How Can Physical THERAPY HELP?
Our licensed physical therapists at Kerrville Physical Therapy Center will examine your knee for signs of misalignment or structural damage, in addition to examining your stance, posture, gait, and range of motion. Treatment plans for knee pain typically include: • Activity modification and manual therapy to allow for appropriate off loading and healing. • Graded strength, dynamic stability, and capacity training targeting the quads, glutes, hamstrings, foot/ankle complex, and core. • A knee with poor range of motion that is constantly flexed can cause persistent painful symptoms. Restoring range of motion will help it bend easier and ease stress on the knee, thus relieving pain. • Graded exposure to previously painful activities, as gains in strength, tolerance, and capacity allow. • Education regarding activity modification and the role of the nervous system in pain. What can I do on my own to keep my knees healthy? While physical therapy is the most effective formof treatment if you are currently experiencing knee pain, there are some precautions you can take to lower your risk of developing unwanted knee pain and injuries altogether: 1. Stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, and
adductor muscles each day. By keeping these muscles flexible, the forces on your knee joints stay balanced, which allows you to bend and rotate the knee. 2. Keep the muscles around your hips and knees strong, especially the gluteal and quadricep muscles. Studies show that adults (especially those 55 or older) who have stronger gluteal and quadricep muscles tend to have less back pain and a greater ability to perform daily activities. 3. Exercise regularly. While this is good for the whole body, the knees especially need exercise to keep their cartilage healthy. Most of the joint fluid absorbs into the cartilage only through movement and compression of the knee. Therefore, it is important to do weight bearing exercises, such as walking, running, or playing a sport. However, if you have arthritis, it is advised that you do activities with less of an impact, such as biking, elliptical machines, or aquatic exercises. Contact us today! Are you living with knee pain? If so, don’t hesitate to contact Kerrville Physical Therapy Center today. We’ll help relieve your pain so you can get back to living your life comfortably, without limitations!
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