Three benefits of physical therapy for runner’s knee

Feeling tenderness when someone touches your knee. Pain when walking or getting up from a chair. Grinding or popping sounds when you move your knee. Noticed any of these symptoms? If you said yes, you’re likely dealing with a common condition called patellofemoral pain syndrome (PPS). 

This condition is more commonly known as runner’s knee, and it’s one of the most common knee conditions. One medical study reveals that almost 23% of the general population is affected by runner’s knee annually. Physical therapy for runner’s knee can be helpful in many ways. In fact, there are three specific benefits that this treatment option can offer you. 

Physical therapy for runner’s knee can offer these three benefits

Physical therapy specialists are experts at treating musculoskeletal disorders, including runner’s knee. One reason that they can treat so many issues is that they individualize the treatment to each patient. Part of this individualization process is a comprehensive physical evaluation. 

This process also includes bringing together multiple therapy methods. The therapy methods that your physical therapist adds to your runner’s knee therapy plan are intended to offer benefits like: 

1. Reducing pain — Joint misalignment is a common cause of runner’s knee. Often, the knee is misaligned because myofascial trigger points (MTPs) are present in soft tissue around the knee. Physical therapists can help break down MTPs and reduce pain with dry needling. One study reports that just six weeks of dry needling led to an almost 21-point decrease in knee pain scores for PPS patients. 

2. Improving muscle strength — Muscles as far away as your hip and buttocks support knee movement. When these muscles are weak or tense, it can lead to runner’s knee. Therapy specialists can show you how to perform therapeutic exercises designed to build strength in these muscles. Medical researchers report that therapeutic hip exercises being performed for four weeks led to a 21% increase in hip abductor strength. 

3. Boosting knee function — PPS symptoms are likely to affect your knee function; in fact, they can make normal daily activities like walking or squatting down almost impossible. Your physical therapist will focus on helping you recover this lost function. 

A technique they can use to do so is a manual therapy method called myofascial release. It involves your physical therapist using their hands to apply pressure to the MTP. A study of this technique reveals that it led to a nearly 10-point increase in function scores in just four weeks. 

Find effective physical therapy for runner’s knee at Back in Motion

Ready to get high-quality physical therapy for your runner’s knee? Our therapy specialists at Back in Motion are primed to help you find the top-notch care you need. We offer comprehensive evaluations that can pinpoint the source of your runner’s knee. 

Additionally, our physical therapists are adept at creating personalized therapy plans designed to reduce pain and prevent future cases of PPS. We can even help you get care from home with our virtual therapy and at-home care services.

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