Knee & Hip Pain
Studies have shown that for every pound we weigh, when walking our knees feel the force of up to 4lbs of pressure and our hips up to 6lb. The amount of pressure also increases dependant on the speed or incline you are walking.
Despite how dangerous this sounds, our knees and hips are extremely hardy joints.
Wear and tear, degeneration and arthritis are the most common hardware related causes for knee and hip pain, but these structural changes existing doesn’t necessarily mean you will have pain. Pain can just as easy exist when there are no injuries or wear and tear to the joint, cartilage, ligaments or tendons.
​
Finding out WHY you hurt is our focus and as such you will receive a thorough assessment that will look at;
-
Static and moving posture
-
Gait analysis
-
Manual Muscle testing
-
Orthopaedic tests
As we move through the treatment process we will be able to identify and treat the underlying causes for your pain and help you get back to full strength as quickly as possible.
Knee & Hip Pain FAQs
How do I know if I have a hip problem?
Complications around the hip joint can manifest in many different ways. There may be dull or sharp pain in the rear of your hip (deep under your buttocks), It could also be present in the front of your hip, groin, or pain radiating down the front or outside of your leg. Issues from the hip can also commonly cause lower back pain.
These are all common symptoms of a functional change within the hip. Whether there is any damage to the hip or if the pain you are experiencing is down to how your are moving or subconsciously experiencing information from the hip area are all factors we look at in great depth here. There is no presumption of any direct cause (outside of an actual injury) until all angles are explored.
My knees creak, is this something I should worry about?
Knee creaking is a sign that the bones of your leg are not moving as smoothly as they should be when you are bending or straightening your knee. This on it’s own is not necessarily an issue you should be worried about, especially in the short term. However, faulty or inefficient movement at a joint that causes excess rubbing or wear on it (when things should glide smoothly) do have the potential to cause complications in the future.
These creaky, less efficient movements can be rectified and are not necessarily anything you will have forever. This can be achieved through repatterining of movements through direct treatment and home based exercises.
How do I know if I have arthritis?
Arthritis is a degenerative condition that is characterised by excessive wear and tear in a joint that results in inflammation. Most arthritis presents itself in the form of osteoarthritis (the wear and tear example just given).
When joints wear down to the bone there is a gradual reduction in the range of motion in a joint. This generally runs concurrently with gradual increases in levels of pain. However, sometimes arthritis can exist in a joint and there is no pain.
Joints that are stiff (lack range of motion in them) and painful that have remained that way despite all efforts to free them up, could feasibly be arthritic. You cannot be sure of this without a scan. Whether you need a scan or not is something that can be discussed during the course of treatment.
Remember, not all stiff and painful joints are arthritic. Even if you have arthritis in a joint, there is lots that can be done to maximise the movement there in a pain free manner.