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How to Take Care of Your Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common injury that most athletes deal with at one time or another. I’ve heard countless people walk through the door saying “I have a bad knee” or “my bum knee makes it tough to play sports”. However, there is much more to knee pain than simply having a “bad knee.” If anything, barring a direct trauma to the knee, knee pain can be associated with an ankle or hip that is not doing its fair share. 

 

Mobile and Stable Joints

The body is divided into joints that are considered “mobile” and “stable”. The ankle and hip are mobile joints while the low back and knee are stable joints. Interesting how the stable joints are commonly injured or considered “bad” in longtime athletes. Mobile joints, like the hip, provide a range of movement and reach. Stable joints, like the knee, maintain posture and equilibrium throughout movements. These joints all work together as we move throughout the day. Therefore, when it comes to knee pain, addressing solely the knee does not always give us the full picture. Understanding what is going on above and below the knee can greatly impact performance as well as reduce future injuries. 

 

Understanding your Knee Pain

A great way to understand knee pain is the squat. Squatting gives a therapist great insight into what you do every day for different activities. Do you use too much knee during your squat? Do you have the mobility to bend properly through your hips? Do you place more weight on one side over the other? All these questions can be answered just by watching someone perform a few squats. Squatting, particularly the hip hinge in a squat, is the building block to most functional movements we make in sports or just in everyday life. 

 

Here is a great checklist to examine your own squat: 

  • Heels must remain in contact with ground 
  • Feet should not rotate out during the motion
  • Knees should not valgus (cave in) 
  • Hip crease should descend below knee
  • Low back remains neutral the entire movement

Exercises to Treat Knee Disfunction and Pain

If you break any of these rules, more than likely there is a hip/ankle mobility issue or stability issue that is putting more load on your knee. Listed below are a few mobility drills to help reduce strain on your knee: 

 

Mobility

  • Hip flexion mobility drill
    1. Place one leg in chair or surface 
    2. Take a deep breath in, on exhale slowly lower 
    3. Pause for 2 seconds
    4. Inhale and exhale again while further lowering into squat position
    5. Complete 5 reps or until you no longer move deeper into the squat depth
    6. Repeat on opposite leg Hip flexion mobility drill example
  • Calf stretch 
    1. Place one leg in front and one leg behind with foot straight and heel making contact with ground 
    2. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the calf
    3. Hold position for 30 seconds and complete 2 reps 
    4. Repeat on opposite leg 
    5. To complete Soleus stretch, bend back knee as you complete steps mentioned above (see picture below) 

Gastroc calf stretch

Gastroc stretch 

 

Soleus calf stretch

Soleus stretch

 

 

  • Squat walk down
    1. Use a wall or squat rack for support
    2. Proceed to walk down squat rack while moving into squat position
    3. When comfortable, you may remove hands from support and hold position for 3-5 seconds

squat walk down example

 

Strength

  • Bridges 
    1. Bring one leg towards chest and the other bent with foot firmly planted in ground
    2. With bent leg, push through foot while moving knees over toes
    3. You should maintain a neutral back and avoid excessive arching of lower back in final position
    4. Return to starting position on ground

bridge stretch example

 

  • Calf raises 
    1. Drive through toes and raise heels off ground
    2. Focus on keeping the heel neutral ( you should feel equal weight throughout toes) 
    3. Return to starting position

calf raise example

  • Isometric holds (great way to strengthen bottom portion of squat) 
    1. Sit on a mid to low surface
    2. Lift slightly off the surface while maintaining squat form (DO NOT LEAN FORWARD)
    3. Hold position for 3-5 seconds 
    4. Return to starting position

isometric holds example

 

If pain persists through these workouts, seek professional help. Our Doctors of Physical Therapy specialize in joint pain and dysfunction, allowing you to receive the best possible treatment. Fill out the form below and get 1-on-1 time with an expert DPT in as little as 1 to 2 days!