Physiotherapy for knee pain

How to improve the functioning of your knee joint.

Whether you suffer from a condition like arthritis, have a sports injury or simply want to keep your knees in good health – retaining good function of the joint is key. Knee pain typically stems from poor functioning, to restore this try the following physiotherapy tips.

Note: It is important to seek medical advice for any joint pain to find out the cause and to embark on any necessary treatment.

Heat and massage

While heat and massage will not treat the problem directly, they act as a support for the exercises that follow. Use a heat pad or hot water bottle and massage using lotion for several minutes.

Strengthen your quadriceps

The quadriceps (commonly known as your quads) are the muscles most commonly affected in knee conditions. This is because the knee joint depends on this large muscle group to stabilise and support it. Ask your physiotherapist or doctor about strengthening exercises you can try.

Stretching exercises

To restore knee flexibility, your hamstrings will need a little work too. Again, ask your physiotherapist for safe stretching exercises to promote flexibility.

Improve your proprioception

Any decrease in your knee’s ability to sense movement and position can put it at risk of damage and injury. An example of this would be if you didn’t realise there was another step at the end of a set of stairs and the force causes a jolt up your leg. A simple way to improve this is by standing on one leg for 30 seconds at a time without holding on to anything.

Increase your endurance

To boost the endurance of the muscles around your knees ensure you are exercising them regularly – try walking, cycling or swimming for up to 30 minutes, two or three times a week.

If you think you could benefit from physiotherapy, book a consultation with a physiotherapist near you.

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