21 Mar Physical Therapy for Knee – Techniques and Exercises for Pain Relief
Guide for Safe Exercises for an Injured or Painful Knee
Patients with knee pain or injury often worry about doing exercises, fearing that they would cause more damage. However, in most cases, doing appropriate exercises help strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee, which ultimately helps with the healing process. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, studies have shown that exercises that target muscle deficiencies after an injury is essential in regaining proper mobility, and therapeutic exercises are aimed at improving strength and function, in turn decreasing pain and swelling.
Before doing any type of exercise, it is important to get evaluated and cleared by your physician or specialist, such as a chiropractor or physical therapist. In some cases, these services are available at the rehabilitation center, saving time and money.
Warming up before working out is very important, as this will reduce the risk of injury, and help with achieving a good range of motion and maintaining a correct form during exercise.
Stretching is also crucial; however, this has to be done slowly and gently. You should listen to your body during stretching and allow your body to guide you to achieve beneficial results. If stretching your leg exacerbated knee pain, adjust the position to achieve a comfortable state and if it continues to hurt, then it may be a sign that this is not an appropriate movement at this point in time.
Research has shown that adding knee exercise to other treatment, such as pharmacologic therapy, had greater effect in relieving pain and improving knee function, and therefore had significant improvement in pain and range of motion after first and second follow-up therapy visits when compared with those that did not include exercise
The following exercises have been shown helpful in patients with knee pain and they include, straight leg raises, hamstring curls, wall squats, calf raises, step ups, side leg raises, and leg presses
When having an injured or painful knee, one should avoid high-impact exercises, such as running or jumping; instead he or she resorts to gentle aerobics, such as pool exercises and using the elliptical machine.
If you live in El Segundo, California and have knee pain or developed a knee injury, you should search for “best chiropractor near me” or for “physical therapy near me”, and research the different practices around your area to find the practice that is most appropriate for you. You may also want to search for “El Segundo physical therapy” or “ physical therapy El Segundo” to learn about our providers and clinics, and find the best fit for your needs. While in most cases a doctor’s prescription is needed to initiate therapy, at Premiere Chiro in El Segundo, CA, patients can start therapy without prescription, expediting treatment and avoiding frustration with delays that can result in decreased benefits from therapy. Studies have shown that by providing early intervention, most injuries had reduction in the healing time
When you visit a chiropractor or physical therapist, you will receive a comprehensive physical exam, focusing on gait assessment, injury assessment, range of motion testing, muscle strength evaluation, and other specialized tests to help make an accurate diagnosis.
The specialist will then provide you with a clear guide and program exercise that will be targeted for your specific needs and injury pattern. They will explain how often to do each exercise and for how long. They will also follow up with you to monitor your progress.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons published a guide for patients with knee injuries called the knee conditioning program that can last up to 6 weeks. It is noted that this exercise conditioning program will help patients return to their daily activities sooner, thus improving quality of life. This program focuses on strengthening the muscles with stretching to reduce stress at the knee joint. Stretching also helps improve flexibility and range of motion.
According to the AAOS, patients with knee pain should try the following stretching exercises:
1. Leg presses can be done by lying flat on your back and placing an elastic band at the bottom of your foot of the affected leg, and bringing the knee to the chest and then straightening it slowly multiple times.
2. Hip adduction can be done by lying down on your side of the affected leg, crossing the uninjured leg in front and raising the injured leg a few inches off the floor while holding position in between repetitions.
3. Hip abduction can be performed by lying on your side on the uninjured leg, while bent, bring up the straightened injured leg slowly multiple times and holding in between repetitions.
4. Straight leg raises in supine and prone positions should be done first by sitting down on the floor with arms supporting you and raising the injured leg while in a straight position a few inches off the floor and holding briefly between repetitions. In the prone position, lying on your stomach, raining the affected leg while straight and holding for a few seconds between repetitions.
5. Leg extensions can be done by sitting in a chair and slowly straightening the affected leg as high as possible and holding while the other leg is resting as in normal sitting position.
6. Calf raises can be done standing up, using a wall or chair for balance. Lift the heel of the heel of the floor so the weight is placed on the opposite foot and repeat multiple times.
7. Hamstring curls can be done standing while using the wall or chair for support. Bend the knee and raise the heel so the leg is parallel to the floor.
8. Squats are done with feet spread shoulder width, placing weight on the heels to bring the body down as low as possible without feeling pain or discomfort.
9. Supine hamstring stretch can be done by lying flat on your back, keeping the affected leg straight and bringing it as far as you can to your chest and holding briefly between repetitions.
10. Standing quadricep stretches can be done by simply standing and using a wall or chair for support. Bend your knee and bring up your heel to your buttock, holding briefly between repetitions.
When you have knee issues, it is crucial to find the best specialist that you will be comfortable with as you will likely be visiting them frequently during your treatment and healing process. If you are interested in physical therapy El Segundo then feel free to contact us today. Therefore, there is no need to live through the pain, as physical therapy is beneficial and will improve your quality of life. Contact our chiropractor El Segundo today!