Knee anatomy↓

The knee is made up of 3 bones, the femur (thigh), tibia (shin), and your patella (knee cap). The knee is a hinge joint connecting the femur to the patella through the quad tendon and the patella to the shin through the patella tendon. The knee has four main ligaments the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament); PCL (posterior cruciate ligament); LCL (lateral collateral ligament); and MCL (medial collateral ligament); these four ligaments provide stability for the knee joint. The main cartilage in the knee joint often referred to is the meniscus which are semi-lunar shaped pads which provide shock absorption to the knee joint.

Pain located at the front of your knee (Anterior knee pain):↓

One likely cause of anterior knee pain is Patellofemoral Pain (PFP). Pain can be located under or around the kneecap as well. PFP might start after an increase in activities such as running and jumping. Causes vary depending on the individual, but may include poor coordination between the hip and the knee, weakness at the thigh or poor trunk stability. >

Your physical therapist will do a full assessment, including movement analysis specific to your activity or sport. Each individual is different and therefore each physical therapy treatment session will be unique to them. Physical therapy can help develop a unique plan for your needs including a combination of stretches, mobilization techniques/manual therapy and strengthening exercises. Physical therapy will also include motor control strategies to decrease your pain, improve your mobility and keep you active.

Pain located on either the inside or outside of your knee (Medial/Lateral knee pain):↓

Potential causes for knee pain in these areas could be related to injury of the medial or lateral meniscus or the medial/lateral collateral ligaments. It is important to keep in mind that pain in these areas is not ALWAYS associated with tissue damage in this area. There can be referred pain to this area, meaning the source of your pain is located out with the knee (often the hip or back). This is why physical therapy is important. Physical Therapists are highly trained to determine the root cause of your pain rather than just treating your symptoms, this means long-term relief.

Do I need surgery?↓

Depends, the large majority of cases do not require surgery despite positive findings on MRI or imaging. Most will resolve with conservative treatment a.k.a physical therapy. During your initial evaluation and even during follow up visits, your physical therapist will educate you on how physical therapy can help with you specific symptoms and whether or not you’ll require a consultation with a surgeon.

How can physical therapy help? ↓

Because the symptoms and pain are individual, each patient will have a different presentation at therapy. A physical therapist will do a thorough medical history review including gathering all the information about your current pain levels, current functional deficits and how this impacts your daily activities. A movement assessment will be performed including observation of activities such as walking or getting in/out of a chair as well as movements specific to your pain location and symptoms. With this information your physical therapist can develop a personalized treatment plan to help relieve your back pain and get you back to your normal routine. Your physical therapist will likely prescribe a combination of exercises, stretches and activities to avoid while you’re recovering as well as advise you on how to resume activities once you find relief.