KNEE PAIN
Understanding Knee Pain
Your knees manage significant forces during walking, running, jumping, lifting, and sport. Knee pain can develop suddenly following an injury or gradually as the demands placed on the area change. Understanding what may be contributing to your symptoms can help guide the right approach to recovery.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR SYMPTOMS
Knee pain can affect everything from everyday movement to athletic performance.
The knee is supported by muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and other structures that work together to provide both movement and stability. Symptoms can vary depending on the area involved, how the knee is being loaded, and the activities that aggravate it.
COMMON SYMPTOMS
Pain around the front, inside, outside, or back of the knee
Pain with walking, running, or stairs
Discomfort with squatting, lunging, or kneeling
Stiffness or reduced knee movement
Swelling around the knee
Weakness or reduced confidence using the leg
COMMON CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Muscle or tendon irritation
Sudden increases in activity or training
Changes in strength or movement control
Repetitive running, jumping, or loading
Sports or workplace demands
Previous injury or trauma
COMMON KNEE CONDITIONS
Knee pain can be associated with a number of different injuries and conditions. Some commonly encountered examples include:
Patellofemoral Pain
Pain around or behind the kneecap can develop with activities such as running, squatting, stairs, jumping, or prolonged sitting.
Patellar Tendinopathy
Repetitive jumping, running, and other high-load activities can irritate the patellar tendon, often producing pain around the front of the knee below the kneecap.
Meniscus Injuries
The menisci are cartilage structures within the knee that help distribute load. Injury or irritation may cause pain, swelling, catching, or difficulty with twisting and deeper knee movements.
Ligament Sprains & Injuries
Injuries involving ligaments such as the ACL, PCL, MCL, or LCL can occur with twisting, sudden changes of direction, contact, or other trauma and may affect knee stability.
Knee Osteoarthritis
Changes within the knee joint can contribute to pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced movement, particularly during weight-bearing activities.
Muscle & Tendon Injuries
Muscles and tendons surrounding the knee can become irritated or injured following sudden movements, repetitive loading, or changes in activity.
Where you feel the knee pain is only part of the picture.
Hip, ankle, and lower-body strength and movement can influence how forces are managed through the knee, making it important to consider the entire lower limb.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Helping your knee handle the demands you place on it.
We assess how your knee moves and responds to load while also considering the hip, ankle, and other surrounding areas when relevant. Your work, sport, training, and everyday demands help us determine what your knee needs to be able to tolerate.
Thorough Assessment
We’ll discuss your symptoms, injury history, activities, and goals while assessing knee movement, strength, stability, relevant joints, muscles and tendons, and movement patterns.
Hands-On Care
When appropriate, joint mobilization and soft tissue techniques may be used to help manage symptoms and restore comfortable movement.
Rehabilitation
Progressive mobility, strengthening, and loading exercises can help restore function and gradually build your capacity for walking, running, jumping, lifting, sport, and everyday activities.
Education
We’ll help you identify aggravating activities and determine how to modify and gradually reintroduce them during recovery.
Your knee needs to do more than simply move without pain. Our goal is to help restore the strength, movement, and confidence you need for the activities that matter to you.
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Manage the load while keeping your knee moving.
Modify Aggravating Activities
Temporarily adjusting how much, how often, or how intensely you run, jump, squat, lift, train, or perform other aggravating activities can help reduce irritation while maintaining activity where possible.
Maintain Comfortable Movement
Where appropriate, continue moving your knee through comfortable ranges and maintaining tolerable everyday activity rather than unnecessarily avoiding movement altogether.
Consider an Assessment If:
- Pain isn’t improving
- Symptoms repeatedly return
- Knee movement or strength is decreasing
- The knee feels unstable or repeatedly gives way
- Symptoms interfere with work, exercise, sport, sleep, or everyday activities
*Please note that these are general examples and do not replace medical advice.
Seek Urgent Medical Attention If:
- Significant knee pain or loss of function follows trauma
- You are unable to bear weight following an injury
- The knee appears visibly deformed
- Significant swelling, redness, warmth, or fever develops
- Numbness or weakness develops suddenly or progressively worsens
*Please note that these are general examples and do not replace medical advice.
Let's build a plan that works for you.
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, dealing with ongoing pain, or looking to improve the way you move, we’re here to help you take the next step with confidence.