Knee Pain

Massage is great, especially in areas where we have stubborn pain. The likelihood of you doing any harm by massaging a knee that you have pain in is low, as long as it isn’t freshly injured or infected in any way. If you have persistent knee pain massage can be an excellent way to manage pain levels and promote blood flow in the tissues. 

Stubborn cases of knee pain tend to require a more intensive approach to knee pain treatment that heals the tissues and then works on strength and support of the knee’s mechanics. Many knee pain cases requiring treatment are caused by underlying gait issues. 

The best exercises for knee pain are ones that strengthen the stabilising muscles of the entire foot, leg & hip. Being more specific, these type of exercises are those that carefully and persistently challenge your ability to balance and bear weight in a coordinated way. 

For many with a history of knee pain it won’t be possible to do this kind of rehab comfortably and safely until your pain is under control via effective treatment methods. 

See someone who has the professional training and experience to make that call for you. The only way to confirm the presence of arthritis in the knee 100% is with x Ray. A practitioner who is up to date with ‘best practices’ for knee pain will not want to order x Rays simple because you have knee pain. The first step towards diagnosing knee arthritis is a comprehensive history and physical exam, this does lead to x rays in some instances 

The best treatment plan for knee pain is the most flexible one. If you are lucky you might get relief with a single therapy like acupuncture, but many cases of knee pain demand a more varied approach. The longer you have had knee pain for the more likely it is that you will need a more flexible approach

Acupuncture

Myofascial Trigger Point Release 

Post-Isometric Stretching

Suction Cups

Taping 

Scar Tissue Release

Vibration Massage

Custom Insoles

Quad / Glute Strengthening

Lifestyle Alterations

Functional Exercise

There are many possible causes of knee pain all of which relate to their own specific tissues and their own specific types of physical stress, injury or physical disease… 

Muscle Weaknesses & Imbalances 

Soft Tissue Injuries eg. ACL Tears 

Bone Fractures 

Flat Feet or High Arches

Joint Infections 

Osteoarthritis Or Wear & Tear 

Rheumatoid Arthritis 

Gout & Pseudogout 

There are numerous possible causes of knee pain going down stairs or steps specifically. The most likely by far is some form of weakness, tightness or scar tissues build up where the thigh muscles (quadriceps) meet the knee.  

When you are going down a flight of steps your thigh muscles (quadriceps) need to work very hard to control the downward force of gravity acting on your body weight. This places more strain on the soft tissues and kneecap (patella) at the front of the knee. This extra strain on the thigh muscles and front of the knee can trigger pain if you have issues with weakness or scar tissue in that area. 

There are a small percentage of knee pain cases that relate to severe knee arthritis, and a percentage of those require surgery of some kind. If you are worried about knee arthritis it’s worth knowing that even if you do, arthritis is not the ‘death sentence’ for a knee that it once was. Over time modern rehabilitation and pain management techniques have meant many more people are able to avoid surgery than was once the case. 

Sharp sudden pains at the front of the knee are nearly always caused by the kneecap (patella) suddenly shifting out of place. If you have this issue it most likely indicates that you have a significant muscle imbalance around your hip and knee. It is the correct and effective action of muscle with the IT band that primarily stabilises the kneecap. 

The best treatment protocol for runners knee is one that not only takes care of the pain but also seeks to identify the underlying causes and address those too. Releasing muscles spasm, scar tissue work and reducing inflammation are all helpful for pain management. Identifying issues with running style and any underlying weaknesses and imbalances is they key to rehab and prevention of runners knee.