Improving Knee Function: Physical Therapy Strategies for Pain Reduction
If you struggle with mobility due to knee pain, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone: around 25% of American adults have had their knee functionality impacted by pain. Injuries, age-related degeneration, and biomechanical impairments all play their role in contributing to reduced functionality. But regardless of the cause, physical therapy for knee pain will help you get back on your feet.
The first step in resolving knee pain is to determine the cause of your pain. Is it the result of an injury (such as an ACL or meniscus tear)? Have you developed osteoarthritis or been moving with faulty biomechanics? The team at Sterling Physical Therapy & Wellness can help take the guesswork out of your knee pain, ensuring you get the care you need.
While some knee injuries are severe enough to require surgery, physical therapy alone is often enough to resolve many others. The same applies to arthritis: starting physical therapy early enough can help you manage your symptoms and avoid a total knee replacement procedure.
If your knee pain is so intense it’s keeping you from living an active lifestyle, it can be easy to despair. Fortunately, physical therapy for knee pain can help you find lasting relief through customized treatment programs that pull from several different techniques and approaches.
Ready to get started? Request an appointment at Sterling Physical Therapy & Wellness location today!
Resolving Knee Pain with Physical Therapy: What to Expect
The first thing our physical therapists will do is conduct a comprehensive examination to help us determine the exact location and nature of your knee pain.
We’ll take a complete health history and discuss your exact symptoms, including where you feel pain and whether or not that pain becomes worse with certain movements. If you suffered an injury, we can let you know which structures were affected: perhaps you sprained one of the ligaments in your knee or damaged the patella (kneecap).
We’ll also review your knee’s current functionality through a series of simple movement screens. We’ll examine the following:
- Range of motion in the knee
- Strength in the muscles that surround your knees, hips, and ankles
- Balance and stability
- Walking patterns
- Ability to perform certain activities (such as climbing stairs or getting in and out of a chair)
All this information lets us know which treatment options will work best for you.
Physical Therapy Treatments for Knee Pain Relief
We develop customized treatment plans for all our patients, combining different approaches based on your needs. Here are just a few of the strategies we might use:
- Manual therapy techniques to reduce pain, restore mobility, and prepare your body for exercise
- Mobility work to ease restrictions in your knee’s range of motion
- Strengthening exercises to correct muscular weaknesses or imbalances in the core and lower extremities that might contribute to knee pain
- Targeted functional training to improve balance or gait and ensure you can perform everyday movements
- Patient education to help you understand the reasons for your knee pain and what you can do outside the clinic to resolve it for good
- Information about assistive devices, such as walkers or braces, that can stabilize and/or alleviate pressure from the knee as you work through your treatment
Request Your Initial Consultation Today!
Physical therapy for knee pain is one of the best ways to address knee impairments, especially if they affect your ability to work, play, and enjoy life. Through a customized treatment program the Sterling Physical Therapy & Wellness) therapists will help you find relief.
Schedule an appointment today to get started! Call today!