The knee is a vulnerable joint at times due to its’ location adjacent to the two long levers of our thigh and leg bones. The length of the levers allows the ankle and hip to exert a high amount of forces across the knee. The importance of treating these adjacent joints in patients with knee...
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (pain around the knee cap) is the most frequent cause of knee pain and the most common diagnosis seen in sports medicine and physical therapy clinics. The condition is often the result of a change in the dynamic alignment of the leg and knee joint during functional activities such as squatting, stair climbing,...
Cutting movements utilized in soccer, football, basketball, and lacrosse are one of the most common mechanisms of non contact knee injuries. Athletes who cut with poor mechanics demonstrate larger hip and knee angles placing the ligaments of the knee, such as the ACL, at greater risk of injury. These movements at the knee are driven...
Patellofemoral Pain (pain under the knee cap) is the most common source of knee pain among active individuals and athletes. Symptoms are secondary to increased joint pressure between the knee cap and thigh during walking, hiking, squatting, kneeling, cycling or running. Most commonly this diagnosis is secondary to muscle imbalances including hip and knee weakness...
Knee arthritis is a common and costly condition affecting many middle aged adults and is a leading cause of pain and disability in this patient group. Thankfully conservative Physical Therapy interventions such as manual therapy and exercise have been shown to be effective at reducing pain, disability, and even delaying or preventing the need for...
The ankle plays a critical role in the ability of the knee to stay over the foot during functional tasks such as walking, running, and stair climbing. Under normal conditions the mobility of the ankle allows the leg to move forward over the weight bearing foot. If this range of motion is limited, the leg...
Knee osteoarthritis is a common condition leading to pain and disability among many middle and older aged adults. While Physical Therapy remains a hallmark of conservative care, knee arthroscopic surgery continues to be one of the most common orthopedic surgeries. We have previously written about the inability of arthroscopic surgery to be shown more effective...
The lunge is a very common exercise to strength the lower quarter. I commonly use the exercise to address lower quarter weakness, motor control or coordination impairments, and conditioning needs. Often patients will experience knee pain, either in the forward or backward leg while performing the movement. Changing the alignment of the trunk, hip, or...
In a previous post, we detailed the latest research on the importance of ankle mobility on knee mechanics. During weight bearing the shin, tibia, must be able to move forward over the fixed ankle and foot. Without adequate ankle flexibility and shin moved over the foot to the inside placing the knee at risk of...
Knee arthritis is a common, costly condition affecting a large percentage of middle aged and older adults. Physical Therapy remains the gold standard of care for knee arthritis due to its’ ability to delay or prevent the need for a total knee replacement. One of the foundations of Physical Therapy care includes strength training for the...
