Everyone seems to be an expert when it comes to knee pain.
“Stretch it, ice it, TheraGun it, rest it…”
The list goes on!
On average, approximately 15-20% of people will experience knee pain at some point in their lives.
As a specialist knee pain clinic it is the most common complaint that we see.
A patient came to see us recently who had knee pain that stopped her from being able to enjoy exercise.
She said that every morning she would dread going down the stairs due to sharp pain she would experienc and that her knees were constantly stiff as well as making all sorts of noises they didn’t used to make.
Despite trying rest, stretches from the internet and asking “Doctor Google”, she got nowhere.
These were some of the key signs that you should come to see a physio that experienced:
- Knee pain that lasts longer than 3 months
This is a sign that the problem needs specialist intervention.
Pain that lasts for longer than 3 months risks it turning into a long term problem that takes more time to be treated.
If pain is more persistent and comes on but does not go away this would be a sign that the problem may not get better on its own and need specialist intervention.
If you have had a traumatic knee injury e.g. a fall which isn’t getting better this would be another key reason to reach out to a knee specialist to avoid it becoming a long term issue that causes you to stop doing what you enjoy such as being active.
A lady came to see us 9 months after her knee had started to hurt as she had trusted that it would get better with time.
She had been told to rest it and stretch by her PT and they had worked around the problem for that time but it did not improve.
We were able to get her back to her normal exercise routines in the end but the treatment would have taken a lot less time if she had seen us sooner
This is because rest and stretching don’t help to improve how much your knee can tolerate.
Rehabilitation is needed to build resilience again after a knee injury has happened.
On top of that, being clear on your diagnosis is important as well to make sure that rehabilitation is the best thing to be doing and not surgery.
Interesting fact: Physiotherapists are trained to diagnose knee pain without requiring x-rays or MRI scans whereas other types of practitioners aren’t qualified to do this.
2. Friends and family keep asking why you are walking funny
You can always count on friends, family or coworkers to tell you about when you’re walking differently.
Limping, wincing when you stand up, or hobbling down the stairs are common signs that the problem needs intervention.
If this persists it can cause other body parts to become irritated.
It is very easy in life to “solider on” and keep on going trying to put your pain to the back of your mind.
Sometimes people choose to ignore it and put off seeing a physio because they are scared about what they will be told or what they will say to them.
I met a patient who had been putting off seeing a physio for so long that in the end her partner had near enough dragged her to the appointment.
It turned out the reason was because she thought we would tell her that she had to rest, not exercise and that she was an idiot for not coming sooner.
Its the same with dentists, people put off going to see them due to the fear of what they will be told and can wait for years and years before going to see them.
At Instant Physio we are a friendly bunch, would never play ‘captain hindsight’ with our patients and we make sure that we educate them so they know what the best action plan is for them moving forwards are to get better and stay better.
3. You have swelling, severe pain, or joint stiffness
If you experience any of these symptoms then coming to see a knee specialist would help a great deal.
Hands on treatment helps with pain, range of motion and reduces joint stiffness.
Advice on swelling management, taping and strapping, and gentle exercise would help to get you feeling better.
These kinds of symptoms are more common than you think and we have 100’s of people each week with the same kind of symptoms.
By trying to fix problems like these without any help from a health professional you risk wasting valuable time, increasing stress levels, and increasing the amount of time you spend not being able to the things you love like keeping active.
Seeing a physio is the fastest and safest way to get back to being active.
4. The knee pain is making you anxious, concerned and you’re losing sleep over it
Seeing a knee specialist will help provide peace of mind by telling you what’s wrong, why it’s there, and what can be done to help.
Instant Physio helps people with back pain, knee pain, neck & shoulder pain and sports injuries, Monday to Saturday at 261 Balham High Road, SW17 7BD.
Sign up now for a Free Discovery Session where you can meet the team to discuss your knee problem https://instant-physio.lpages.co/discovery-session/.