What is Knee Pain?

Knee pain can be caused by disease or injury. Knee pain can restrict movement, affect muscle control in the sore leg, and reduce the strength and endurance of the muscles that support the knee.

The most common disease affecting the knee is osteoarthritis, which is caused by the cartilage in the knee gradually wearing away, resulting in pain and swelling.

Knee injuries can occur as the result of a direct blow or sudden movement that strains the knee beyond its normal range of motion, as can happen in sports, recreational activities, a fall, or a motor vehicle accident. Knee pain caused by an injury often is associated with tears in the knee cartilage or ligaments. Knee pain also can be the result of repeated stress, as often occurs with the kneecap, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome. Very rarely, with extreme trauma, a bone may break at the knee.

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How Does it Feel?

You may feel knee pain in different parts of your knee joint, depending on the problem affecting you. Identifying the location of your pain can help your physical therapist determine its cause.

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How Is It Diagnosed?

Your physical therapist will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, medical history, and a thorough examination. X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results may also be used to complete the diagnosis.

To help diagnose your condition, your physical therapist may ask you questions like these:

• Where exactly on your knee is the pain?

• Did you twist your knee?

• Did you feel a "tearing" sensation at the time of injury?

• Do you notice swelling?

• Have you ever felt like your knee joint is "catching," or "locking," or will give way?

• Do you have difficulty walking up and down stairs?

• Do you have difficulty sitting with your knee bent for long periods, as on an airplane or at the movies?

• Does your pain increase when you straighten or bend your knee?

• Does your knee hurt if you have to twist or turn quickly?

The physical therapist will perform tests to find out whether you have:

• Pain or discomfort with bending or straightening your knee

• Tenderness at the knee joint

• Limited motion in your knee

• Weakness in the muscles around your knee

• Difficulty putting weight on your knee when standing or walking

The physical therapist also is concerned about how well you are able to use your injured knee in daily life. To assess this, the therapist may use such tests as a single-limb hop test, a 6-minute walk test, or a timed up and go test.

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How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

Based on the evaluation, your physical therapist will develop a customized rehabilitation program, including a specific set of knee exercises, for you.

If you already have knee problems, your physical therapist can help with a plan of exercise that will strengthen your knee without increasing the risk of injury or further damage. As a general rule, you should choose gentle exercises such as swimming, aquatic exercise, or walking rather than jarring exercises such as jogging or high-impact aerobics.

Consult your physical therapist about specific ways to maintain your knee health following injury or surgery. Your physical therapist has the relevant educational background and expertise to evaluate your knee health and to refer you to another health care provider if necessary.

Depending on the severity of your knee problem, your age, and your lifestyle, the therapist may select such treatments as:

• Strength training and functional exercises, which are designed to increase strength, endurance, and function of your leg muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings). This in turn helps support the knee and reduce stress to the knee joint.

• Electrical stimulation of the knee, which further increases leg muscle strength and can help reduce knee pain. To increase strength, electrical impulses are generated by a device and delivered through electrodes to stimulate the primary muscle that supports the knee, the quadriceps femoris. To reduce your knee pain, the electrodes are placed on the skin to gently stimulate the nerves around the knee.

Your physical therapist can determine just how much you may need to limit physical activity involving the affected knee. He or she also can gauge your knee’s progress in function during your rehabilitation.

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How Can a Physical Therapist Help Before & After Surgery?

Your physical therapist, in consultation with your surgeon, will be able to tell you how much activity you can do depending on the type of knee surgery (such as total knee replacement) you undergo. Your therapist and surgeon also might have you participate in physical therapy prior to surgery to increase your strength and motion. This can sometimes help with recovery after surgery.

Following surgery, your physical therapist will design a personalized rehabilitation program for you and help you gain the strength, movement, and endurance you need to return to performing the daily activities you did before.