Do you experience pain and swelling with squatting or climbing stairs? Do your knees often catch or lock up, making it difficult to perform daily tasks that once seemed simple? At Atlas Physical Therapy, our physical therapists can help you find relief and get you moving again!
Knee pain can be debilitating, making it difficult to walk, run, and move. It may even hinder your ability to do simple things like sitting through a movie or a long car ride. The location of your pain helps determine which structures are involved and can help ensure proper treatment.
Often the pain leads to avoiding activity, but this strategy does not help in the long run. Inactivity often leads to more dysfunction and disability. Physical therapists are movement experts, and if your symptoms are severe or last more than a few weeks, your first step should be to contact our physical therapists!
At Atlas Physical Therapy, we can get you moving once again by relieving your pain and enhancing your body’s natural healing process. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts!
What Are The Most Common Knee Injuries?
Your knee is one of the largest joints in your body, made up of a complex system of bones, tendons, and ligaments. Knee injuries can result from direct contact or a sudden movement that strains the knee. When there is no specific event connected to the damage, the most common knee pain factors are excessive activity or a lack of activity.
Knee pain can be mild or severe and includes sprained ligaments, meniscus tears, cartilage tears, tendonitis, and arthritis.
Arthritis: The most common type of arthritis for knee pain is osteoarthritis (OA). This condition occurs when the cartilage surrounding your joints deteriorates, and the joint no longer has a sufficient cushion between the bone. This leads to joint inflammation with varying levels of pain and dysfunction.
Meniscus tear: The meniscus serves as a shock absorber and helps maintain stability in the knee. A meniscus tear can be caused by contact or non-contact activity when the knee twists suddenly. Some tears are the result of wear and tear.
Articular cartilage injury: The articular cartilage is a smooth covering on the bones that allows for frictionless sliding of one bone on another. Articular cartilage is injured by direct trauma or wear and tear.
Ligament Injuries: Our bones are connected by ligaments. The ligaments in your knee act like leather straps to hold the bones together and keep your knee stable. Ligaments are often stretched and/or torn during a sudden motion. The important ligaments in the knee include:
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is located in the center of the knee and controls rotation and forward movement of the shin bone.
- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). It is located in the back of the knee and controls the backward movement of the shin bone.
- Medial collateral ligament (MCL). The medial collateral ligament is on the inside of your knee and provides stability to sideway motions.
- Lateral collateral ligament (LCL). The lateral collateral ligament is on the outside of your knee and provides stability to the sideways motions.
Tendonitis: Your tendons are thick connective tissues that attach muscles to bones. Tendonitis occurs when the tendon becomes inflamed due to abnormal and often excessive stress. It is common with jumping and landing motions, and also in sports like skiing, cycling, or hurdling.
Knee pain can make it hard to walk, rise from a chair, climb stairs, or play sports. Our physical therapists are trained to diagnose and treat knee pain and help ease your pain and get you back to doing what you love!
How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Knee Pain
Physical therapy for knee pain involves a thorough assessment of your entire lower extremity, including your hip, knee, and foot. Our team will examine your knee for signs of instability or structural damage and assess your stance, gait, and functional movements like squats and steps. Your therapist will prescribe the right treatments to help decrease your knee pain and improve overall mobility.
We will provide you with a supervised, progressive program to get you moving again. Our programs to reduce pain and restore function consist of range-of-motion, strength training, proprioception, and neuromuscular control activities.
Contact Us Today!
If you are living with knee pain, contact Atlas Physical Therapy today. We’ll help relieve your pain so you can get back to living your life comfortably, without limitations!
Your Success Is Our Priority!
Return to Atlas Physical Therapy and Let’s Continue Your Journey to Wellness Together. Schedule Your Appointment Now!
Exercise of the Month
HEEL SLIDES LONG SIT
Sit with both legs extended on the floor. Slowly slide one heel toward your body, bending the knee while keeping the foot on the floor. Straighten the leg again and repeat to improve knee mobility.
Enjoy every fresh, flavorful bite of this Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Bruschetta—your perfect go-to for a light and tasty treat!
Enjoy This Seasonal Recipe!
Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Bruschetta
- 1 (32-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large French baguettes, sliced 1-inch thick (about 36 slices)
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper. On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3 minutes. Working quickly, rub the remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven for about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece. Place bruschetta on decorative platter and garnish with basil leaves.
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3 Natural Ways to Beat Spring Allergies
1. Manage stress
Were you aware that stress hormones can wreak havoc on your body, even weakening the immune system? This in turn can worsen seasonal allergies.
A physical therapist can help you to manage your stress by prescribing you with an individualized exercise routine that fits with your lifestyle and personal fitness goals. Other therapeutic methods, such as massage therapy, acupuncture, and aquatic therapy, also have stress relieving properties.
2. Avoid unhealthy foods and drinks
Toxins in the body frequently aggravate allergies. Allergies can flare up when the liver is working overtime metabolizing our stress, medications, alcohol, and processed foods. Therefore, avoiding fatty foods and alcohol can help lessen your allergy symptoms.
3. Clean the house
This one sounds obvious, but it can do wonders to help mitigate allergies! Many allergy triggers can be removed from your home with regular cleaning, which can help relieve your pesky symptoms.
For example, something as simple as changing your pillowcases on a regular basis can improve your symptoms since allergens can transfer from your hair to your pillow at night.
Our Patients Get Great Results
“I can’t say enough good things about my experience with John, my physical therapist. From the moment I started working with him, he was incredibly supportive and dedicated to my recovery. Thanks to his expertise and encouragement, I was able to get back to my normal activities in just 7-8 months, which felt like a miracle.
John didn’t just focus on the physical aspects of my rehabilitation; he also helped me achieve significant mental wins. His positive attitude and motivational approach kept me pushing through even the toughest days. He always knew exactly what to say to keep me trekking on, and his belief in my progress made all the difference.
If you’re looking for a physical therapist who truly cares about your overall well-being and will go above and beyond to help you succeed, John is your guy. I am forever grateful for his guidance and support throughout my recovery journey. Thank you, John!“
— Eden W.
Refer a Friend
If you’ve experienced the outstanding care at Atlas Physical Therapy, why not share it with your friends? Referring them means giving them access to personalized treatment that can make a real difference in their health and well-being. Help them find a trusted healthcare partner—refer a friend to Atlas Physical Therapy today!
