Knee Pain Treatment Adelaide (North Adelaide & Eastwood)
Reclaim your functionality with comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment for knee pain.
Are You Living With Knee Pain?
Knee pain is a debilitating condition that can affect numerous aspects of your life, decreasing your comfort levels and limiting your mobility. Activities you need and love to do may be significantly impacted, decreasing your independence and increasing your frustration. Even seemingly simple movements like climbing stairs, standing up after watching TV, and driving to work can become dreaded tasks that are difficult or impossible to undertake. Whether it is chronic knee pain or joint pain, you have arrived at the right place, SA Running Injury Clinic.
That is why we are dedicated to empowering you with comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatment to help improve your functionality and regain your way of life. We work to identify the underlying factors impacting your pain and provide treatment and guidance on managing, improving, and preventing the pain. Don't put up with the knee pain Adelaide residents endure daily when there is help.
Understanding the Knee
The knee is a complex joint that plays a crucial role in mobility, movement, flexibility, and a vast array of daily activities. It is a hinge joint connecting the thigh bone to the shinbone, also known as the femur and the tibia.
The joint also involves the kneecap, known as the patella, and the fibula, which is the smaller bone that runs alongside your tibia. An intricate network of ligaments, cartilage, tendons, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels surround the knee joint to provide stability and further enable function, help support your body weight, and absorb and distribute the shock created during movement.
The knee joint is responsible for crucial movements that allow you to undertake acts such as stepping and squatting because of its ability to facilitate leg flexion and extension, which we often take for granted. The impressive structure of your knee plays a significant role in maintaining your overall mobility and functionality, with contributing factors like poor biomechanics and sports injuries leading to muscle imbalances, torn meniscus, muscle strains, muscle tightness and ligament damage. Most commonly the posterior cruciate ligament, anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, patellar tendon and areas around the shin bone. So when a part is negatively affected and causing pain, it requires physical examination and proper diagnosis. Knee pain can have a much larger effect on your body and life than you expect. This is why it can be highly beneficial to look after your knees and treat knee pain when they are causing you concern towards optimal function and overall well-being.
What Causes Knee Pain?
Knee pain can arise from various activities and lifestyle factors. It can be important to be aware of these and incorporate certain steps to reduce the chance of knee pain developing and improving the knee pain that does occur.
Some common contributors to knee pain include:
- Activities that involve repetitive knee movements such as running, jumping, or squatting, without adequate rest and recovery.
- Excess body weight, which puts additional stress on the knees.
- Poor posture, biomechanics, and alignment in various body regions, such as flat feet and inward knee or hip rotation.
- Improper form when running, squatting, or jumping, which may cause imbalances and place undue stress on the knee joint.
- A lack of physical activity that leads to weakness, stiffness, or tightness, which reduces the ability of the joint and the soft tissues around the knee to provide support, range of motion, and stability.
- Wearing shoes that lack proper cushioning or support or do not fit correctly may affect the alignment and mechanics of the knee.
- Accidents, falls, or sports-related injuries such as ligament tears or fractures.
- Ageing and degenerative conditions that involve issues such as the protective cartilage in the knee wearing away.
Find a better quality of life with knee pain treatment at SA Running Injury Clinic.
Common Knee Pain Injuries We Treat with Physical Therapy
With a philosophy of being very good at a few things rather than a master of none, we focus on providing comprehensive and thorough treatment for your knee pain, using an evidence-based approach with techniques and methods based on experience and knowledge. Three common conditions we see at our clinic include:
Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome
Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome is a common overuse injury that affects the iliotibial band, which is a thick band of connective tissue that runs along the outside of the thigh. This condition can cause lateral knee pain and inflammation, limiting mobility and affecting prolonged standing.
Runner's Knee, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome, is a condition characterised by anterior pain around the front of the kneecap. It can impact movement that involves bending the knee.
Knee arthritis is a condition that occurs when the protective cartilage in the knee joint degenerates at a faster rate than its regeneration. Over time, the loss of cartilage leads to bone-on-bone friction, inflammation, and pain in the knee joint.
Treatment Options for Knee Pain
Our approach to treatment for knee pain involves a thorough assessment of your symptoms, the background of the issue, lifestyle factors, and your health history. We combine this vital information with your goals to develop a personalised treatment plan that targets your requirements and works towards improving your knee pain.
At SA Running Injury Clinic, we use a variety of techniques depending on your needs. These can include:
Tight Muscle Release
If the muscles that support your knee and its function are tight, we can focus on loosening the area through methods such as stretching, massage, and Dry Needling.
Strengthening
Having strong muscles is crucial to enable the knee to sustain sudden changes in force, pressure, and direction, to carry your weight, and to provide a full range of motion. We can help you improve your knee strength by developing a strengthening and rehabilitation program that is personalised for your goals and requirements.
Related Injury Treatment
Conditions and injuries in other regions of the body can affect your knee. We will assess any previous issues, such as lower back or pelvic concerns, that may impact your knee.
Biomechanical Assessment
The biomechanics and alignment of your feet can greatly impact your knee function. We can
address issues such as poor walking and running patterns by utilising methods such as custom orthotics.
Footwear Advice
Understanding your foot profile and specific requirements is important in choosing the correct shoes. We can advise you on appropriate sneaker models, for example.
Gait Retraining
Running and walking styles change from person to person due to different body types, activities, and limitations. Your gait may negatively affect your knee comfort and mobility, so we can help with gait retraining and improvement of your running technique when appropriate.
Training Modification
Over or under-training can affect the alignment, strength, and motion of your knee. We can help modify your running or training program so you can get the most out of your time and effort.
Strapping
When an injury or weakness is causing you discomfort, strapping or taping may help to let the injury heal.
GLA: D Program
For knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, we can refer you for a unique program that focuses on your requirements and goals.
Your Knee Pain Questions Answered
While knee pain can affect anyone, certain individuals are more prone to developing it. Factors such as advanced age, previous knee injuries, obesity, participation in high-impact sports or activities, and certain medical conditions like arthritis can increase the risk of developing knee pain.
It depends on the severity and cause of the knee pain. In some cases, modifying or adjusting your exercise routine, incorporating low-impact activities, and seeking professional guidance may allow you to continue exercising safely. It is important to listen to your body (and your SA Running Clinic therapist!) to promote healing and prevent further damage.
To help prevent knee pain and injury, it can be beneficial to maintain a healthy weight, engage in regular exercise to strengthen the muscles around the knee, use proper form and technique during physical activities, wear appropriate footwear, incorporate rest and recovery into your routine, and seek guidance to prevent or treat issues.
If you experience severe pain, sudden swelling, inability to bear weight, movement limitations, or pain that persists despite rest and self-care measures, it is recommended to seek professional attention as these could be signs of a serious knee injury or underlying condition.
We will conduct a thorough assessment of your situation and identify the underlying factors to determine the type and cause of your knee pain. We may recommend seeing a doctor for certain concerns or to facilitate relevant tests.
In many cases, walking may be beneficial for knee pain as it can help to strengthen the muscles around the knee, improve joint flexibility, increase the production of synovial fluid and promote overall joint health. However, sometimes walking may be counterproductive or risk further damage, so it can be pertinent to start with gentle and low-impact walking and gain advice from your therapist based on your specific condition.
Arthritis in the knee can cause various symptoms such as pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and tenderness around the joint. It may feel like a dull ache, sharp pain, or a sensation of grinding or locking within the joint, depending on the severity and type of arthritis.
For many cases of knee pain, surgery is not necessary. There is a range of non-surgical treatments, such as physical therapy and lifestyle modifications that can reduce pain, improve function, and promote healing.
Why Visit Us For Your Knee Pain?
At SA Running Injury Clinic, we utilise a wealth of experience and high-quality resources to facilitate the best care possible.
Holistic and Comprehensive Treatment
We believe it is important to look past the surface-level symptoms and explore your issues in a deeper manner to find and improve underlying factors.
Latest Technological Advances
Our clinic stays up to date with technology and facilities so we can offer you access to a great range of treatment options.
Multi-Disciplinary Approach
Our referral network consists of physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, massage therapists, osteopaths so that we can develop a treatment plan that covers as many aspects as possible to increase our ability to help you.
Improve Knee Pain and Mobility at SA Running Injury Clinic
If you are experiencing knee pain, you know how difficult it can be to keep up with day-to-day life, especially when it is often associated with reduced mobility or the ability to bear weight. Seeking professional advice and treatment is often the best way to find relief and improvement, and that is where our team can help you. Our patients come from the surrounding area of Walkerville, Parkside, Toorak Gardens, Norwood and Glenside.
Please call us today to organise an appointment with one of our friendly and experienced therapists so we canpain begin working with you!