Are you suffering from knee pain?
Here are some great tips from our physiotherapists!
- If you are suffering from knee pain don’t wait! The waiting game doesn’t work in a huge majority of cases. You’ve heard of the phrase ‘motion is lotion’, the knee is no exception. It needs to move, as well as move well with a good technique! So the sooner you get to the point where you can get it moving well again, the sooner it will thank you. This can need a specific program to get back on track!
- The better the muscles supporting the knee are at working, usually the happier your knee is…however, pain switches muscles OFF and some muscles end up bracing completely or going ‘on holidays’ entirely. This means your knee is having to work even harder!! Usually the knee is complaining as its had to work too hard, and sometimes for too long so you can imagine the catch 22 it can feel like when we stop working the good muscles supporting the knee
- The whole body needs to be addressed when there are knee issues. Here’s a few reasons why. Some knee problems are actually from the hip!, some from the back, and some from biomechanics issues. It’s not a straightforward joint, which is often why us physios LOVE seeing knees!! We love challenges.
- Problematic knees can be a frustrating road as a patient (and even as physios) because progress can be slow, usually depending on how long you’ve had the issue and how much input they have had already.
- Bigger than this however for us as physios, is when patients ‘accept’ they are done!! We know that how you treat your body in this decade affects the next decades so even slow progress in one decade will massively aid you in the next. This can even affect mobility, independence, falling as well as hospital and care home admissions!
- Another common thing we hear people say is ‘my knee has been irritating me, but I know the exercises I should be doing so I just need to get on with it and I’ll be fine’…
……Roll on 6 months later and this is still the case.
As humans we were often NOT designed to be excellent at following a program, sticking to the list of jobs or even, doing what’s best for our bodies!!
- Going to a rehab class, seeking professional physio help is a GOOD thing and not a fail point.
- Just because you know the exercises you are ‘meant to be doing’, it doesn’t mean you will find it easy to keep doing them! Additionally, any good exercise program varies and we like to make sure our patients are doing something different and appropriate to where their body is at, every 6 weeks!
Think about this, does your life and body look exactly the same in January as it does in July? The demands on your body are different, the weather (can be) is different, even footwear is different!.. Our bodies are also changing too.
Moving Forward
If you would like to chat further, give us a call at the clinic on 01463 240597 or you can email us on info@albaphysiotherapy.co.uk to find out how we can help your knees!
Did you happen to catch our Meet the Physio Q&A? If not fee free to watch it now for even more information
We run a variety of rehab, strengthening and pilates classes but also provide 1-1 physiotherapy including hands on treatments, electrotherapy and programs, you can find more details on them here