Knee Pain

The knee joint is a hinge joint, formed by the meeting of the thigh bone (femur) and the tibia (shin bone).  Located close to the knee joint, but not actually forming part of it, is the fibula, which is the bone running along the outside of the lower leg.  There are four major ligaments that provide stability to the knee (the anterior cruciate ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament, the medial collateral ligament and the lateral collateral ligament).  Each of these ligaments is susceptible to injury, and commonly these are twisting injuries sustained during sport.   

The knee also has two cushioning pads on either side, known as the meniscus.  These are also susceptible to injury.  Again, this is a common location for sporting injury, but the meniscus can also sustain degenerative damage such as tears, often in the course of the ageing process. 

The muscles that straighten the knee are known as the quadriceps, made up of four muscles.  The muscles that bend the knee are known as the hamstrings, made up of three muscles.  At the front of the knee is the patella, commonly known as the kneecap.  This is a floating disc of bone connected to the quadriceps tendon. The patella moves up and down in a groove when the knee bends and straightens.  

Knee pain patients often describe knee pain as either a sharp or achy pain. In cases of osteoarthritis, stiffness is common, particularly in the mornings.  After trauma which has caused damage to the ligaments or meniscus, the knee can become swollen.  This is often accompanied by the feeling that the knee is about to “give way”, and clicking or clunking within the knee. 

The knee can become painful following trauma, overuse, or age related changes causing osteoarthritis.  In regard to osteoarthritis, there is a link between severity and weight.  

Some examples of common knee conditions are:

• Knee osteoarthritis
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain or injury 
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sprain or injury
• Medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain or injury 
• Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) sprain or injury
• Meniscus tears 
• Patellofemoral joint syndrome
• Patella tendinopathy 

Your Home Physio will undertake an assessment of your symptoms, mobility, strength and history in order to draw up a tailored treatment plan for your knee pain.  Your physiotherapist will do a functional assessment based upon what aggravates your symptom, such as walking, using the stairs or squatting.  

Beginner exercises

1. Squat:  Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, sit back as though there is a chair behind you.  Keep your weight back over your heels, not over your knees.  Return to standing.     
2. Step ups:  Standing at a step, place the right foot on the step and slowly bring the left foot up to join it.  Then, slowly step back down with the left, tap it gently on the floor behind you and step back up again.  Repeat.
3. Straight leg raise:  Lying down on your back, straighten your knee and lift your whole leg 10cm off the bed and hold for 5 seconds. 

To read more about arthritis and knee exercises, see here for our Home Physios blog on the topic. 

If you are looking for a local home physiotherapist to assist you with your knee pain, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us for a consultation. Contact us on the form below, phone 020 8226 0187 or email - contactus@thehomephysios.com