Got A Knee Injury? Consider Physical Therapy

A bad knee injury can really throw a wrench into your plans. It becomes harder to walk, climb stairs, and participate in your favorite sports or other recreational activities. Many people assume their only option is to mask the discomfort with pain medication–or undergo surgery. In reality, there’s a third choice: physical therapy.

Physical therapy provides an effective, evidence-based alternative for many knee injuries that can help you recover strength, mobility, and function. At Joint Restoration Center, we’ll work with you to develop a treatment program that addresses your knee injury directly–that way, you can get back to living your life without going under the knife.

Some of the Common Knee Injuries We Help Treat

There’s more than one way to hurt your knee. Here are a few of the injuries we frequently see at our clinic:

Ligament Injuries 

• Your knee contains four main ligaments, and damage can range from mild overstretching to a complete rupture. While severe ligament injuries will generally require surgery to regain full function, mild injuries respond well to physical therapy. In both cases, our team is here to help you stabilize your knee joint and regain lower body strength.

Meniscus Tears

• A meniscus tear occurs when the cartilage in the knee joint is damaged, often from twisting or sudden movements. Like ligament tears, a severe meniscus tear may require surgery. However, physical therapy can strengthen the surrounding muscles, improve joint stability, and reduce pain, making it a non-surgical option for many cases.

Jumper’s Knee

• Jumper’s knee (or patellar tendinitis) is an inflammation of the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone. Targeted exercises and stretching can reduce symptoms while preventing further injury.

Runner’s Knee

• Runner’s knee (or patellofemoral pain syndrome) is a condition where pain develops around the kneecap, often due to overuse or misalignment. Physical therapy focuses on correcting imbalances, improving knee alignment, and strengthening the leg muscles to relieve pain and enhance function.

Why Is Physical Therapy a Good Choice for These Injuries?

Physical therapy focuses on natural healing by using the body’s mechanisms. Instead of masking pain or removing damaged tissue, it encourages muscles, ligaments, and tendons to rebuild strength and function. 

Three Benefits of Physical Therapy Over Surgery or Pain Medication

It Has Fewer Risks

• Surgery is hard on your body, and it brings with it a host of risks, from blood clots to long-term complications. Medications can cause unwanted side effects or, in some cases, dependency, making them riskier as well. Physical therapy’s all-natural approach sidesteps these concerns.

It Provides Personalized Care

• We tailor our physical therapy treatments to your specific injury. Your first session will consist of a comprehensive assessment in which we review your symptoms, health history, and recovery goals. We use this information to craft a one-of-a-kind treatment program.

It Takes a Holistic Approach

• Physical therapy’s emphasis on targeted exercises and its whole-body approach to treatment can help improve your overall health and well-being. In fact, our ultimate aim is to address the underlying causes that contributed to your injury in the first place, helping to minimize your risk of future injuries.

What To Expect From Your Treatment Program

Our team pulls from several techniques to ensure you get the care you need. After your initial assessment, here’s a general overview of what you can expect:

Pain Management

• Techniques like manual therapy and treatment modalities like hot or cold therapy can help reduce your pain while facilitating your body’s healing processes.

Mobility Work

• Improving your knee’s range of motion is an essential early step. It helps you move better, preventing falls and making it easier for you to move through treatment.

Strengthening Exercises

• Strengthening the muscles around your knee provides additional support and stability to the joint, helping to reduce pain and your risk of another injury.

Balance Training

• A knee injury can affect your balance and gait. These specialized exercises will keep you on your feet.

Functional Training

• Finally, we’ll work with you to improve your ability to perform day-to-day tasks, like climbing stairs. We’ll also provide you with a return-to-activity schedule to get back to what you love.

Sources: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12178-020-09678-0