What can cause knee pain?
Knee pain can be caused by various structures around the knee joint including muscles, tendons, ligaments and the cartilage (meniscus). It can even be referred from other areas such as the lower back or hip. Knee injuries can occur gradually over time or from a trauma.
Acute knee injuries often occur in athletes involved in sports involving rapid change of direction, twisting and kicking such as football, soccer, basketball, netball and skiing. Such injuries often involve tearing of the meniscus (cartilage) or ligaments of the knee.
Gradual onset knee pain often occurs in those patients involved in activities that involve high volumes of running, repetitive squatting, lunging, jumping, twisting, kneeling or repetitive kicking. One of the most common causes of gradual onset pain located at the front of the knee is patellofemoral pain syndrome. This is typically caused by biomechanical issues or muscle imbalance, resulting in mal-tracking of the kneecap. Over time this causes irritation to the surrounding soft tissue. If left untreated symptoms often gradually become worse over time and may limit your ability to participate in sport or activity.
Commoninjuries to the knee include:
- ACL injury
- Patello-femoral pain
- Meniscal or cartilage injuries
- Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome
- Patella Tendinopathy
Your Physiotherapist will be assess your knee and provide you with a diagnosis and treatment plan. Treatment commonly includes soft tissue release, dry needling and treatment of the underlying issues including foot and hip weakness. An exercise programme will be provided to get you back moving as quickly as possible.
If you are struggling with knee pain, come and see Ergoworks Physiotherapy today.