Basics of Knee Pain (and How to Fix It)

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Summer is the perfect time to get outside and take advantage of the beautiful hills around Kansas City. Whether you're running or hiking, staying active can sometimes lead to sore knees. If you’ve been experiencing knee pain while navigating those challenging Kansas City hills, you’re not alone. The good news is that you don’t have to live with knee pain. Physical therapy can be an excellent place to start your journey toward relief and staying active.

Understanding Knee Pain

Knee pain can result from various causes, including overuse, improper technique during exercises, or underlying conditions like osteoarthritis. Ignoring knee pain can lead to more severe problems, potentially sidelining you from your favorite activities. Addressing any pain early is crucial to maintaining your health and active lifestyle.

Some of the most common things we see when addressing knee pain from any source are: muscle weakness, muscle tightness, inefficient movement patterns. The two biggest muscle groups that cross the knee are the quadriceps (front of the thigh) and hamstrings (back of the thigh). Weakness here can directly affect the knee. Decreased strength in the hips and glutes can also put extra load at the knee and contribute to pain here as well. Tight muscles can also contribute to knee pain. (We’re looking at you again hamstrings and quadriceps!) And when these muscle groups are weak or tight, they just aren’t going to work as well as they should. This causes compensatory movement patterns - where you change how you move to go “around” these issues, and inefficiencies in movement.

Simple Tips to Alleviate Knee Pain

Incorporating these expert-recommended strategies into your routine can help manage and alleviate knee pain:

1. Strengthen Your Quadriceps and Hamstrings: If you’ve been stretching and stretching and still feel “tight”, you may need to strengthen more than stretch. Strong muscles around the knee can provide better support and reduce pain. Focus on exercises like squats, lunges, dead lifts, and leg presses. Start with light weights and gradually increase as your strength improves. 

Here are some body weight exercises I love to strengthen the muscles at the knee:
Step downs https://youtube.com/shorts/svx53tLxDK0?feature=shared

Lunges  https://youtube.com/shorts/f066suFQ13I?feature=shared 

2. Stretch: If you spend a lot of time sitting, stretching can do a lot to help decrease the tension in your legs around your knee. Check out these 2 stretches to get the muscles on the front and back of the thigh. 

Couch stretch for quad and hip flexor  https://youtube.com/shorts/NFKwTxY23Ik?feature=shared

Hamstring stretch https://youtube.com/shorts/St88fZ_9Oes?feature=shared

3. Use a Foam Roller for Massage: Foam rolling can help release tension in the muscles around your knee. Focus on rolling your quadriceps, hamstrings, and IT band to improve flexibility and reduce pain. Spend 1-2 minutes on each muscle group. You aren’t likely to make actual differences in the tissue (that IT band requires 3000 lbs of force to make a dent in it); but it sure can provide some decreased pain so that you can work harder at #1 and #2.

The Benefits of Physical Therapy

While it may seem simple enough to some, many people may look at that list of exercises and say, where on earth do I start? Physical therapy is a great place to start any exercise program!!

Physical therapy offers a holistic approach to treating knee pain. Through personalized treatment plans, including manual therapy and specific exercises, we can address the root causes of your pain. Physical therapy not only helps alleviate current pain but also enhances your knee function and prevents future issues.

Take Action Today!

Knee pain should not stop you from enjoying the activities you love. Prioritizing your health and addressing knee pain early can help you maintain the active lifestyle you want. Try these tips and if you need more help, find your physical therapist.

Don’t let knee pain hold you back from your summer goals. If you’re experiencing knee pain, take advantage of our free 15-minute screens. Our expert physical therapist, Dr. Noelle Teemant, DPT, is here to help you identify the cause of your pain and recommend the best course of action.