Knee Pain

Knee pain is one of the most common complaints I see when working with patients. In fact, when it comes to things like osteoarthritis, it is the second most common area affected, right behind the hand. There are numerous potential causes for knee pain, and two primary categories to describe them: acute and chronic.

Acute knee pain refers to pain that comes on abruptly and obviously. I’ll give you a for instance. My brother was recently teaching his son how to run to first base from home plate. Upon landing on what he expected to be first base, it turned out the base had been removed and what was left was a hole in the ground. He landed on an extended knee and immediately felt pain, with swelling shortly to follow. This would be described as an acute injury and the treatment differs from that of more chronic injuries.

Acute injuries require a period of healing, the old acronym RICE comes in to play here. Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation can all be effective strategies in the early management of an injury like this. Ice has become a topic of debate more recently, but that discussion is for another day. Once the initial inflammatory response has subsided, gradually exposing tissues to stresses assists them in reorganizing and promotes the return to their previous level of capacity.

The development of chronic knee pain, or long-standing pain that is without a specific cause is a more complex topic. The potential roots are too variable to know exactly what is producing the sensation of pain. However, many times there are mechanical factors that can be modified to change how pressures and forces are absorbed by the tissues in the area. Altering these factors can be very relieving and can afford a return to desirable activities.

Like all aspects of pain, issues at the knee are complex. I have reduced the treatment options down for the sake of this post, however these strategies can be useful. Finding a person that is a specialist in movement related issues can be of tremendous benefit, as they may be able to assist in identifying potential causes and they can coach you in your return to where you want to be.

Austin Ulrich, Physical Therapist