Hip and Knee Pain
Your hips and knees: they’re the largest joints in your body, connecting a large number of muscles, bones, and ligaments. That means that much of the daily abuse that your body takes can ultimately impact your hips and knees. And when these crucial joints begin to show strain, it can become difficult to move much at all — at least without hip and knee pain.
For that reason, it’s important to seek medical attention for hip and knee pain as soon as possible. Often, physical therapy can be the key to avoiding surgery or prescription medication altogether or rebounding quickly from those less conservative treatments.
How can I decrease hip pain?
Worn joints and pinched nerves are the most common culprits for hip pain. Aging and overuse often cause osteoarthritis, but this painful joint disease can also stem from old injuries. Repetitive motion sometimes leads to hip bursitis, in which fluid-filled sacs around your hips become inflamed. What’s another possible reason for your hip pain? Various nerves running to and from your hips can also become pinched, due to anything from pregnancy to poor posture.
Our physical therapists will give you a full evaluation, assessing your range of motion, level of hip pain, and whether the discomfort also radiates into your buttocks, thighs, and groin. Based on this evaluation and existing medical tests, we’ll work on flexibility and strength exercises, as well as give you movement strategies to manage the pain.
What can I do about knee pain?
Some of the same causes of hip pain can also affect knees, including arthritis and bursitis. In addition, sports injuries such as tearing your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) can lead to severe knee pain, as can suddenly twisting your knee and tearing your meniscus. “Loose body” is another knee pain cause; this involves bone or cartilage coming loose and getting in the way of joint movement. Finally, it’s not uncommon for a hip or foot problem to throw your knees out of alignment.
Our highly trained team of physical therapists will evaluate your knee issues, including the location and level of pain and how far you can bend and move your knees and legs in various positions. In all likelihood, your physical therapy to decrease knee pain will consist of strength-building movements, as well as stretches and other flexibility-enhancing techniques.
When you’re ready to begin working on methods for getting rid of your knee and/or hip pain. Contact at Harahan, New Orleans, LA centers, Our dedicated team of physical therapists will evaluate your condition and suggest a course of treatment.
FAQs
What causes knee pain?
Your knees are hinge joints that allow for the forward-and-backward motions within the joint. The knee is one of the largest joints in your body, made up of a complex system of bones, tendons, and ligaments. Because of this, the knee can be easily injured due to overexertion or repetitive motions. Additionally, knee pain can be caused due to an underlying ailment. Some of the most common causes of knee pain are sprains, strains, fractures, tears, dislocation, tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis.
How long should knee pain last?
Some knee pain can ease on its own. However, if you notice persistent pain, you should contact a physical therapist. Many people try to push through the pain that they feel; however, this can actually cause an issue to worsen and become more problematic. Sharp or dull pain in the knee should be paid attention to and not pushed through. If pain persists, especially for three months or longer, it is in your best interest to contact a physical therapist, as that can be an indication of a chronic condition.
Is walking good for knee pain?
Knee pain can be debilitating, making it difficult to walk, run, and move. While exercise can certainly help heal the root cause of your knee pain, it is important to make sure to only do so under the discretion of your physical therapist. Your treatment plan will largely consist of targeted exercises and manual treatments; however, additional pain relief modalities may also be added as your physical therapist deems fit. This will help you improve any problem areas and prevent further injury from occurring.
What is the best therapy for knee pain?
Our licensed physical therapists will examine your knee for signs of misalignment or structural damage, in addition to examining your stance, posture, gait, and range of motion. After your physical exam is complete, your physical therapist will prescribe a physical therapy plan for you, aimed at relieving unnatural stresses and strains, and normalizing your joint function. Treatment plans for knee pain typically include activity modification, manual therapy, strength and capacity training, range of motion restoration, graded exposure to previously painful activities, and patient education regarding activity modification.
