbalance around the knee joint.
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Stretching and foam-rolling
Weak hip muscles and other muscles supporting the pelvis can become imbalanced due to our day-to-day posture and other routines, such as prolonged sitting. To compensate for underdeveloped glutes and core muscles, other supporting muscles such as hamstrings, hip flexors, hip adductors, calf muscles and your iliotibial band (ITB) can become tight and often overworked. This can place the knees under excessive stress. Stretching and foam-rolling are great ways to relieve the stress caused by this tightness.
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Strengthen your core
Your core is your foundation for all rehabilitation. When it comes to strengthening your knees, your the core helps keep your spine and pelvis in a neutral position, which supports the lower extremities in the best possible position for movement.
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Maintain a healthy weight
Carrying extra weight can have a negative effect on your knees and is a leading cause of osteoarthritis, which can require knee replacement surgery.
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Look after your feet
Poor biomechanics (including foot positioning) causes poor alignment patterns at the knee joint, which places extra stress on the knees.
If you experience knee pain, it is important that you consult with your physiotherapist for a most accurate diagnosis of the cause of this pain, so that appropriate treatment can be prescribed.
Treatment of knee pain can involve simple knee mobilisation techniques, massage, dry needling, taping and stretches. Most importantly, and to minimise the likeliness of future knee pain, a strength-based rehabilitation protocol can be invaluable in correcting any muscular imbalance you may have.
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Start today and experience the many benefits of Pilates. Join us at The Body Refinery New Farm studio by contacting our friendly staff on 07 3358 3915 or at info@thebodyrefinery.com.au.
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