Depending on the extent of your knee pain and medical history, physical therapy may be a very effective, non-surgical means of treatment. Physical Therapy may also help you return to your daily and sporting activities quicker, and with less likelihood of re-injury after an injury or surgical intervention. Therapy can also reduce strain on irritated joints caused by osteoarthritis or other diseases, allowing the ability to perform weight bearing activities with little to no discomfort.

It’s important to work with an experienced physical therapist to develop a comprehensive personalized plan designed to address specific impairments of your knee and the severity of the condition. Knees that heal incorrectly increase the chances of continued pain, compensation, and further injury. Most patients who complete their full physical therapy plans experience better outcomes, recover faster, resume normal activities sooner, and enjoy more sustained relief over time.

The knee joint is the largest in the human body and is the joint most susceptible to injuries. The knee is comprised of bones, muscles that control movement, ligaments that add stability, cartilage that absorbs pressure, and various other structures that provide smooth, pain-free movement. These multiple parts need to fit and work together in order for the knee to function properly.

The most common knee injuries we treat at Town Center Orthopaedics include:

• Sprains
• Quad and Hamstring strains
• Osteoarthritis
• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
• Iliotibial “IT” band syndrome
• Patellar and quad tendinitis
• Bursitis
• Meniscal injuries
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries
• Medial and Lateral Collateral ligament (MCL and LCL) injuries
• Fractures

A physical therapist will take a medical history that includes: gathering information on how your pain started, the type of pain you’re experiencing, activities that aggravate the pain, and any factors that offer relief. In some cases, our knee specialists will conduct a functional movement screening and a more focused exam that may evaluate pain, strength, range of motion, swelling, and balance. Special, more in-depth, tests directed at the suspected cause of pain or injury may be conducted as well.

Based on the results of the exam, the therapist will design a personalized treatment plan to ease your pain and restore proper movement.

Knee therapists commonly use:

• Range of motion (rom) exercises
• Muscle strengthening
• Functional movement training
• Neuromuscular Re-education
• Manual therapy
• Patient education
• Pain management
• Supportive devices

The physical therapists at Town Center Orthopaedics may also recommend specialized treatments, including:

Functional dry needling (FDN): Trigger point dry needling uses a solid needle that penetrates the skin to access tight muscle fibers that may cause pain and tenderness, which limit movement.

Blood-flow restriction training: Blood flow restriction is a strengthening technique used to help gain muscle function. It involves using a tourniquet or pneumatic cuff around a muscle during low intensity, high repetition muscle contractions.

Sportsmetrics™: Sportsmeterics is an ACL injury prevention program that helps protect athletes from incurring serious knee ligament injuries.

Your physical therapist will tell you how often you need to go to therapy. The frequency and length of time depend on the severity and type of injury. Town Center Orthopaedics’ discharge rate is up to 25% faster than the national average, with most patients seeing benefits within the first 2-3 sessions. We have an extensive history of treating ACL injuries quicker with better outcomes, enabling athletes to return to their sport in a timely manner. Our therapists focus on getting patients back to their daily activities as safely as possible.