Are you frustrated by knee pain?

If you’re reading this you may well have knee pain that presents as a slight ache after prolonged gardening or you might be taking painkillers four times per day. In either case there are ways of easing or stopping that frustrating knee pain that is rearing its ugly head when you’re simple trying to enjoy your day!
The knee is made up of a couple of joints that really depend on the muscles above and below it for stability, shock absorption and movement. Think of a muscle as millions of tiny strands of rope made up of cells. As we age we naturally lose a proportion of these cells every year through a process called sarcopaenia. Over time this can make our muscles weaker and weaker and before we know the joints of the knee (both of them!) suddenly don’t have the support they need for stability, shock absorption and movements.‍

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So what is the answer?
If weakness is causing your knee pain, the answer is a specific strengthening exercises.

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Easy…or is it?
The knee is affectionately referred to as the dumb joint of the leg. It can only really go forwards and backwards (not entirely true, as there is a little rotation as well). The hip and the ankle are much more mobile and if there is weakness, tightness or limitations in those joints this can have a tremendous impact on the knee leading to frustration due to not being able to garden, walk, play with children or grandchildren – or even sleep.

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So it’s just muscles and joints then?
If only! The lower back, known as the lumbar spine, can refer pain to the knee.For example, if the nerve that exits the spine between the third and fourth bones of the lower back, the lumbar vertebrae,  is irritated that will send a pain signal to the knee! There is also a little nerve with (if you ask me) a lovely name – the saphenous nerve. This can also give the impression of a joint problem when in fact it is a nerve problem.

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So what’s the answer?
You now hopefully know that no two knee pains are really the same. The answer is a specific, tailored assessment of what is specifically causing your knee pain and giving you the right solutions to a clearly identified problem.‍

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If knee pain is niggling or downright annoying, please contact us.