How PT can cut knee pain when squatting

When you squat, specific muscles contract to help stabilize the knee joint. These muscles include the quadriceps and hamstrings. Whenever you have pain in the knee, this may be a sign of weakness in one or more of these muscle groups. Your pain may also be triggered by many other issues.

What are some causes of knee pain you’re squatting?

• Hip pain or stiffness — Stiffness in your hip can make it challenging to squat down. Hip stiffness may also put more pressure on your knees when you squat down. As a result, your stiff hips can actually be increasing your knee pain. Often, hip stiffness can be improved with exercises that focus on increasing the range of motion at the hip.

• Bursitis — This condition in the knee can cause pain and swelling around the knee joint, which may cause difficulty in squatting. It occurs when cushioning bursae in the knee become inflamed, often due to repetitive movements. 

• Osteoarthritis — This is a type of arthritis caused by the wearing out and eventual loss of the cartilage in one or more joints. Cartilage is a type of connective tissue that functions as a “cushion” between the bones of the joints. Osteoarthritis gradually advances with time, and no cure currently exists. However, osteoarthritis therapy can slow the progression of the disease and relieve pain.

• Meniscus tears — A meniscus tear is a tear in the cartilage that cushions the knee joint. Typical symptoms of a meniscus tear are knee pain, stiffness and swelling.

How can PT reduce knee pain when you’re squatting down?

A physical therapist can meet with you to develop a unique PT program that can include strengthening and stretching exercises to help relieve knee pain. In many cases, the pain is caused by an injury or condition such as those discussed above.

Fortunately, the techniques that physical therapists offer and the plans they build can offer many benefits. Some of the ways PT can help your knee include: 

• Reducing inflammation and swelling.
• Improving range of motion.
• Increasing strength and flexibility.
• Providing relief from stiffness or tenderness.

Recovery through physical therapy can help patients overcome their injury or condition and continue doing the activities they love. Overall, those who struggle to squat down during daily activities may find great relief from physical therapy. While some stretching or specific exercise plans might be appropriate, other patients may require more treatment, such as manual therapy. Physical therapists can help you determine precisely which treatments can benefit you the most.

Knee in pain when you squat down? Back in Motion is here to help

Are you suffering from knee pain whenever you squat down? You can find help for your pain at a Back in Motion Physical Therapy clinic. Here, you can receive a free screening designed to pinpoint the source of your pain. Then, our physical therapists can build you a personalized treatment plan to fit your specific condition and recovery needs. 

Contact us today for more information about our knee pain treatment services or to schedule your initial appointment.