Physical therapy is an ideal approach for any condition that’s causing your knee pain. Below is a summary of why you might consider our experienced clinicians if you are looking for knee pain treatment in Visalia. Please read more to find out.
There are Many Options for Knee Pain Treatment in Visalia – Here We Make the Case to See One of Our PTs First
There are certain areas of the body that are just more prone to pain than others, and the knees are one of them. Ranking behind back pain, knee pain is actually the second most common musculoskeletal condition, and it’s the single greatest cause for disability in people aged 65 and older. This bothersome pain can interfere with your daily life, make it difficult to complete certain activities and negatively affect your mood. But just because knee pain is common doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about it.
Knee pain can arise from several conditions and may be the result of an overuse injury over time or a single injury. Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative condition in which the protective cartilage surrounding the ends of bones in the knee gradually wears away, causing bones to rub against one another. Runner’s knee is another overuse injury that’s common in runners, while jumper’s knee tends to affect athletes involved in sports with lots of jumping. Other examples of overuse injuries that develop over time include iliotibial band syndrome, quadriceps tendinitis and bursitis.
In other cases, knee pain is due to a traumatic, one-time injury. Athletes involved in sports that require cutting movements like basketball, football and soccer are particularly vulnerable to these types of injuries because they often push the knee to its limits. Sprains and strains are the most common types of traumatic knee injuries that cause pain, and in extreme circumstances, tears are also possible and require more intense treatment.
The good news is that whatever its cause, most cases of knee pain can be treated non-surgically with a comprehensive physical therapy treatment program. These programs are designed to reduce pain, restore strength, regain function and make mobility easier, and usually consist of the following:
- Strengthening exercises to build back the strength of weakened muscles
- Stretching exercises to increase flexibility of the knee and surrounding structures
- Ice and/or heat therapy, which will help reduce pain
- Manual therapy, in which the physical therapist uses their hands to perform a series of techniques to improve the mobility of the knee
- A home-exercise program to help you retain your improvements
There is a great deal of research that supports the benefits of physical therapy for a range of conditions that cause knee pain. In one recent study, non-aerobic exercise was used to treat patients with knee OA, and researchers concluded with the following:
The results showed that the patients with knee OA (osteoarthritis) in exercise group had significant improvement in pain, disability, walking, stair climbing, and sit up speed after treatment at first and second follow-up when compared with their initial status and when compared with non-exercise group.
Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4431424/
Instead of letting your knee pain interfere with your daily life, why not do something about it? Contact one of our physical therapy clinics for an appointment and you’ll be taking the first important step on your way to a successful recovery.
