The unfortunate truth about knee pain is that it doesn’t discriminate. A variety of injuries and conditions, like Osgood-Schlatter disease, can affect the young. Then conditions like osteoarthritis can affect the old. Knee pain can find those who participate in strenuous exercise just as likely as those who prefer to binge Netflix on the couch all evening.
So how can anyone avoid this physical agony?
When a pack of ice just isn’t doing the trick anymore, knee physical therapy at a proper physical therapy clinic could be the answer. Physical rehabilitation with a trained professional can be the best solution to pains when bending or straightening the knee, swelling or stiffness, or when there’s popping and crunching noises from buckling or locking of the knee.
What is knee physical therapy?
Knee physical therapy will include a complete and proper assessment of the level of your knee injury and pain. After evaluating the severity of the condition, a physical therapist can begin corrective treatment. Some parts of knee physical therapy will include:
- Exercises and stretches to increase mobility and strengthen muscles.
- Ultrasounds: provides deep heating to soft tissue structures in the body, lessening stiffness.
- Electric stimulation: can improve muscle contractions and circulation.
- Cold laser treatment: painless treatment that’s proven to reduce pain, inflammation, and increase speed of healing.
- Kinesiology taping or brace application: provides extra support throughout healing process.
- Massages or knee joint mobilization.
- Prescriptions for pain relief medications.
What can I do before choosing physical rehabilitation and knee physical therapy?
Take a break and give your knee some rest. Get some ice to your knee for about fifteen minutes. Keep icing for two to three days. If pain persists, consider setting an appointment at our physical therapy clinic. Compress knee by wrapping it with some kind of bandage or strap to add support and contain swelling. Lastly, try elevating your knee with a pillow to decrease swelling.
What can I do to prevent knee pain and injury?
Increase muscle flexibility and strength: Stretch before and after any physical activity. Tight and weak muscles are a leading cause of knee injuries. Build up those quads and hamstrings.
Drop those extra pounds: Being overweight can put extra strain on the joints and knees, increasing risks of injury.
Avoid certain sports when feeling knee pain: Sports like skiing and basketball are sports that put increased pressure on knees. Think about lower impact activities like swimming.
Perform properly: Assure that the movements and techniques you are doing to stretch or exercise are correct. Take time to condition with a coach or trainer to perform properly.
Contact Us
If knee physical therapy or any type of physical rehabilitation sounds like something you may need, visit Marque Medical. Our six locations, based in California, offer immediate access to physical therapists that are waiting to help you heal as fast and safely as possible.