Knee Pain Treatment At Larch Tree Osteopathic Practice, Coventry

What causes knee pain?

One of the most common reasons for knee pain is altered joint and muscle mechanics particularly of the kneecap (patellofemoral joint). The kneecap slides up and down on the cartilage surface of the thigh bone and is enveloped by the thigh muscles (quadriceps).The main action of the kneecap is to increase leverage of the thigh muscles and increase power and range of knee extension.

If the kneecap is not sliding in this groove correctly, pain is likely to occur, especially when the thigh muscles are contracting (eg squatting, walking up and down stairs, running). This is usually a gradual occurrence and explains why you may experience episodes of swelling after these activities.

Other causes of knee pain include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Ligament strain
• Referral from the lower back or hip
• Patella tendinopathy

How can osteopathy help?

Most of the strains, problems with ligaments and muscle imbalance can be dealt with by osteopathic treatment. This will involve identifying the underlying cause and using a variety of techniques to improve the pain free range of movement of the knee, secondly to ease the tightness of the muscles around the knee and thirdly to improve the function of the surrounding joints. Advice on exercises and how to manage the problem will also be given.