Physical Therapy Services
Knee Pain
Individualized care for wear and tear, osteoarthritis and knee injury.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is increasingly becoming a more common problem in society. It is a complaint we see frequently. The most common complaint associated with knee pain is considered the normal “wear and tear.” Another ailment that affects the knee is osteoarthritis. The symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be reduced through our individualized approach to physical therapy care.
How This Works
What knee pain treatment involves
The knee is a hinge caught between the hip and the foot, and a great deal of knee pain turns out to be about how those two are working. Assessment therefore covers knee range and strength, but also hip control, ankle mobility, and how you squat, climb stairs and walk.
Treatment combines hands-on work for a stiff or irritable knee with a progressive strengthening programme for the muscles that control it. The symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be addressed through an individualised approach to physical therapy care, and that individual assessment is what determines which of those elements matter most in your case.
What to Expect
Your visits, step by step
Assessment above and below the knee
Your therapist assesses the knee itself and then hip strength, ankle mobility and your movement patterns, because the knee is frequently where a problem shows up rather than where it starts.
Settling the joint
Hands-on treatment addresses restricted movement and the soft tissue around the joint, so that strengthening can be done through a usable range.
Progressive strengthening
You are given a graded programme, typically covering the quadriceps, hip and calf. Loading is built up deliberately — the aim is capacity, and capacity takes progression.
Stairs, walking and activity
Later work targets the specific tasks that provoke your knee: stairs, kneeling, getting out of a chair, walking distance, or a sport you want to return to.
Benefits
What knee pain treatment is used for
- Used to address knee pain, stiffness and limited movement.
- Used in the management of osteoarthritis symptoms through an individualised approach.
- Used to address the hip and ankle mechanics that load the knee, rather than treating the joint in isolation.
- Provides a conservative, exercise-based option for people who want to try that before considering more invasive routes.
Results of an injury vary from person to person. What is appropriate for you is decided at your evaluation — call (718) 714-6995 and we can talk it through.
Common Questions
Knee Pain FAQs
I have been told I have wear and tear. Is exercise going to make it worse?
Appropriately graded loading is a standard part of managing knee osteoarthritis, and the point of the evaluation is to establish what the right level is for you. Your therapist will set the starting load and progress it based on how the knee responds.
Why is my therapist looking at my hip and ankle?
Because the knee sits between them and is loaded by both. Weak hip control or a stiff ankle changes how force passes through the knee, so treating only the knee often leaves the cause in place.
Should I use ice or heat?
Both are used for different purposes and it depends on how irritable your knee is at the time. Ask your therapist at your visit — the answer depends on the stage you are at rather than on a general rule.
What should I wear?
Shorts, or trousers that roll comfortably above the knee, plus the shoes you normally walk or exercise in.
Explore More