The knee is a complicated joint comprising of several parts. The kneecap (patella) joins the upper leg bone (Femur) to make the Patella-femoral joint. The joint between the upper and lower leg is called the Tibiofemoral joint. Within the knee joint it comprises of 3 compartments the medial, lateral and patellofemoral joints. There are several structures within the knee that can become painful. Normally these will improve with simple management techniques and will not require surgery.
If you have experienced any trauma to your knee and continue to get pain it is important to have this looked at by you physiotherapist or GP. Please visit the contact us page to see how to be referred to us.
What can I do to help?
Ice: Using an ice pack may be helpful for reducing pain and swelling. A packet of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel works well as an ice pack. Leave the peas in place for up to 20 minutes at a time. This can be repeated several times a day as comfort allows.
Reducing the strain on your knee: It is usually best to carry out your normal activities, but try not to overdo it. You need to pace yourself to start with and try to do a bit more each day.
Rest: Aim for a balance between rest and exercise to prevent your knee from stiffening up. Try to avoid the movements that are most painful, especially those that are repetitive. However, it’s important to remain generally active even if you have to limit how much you do.
Knee exercises
Mini squat
Standing in front of a chair, complete a small squat, imagine you are trying to sit own on a chair then stand back up. If you need to balance then use the chair or support to help you.
Knee extension
Sitting on the edge of your chair, with your knees bent. Straighten out one of your legs, go as far as you are able to.
Hamstring curl
Standing with a support in front of you slowly try and bend your knee bringing your leg backwards. If you are able to don’t use a support.
