Knee pain is common and can affect people of all ages. It may start suddenly following an injury, develop gradually with activity, or become more noticeable over time.
At Corsham Physiotherapy, we will assess your symptoms, movement and medical history to help understand what may be contributing to your knee pain. Treatment will be tailored to you, with the initial aim of helping to relieve your symptoms before addressing any factors that may be contributing to the problem.
What causes knee pain?
The knee is a complex joint and pain can arise from the joint itself or from the muscles, tendons, ligaments and other structures around it.
Sometimes there is a clear injury, while other knee problems develop gradually or become noticeable when the demands placed on the knee change.
Some of the knee problems we commonly see include:
Knee arthritis • Meniscus problems • Ligament injuries • Patellofemoral (kneecap) pain • Runner’s Knee • Tendon problems • Muscle strains and injuries • Sports and overuse injuries
A physiotherapy assessment can help identify the factors that may be contributing to your symptoms and the most appropriate way forward.
Knee pain during walking & everyday activities
Knee pain can make everyday activities such as walking, using stairs, getting up from a chair or kneeling more difficult.
Pain and stiffness may be associated with changes within the knee joint, including arthritis, but there are a number of possible causes. Assessing your movement, strength and symptoms can help us understand what may be contributing to the problem and how best to manage it.
Knee pain during sport or exercise
Knee pain can also develop during sport or exercise, either following a specific injury or gradually as the demands placed on the knee increase.
Your physiotherapist can assess your knee as well as factors such as movement, strength and the activities that provoke your symptoms. Rehabilitation can then be progressed according to your individual goals, whether you want to return to walking, the gym, running or a particular sport.
Read more about exercise & rehabilitation here
Kneecap pain
Pain around or behind the kneecap is a common knee problem and may be particularly noticeable during activities such as stairs, squatting, running or after sitting for a prolonged period.
One common problem affecting this area is often referred to as Runner’s Knee. Despite the name, you don’t necessarily have to be a runner to develop this type of knee pain.
There can be a number of factors contributing to this type of pain. Assessment can help identify how your knee is moving and responding to activity, allowing rehabilitation to be tailored to you.
Read more about Runner’s knee here
Knee arthritis
Arthritis of the knee can cause pain, stiffness and difficulty with everyday activities. Symptoms vary considerably between individuals and don’t necessarily mean that you have to stop being active.
Physiotherapy and appropriate exercise can help maintain movement, improve strength and support you in continuing with the activities that are important to you.
Recurring or persistent knee pain
If your knee pain keeps returning or has been present for some time, treatment isn’t necessarily just about settling the current symptoms.
We can look at factors such as movement, strength and how your knee responds to different activities. Exercise and rehabilitation may form part of your treatment, helping you improve strength and function and return more confidently to your usual activities.
Read more about exercise & rehabilitation here
How can Physiotherapy help knee pain?
Your treatment will be tailored to you and will depend on your assessment, symptoms and individual circumstances.
Our initial priority is often to help settle your pain and symptoms and, where appropriate, support the healing of injured tissues. Treatment may include hands-on techniques, movement and individually tailored exercises, alongside treatments such as medical acupuncture, electrotherapy, therapeutic laser or shockwave therapy where appropriate.
As your symptoms begin to settle, exercise and rehabilitation can then help restore movement, rebuild strength and gradually increase what your knee is able to do. Where appropriate, we will also look at factors that may have contributed to the problem, with the aim of reducing the likelihood of it recurring.
If your assessment suggests that physiotherapy isn’t appropriate, or that further investigation or medical assessment may be needed, we can advise you on the most appropriate next steps.
Pilates & knee pain
Pilates can also form part of a longer-term approach to developing strength, mobility and control. Exercises can be adapted where appropriate to take account of knee problems or other injuries, both within individual sessions and our classes.
Read more about Pilates here
What can I do myself if I have knee pain?
Keeping gently active is often helpful. If a particular activity is aggravating your knee, temporarily reducing or modifying it rather than stopping all activity may allow your symptoms to settle.
Gradually returning to activity as your symptoms allow can help maintain movement and strength.
Book an appointment for knee pain
Whether your knee pain has just started, followed an injury, keeps returning or has been troubling you for some time, our physiotherapists can assess your symptoms and help you decide on the most appropriate way forward.
Please either contact our reception or book online to make an appointment.