Treating Knee Pain

Suffering from a knee injury?

Knee Arthritis, Knee Cartilage Tears, Patella Tendonitis, knee injuries from running and knee ligament injuries are common knee injuries that can occur secondary to sporting activities.

Knee injury symptoms consist of knee pain, a stiff knee, knee swelling, knee muscle weakness, knee locking and ‘giving way’. Knee pain and knee injuries are often caused by trauma or overuse.

Treatment and rehabilitation are essential in the treatment and prevention of knee pain. Skilled treatment of Knee Arthritis can halt the progression of the problem and can even avoid the need for knee replacement surgery.

Treating pain in the back of the knee

The knee is the most injury-prone of all the joints and is susceptible to falls and twists causing knee injuries, knee ligament injuries and knee joint injuries. Severe damage may occur in flat out competition but problems are often caused in training, where the knee is overused and abused in unbalanced and badly planned sessions.

The anatomy of the individual knee may also be at fault, and this may be corrected by altering the balance of the foot. Many training schedules combine strength, endurance and stamina, but these can be broken down into component parts if overuse injuries occur.

Please note: It is always best to consult a professional to help relieve ongoing pain.

Common injuries that affect the knee

• Hamstring strain –  (insertion to the back of the knee)
• Calf Muscle -Biceps bursa – (medial head of calf muscle as it attaches to back of the knee).
• Popliteus strain – the muscle that unlocks the knee
• Baker’s cyst – lump in the middle of the back of the knee
• Nerve irritation – peroneal nerve
• Impact – from fall or tackle
• A muscle pull or strain
• Sciatica symptoms – referral from a back condition
• Runner’s Knee Injury
• Torn cartilage
• Knee arthritis
• ACL + PCL injuries (anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments)
• MCL + LCL  injuries ( Medial and Lateral collateral ligament)
• Osgood Schlatter
• Patella tendonitis

Treatment during the Golden Hour

It is important that the golden hour treatment starts immediately after the injury. The most important phase for treatment is the first 48 hours post-injury. In this time the following can be carried out by yourself or a trained professional:

• Use an ice pack for 15 Mins (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate)
• Early mobility of the injured lower limb is vital for the correct rehabilitation of the muscle.
• Stretching
• Strengthening exercises throughout the pain-free range. These can aid in decreasing the swelling in the area.

Effective treatment methods for knee injuries

• TECAR Therapy
• K-Laser Therapy
• Shockwave Therapy
• Auricular Acupuncture
• Ice Packs
• Knee Strapping Functional Fascial Taping (FFT)
• Electrotherapy & Ultrasound Therapy
• Pulsed Shortwave Diathermy
• Interferential Therapy
• Deep Tissue Massage to release the muscles around the knee joint
• Heat Therapy
• G5 Exercise and Injury Massage
• Neuromuscular Techniques – enables muscles to relax and range to be modified
• Exercise Therapy – stretching techniques and strengthening exercises, rehabilitation to increase active function
• Sports massage techniques to speed up recovery – these are extremely important in the rehabilitation of the injury as massage breaks down the new collagen network allowing for correct fibre realignment and minimising scar tissue. In addition, massage can increase the blood flow to the injured area.

Discover the right treatment for you

At Hull Sports Massage, we understand everyone feels pain differently. This is why we offer bespoke treatment plans to ensure maximum effectiveness and pain relief. For personalised care and therapy, book a free consultation with Ben.