Health blog Category: knee pain
Patellofemoral Dysfunction
Pain around the knee or knee cap is generally referred to as Patellofemoral Dysfunction.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a condition in which the tissue or bone around the knee is damaged due to injury or overuse. This is commonly seen in athletes but can occur in nonathletes as well.
Causes:
- Muscle imbalances – ITB tightness, VMO weakness
- Alignment of the knee cap
- Overuse or repetitive activity – such as stairs, kneeling, squatting movements
- High impact activities – sports
Pain will generally decrease with rest and ice, but may return with resuming activity.
Read full blogCommon Sources of Knee Pain
Knee pain has many sources, but all of them can be treated here at LSTC!
- Osteoarthritis: wearing of the joint surfaces (cartilage) between the tibiofemoral joint; wearing is most often on the inside (medial) portion of the joint
- Mechanism of Injury:
- Wear and Tear
- Lack of muscular support
- Reduced motor control
- Wear and Tear
- Symptoms:
- Pain worse with prolonged positioning (e.g.
- Mechanism of Injury:
Top 3 Tests for Knee Injuries
Knee pain and knee injuries is often the result of an imbalance in tension of muscles. When certain muscles are tighter or weaker than others, it affects the way the joint moves. When we assess someone who has knee pain, we often find that their patella, or the knee cap, is not tracking properly due to tight connective tissue. When the kneecap rubs against the sides of the knee joint, it can cause irritation and pain.
Read full blogPatellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Patellofemoral Pain (PFP) is considered a diagnosis of exclusion for anterior knee pain (pain in the front of your knee or around your kneecap). Structurally, there is no specific tissue that is seriously damaged. Despite its seemingly vague description, this diagnosis is commonly the answer given. Let’s dive into what it means!
What is the patellofemoral joint:
It is where the kneecap (patella) and thigh bone (femur) meet at the front of the knee.
Read full blogWhat is the IT Band?
The IT Band is a part of body that is somewhat of a mystery to many. You’ve probably heard of the it but are you confident about where it is or what it does? We’ll answer these questions today. The IT band is the abbreviation for the iliotibial band. This band is an extension of your hip muscles. It is a long band of connective tissue or fascia that runs down the outside of your thigh from your hip to just below your knee.
Read full blogKnees Hurting When You Get Up Off the Floor?
Getting onto and off the floor forces us to put our knees in a bent position and put significant force through the joint. It also requires good leg and hip strength to be able to push yourself up into a standing position again from the floor.
There are a few common knee problems that can contribute to pain, when getting off the floor.
They are as follows:
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- When your knee cap tracks improperly
- This can be caused by muscle imbalances, tight IT band, or poor quadricep control with walking or running.
3 Common Knee Problems We See
If you are concerned that you might have or have been recently diagnosed with one of these issues, consider a visit to Physical Therapy! We can make sure that you are appropriate for therapy and walk you through the process of improving your wellness and decreasing pain.
Patellar pain:
This refers to pain behind or around the knee cap, and is quite common especially with active people, but can also happen in people who are less active and sit most of the day.
Read full blogHiking and Knee Pain
I found myself out hiking this past weekend to get out of the house and enjoy the weather which is something I love to do! I’m always amazed how taxing it is on my body, especially my knees as I woke up the next day and hobbled out of bed and down the stairs!
Hiking Downhill VS Hiking Uphill
Hiking is a recreational activity that offers many benefits for the human body! However, the constant pounding endured by the knees during lengthy hikes can wear out the joints and cause inflammation, especially when hiking downhill.
Read full blogKnee Ligament Injuries: Sprains & Tears
“Oh man, I think I just felt something pop in my knee!” This is a common statement made by those who have just experienced a ligamentous injury in their knee. The knee joint is made up of:
- Three bones
- Tibia
- Patella
- Femur
- Menisci
- Ligaments.
Ligaments in Our Knees:
There are four main ligaments that provide stability for the knee, as well as hold the joint together.
Read full blogThat “Locking” of Our Knee
Before we get into information about meniscus tears, we must first learn about what a meniscus is, as well as its purpose inside of the knee joint. The meniscus consists of two rubber-like pieces of cartilage that provides cushioning between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia).
What exactly causes Meniscus Tears?
Meniscus tears can be a result of many different causes, ranging from:
- Twisting awkwardly when getting out of a chair
- Athletic injury that involves being tackled by another player
When one normally injures their meniscus, they have experienced an excessive amount of pressure or twisting at the knee joint that resulted in one of the many classifications of a tear.
Read full blog