Providing knee pain relief for clients in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Radford, and the surrounding areas.
Experiencing knee pain and mobility issues?
Total Motion Physical Therapy can help diagnose and rehabilitate your knee problems so you can return to enjoying life.
We have extensive knowledge and experience in rehabilitating patients with knee injuries. We provide personalized PT treatment plans, exercises, and guidance that improve movement, relieve pain in and around the knee, and help restore physical fitness and activity levels as before.
No Doctor Referral Needed
Total Motion Physical Therapy is a Direct Access Certified practice, meaning you can receive treatment from our physical therapists without a doctor’s referral.
Common Causes of Knee Pain and Problems
The knee is the most commonly injured joint in the body.
Knee pain can result from:
- Overuse – This can include participating in sports, working a job that’s hard on the body, or simply doing repetitive motions day after day. Over time, tissue, bone, and ligaments can wear down or become injured.
- Traumatic Strain or Sprains – Strains and sprains can cause damage to a knee & leg’s muscles, tendons, and nerves. Pain and discomfort are common symptoms; if left untreated or if activities continue, an individual may experience more severe pain by way of stress fractures, nerve compression syndrome, and more.
- Arthritis – Experiencing long-term pain, swelling, cracking/crunching, and stiffness in one or both knees can be a sign of arthritis. This ailment can include osteoarthritis of the knee, rheumatoid arthritis of the knee, and/or post-traumatic arthritis of the knee.
Injury to the knee can cause loss of motion, decreased muscle control, and impaired strength and endurance loss of the muscles that support the knee. Individuals will likely experience pain, swelling, tingling, numbness, stiffness, sensitivity, and overall weakness. Though rest, OTC medications, and at-home treatments may help temporarily relieve leg and knee pain, physical therapy provides a pathway to long-term treatment and relief.
Understanding Knee Injuries and Treatment
Treatment Guide for Knee Osteoarthritis
The Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment Guide includes new research, solutions, and more.VIEW THE GUIDE When you have a painful knee that continues to limit your daily activities, athletic participation, or other hobbies, it is important to have it examined by a medical professional. If your injury results from a direct blow or sudden strain to the knee, a medical professional can help determine if you have a significant ligamentous or cartilaginous injury requiring extensive knee pain treatment.
Many knee injuries can be treated conservatively with rest, ice, mobilization, and physical therapy. Along with the knee, there are also leg problems that can interfere with daily life, such as shin splints and restless leg syndrome. Physical leg therapy can help ease discomfort and avoid long-term pain.
ACL Injury
Treatment Guide for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
The Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Treatment Guide includes new research, solutions, and more.VIEW THE GUIDE The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is one of the primary ligaments in the knee that controls the motion of the shin bone on the thigh bone. 70% of tears result from non-contact injuries, and 30% are from contact in sports requiring sudden changes of direction or jumping and landing.
Usually, a loud “pop” is heard, and a sharp, intense pain is felt. Within minutes to hours of the injury, there is swelling, and it can be difficult to walk due to pain and a sensation of the knee “giving way.”
Most people require surgery after an ACL injury, however, if your lifestyle does not require cutting, pivoting, or intense physical activity there is a chance you may not need surgery. Your physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon can help determine what the best treatment plan for you is by performing several tests and possibly imaging such as an MRI.
Physical therapy will be important for you, whether it is prior to surgery, after, or in the case you do not require surgery.
Full recovery from ACL injuries takes 6-12 months.
Total Knee Replacement
Total knee replacement (TKA or TKR) is the end result of knee osteoarthritis.
Knee osteoarthritis is the most common knee injury. When people suffer from chronic knee pain, which leads to a decrease in quality of life, an inability to walk pain-free, and constant aching in the knee, TKA is a viable option after failed conservative treatment.
Your physical therapist can help give you leg exercises before your TKA to restore the mobility and strength needed for a speedy recovery. After knee replacement surgery, physical therapy can help reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation immediately afterward. In addition, 2-3 months of physical therapy are usually beneficial to improve range of motion, strength, and balance in the operative leg.
Participating in PT after your surgery will help you return to the exercise, leisure, and recreational activities you enjoy.
Patellofemoral Pain (Runner’s Knee)
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) refers to pain located in the anterior knee around the kneecap (patella). It typically occurs in athletes, active adolescents, and physically active adults. It is described as an “overuse syndrome” due to the fact that it typically results from someone doing too much of a certain activity.
Common symptoms of “runner’s knee” are:
- pain that is worse while walking up and down hills, stairs, or uneven surfaces
- pain after sitting for long periods of time
- occasional cracking or grinding of the knee
What predisposes most individuals to overuse syndromes is an underlying weakness, tightness, or stiffness in the body. In the case of PFPS this causes the kneecap to get out of alignment while the knee bends and straightens. Repeated activity where the kneecap is “out of place” causes unwanted rubbing and irritation.
A physical therapist can help identify your leg’s weakness or tightness. After your muscle imbalances are discovered, specific hands-on interventions, self-stretching exercises, and strengthening exercises will be used to correct your body’s movement.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome – ITBS
ITBS is a common knee condition in endurance athletes such as runners and cyclists.
Typical symptoms are:
- A stabbing/stinging pain close to the knee cap over the outside of the knee
- A ‘clicking’ where you feel pops and snaps outside the knee
- A radiating pain that makes its way up to the hip
There may be swelling present, tightness felt in the knee or outside of the hip, and pain after walking, climbing stairs, or going sit to stand after sitting for long periods of time. As with PFPS, this is typically an overuse syndrome, and muscle imbalances cause the symptoms.
Physical therapists can provide effective activity pacing, strengthening, and stretching strategies to address these muscle strength imbalances and get you back to your recreational or sporting activities.
Debridement
Treatment Guide for Femoral Acetabular Impingement
The Femoral Acetabular Impingement Treatment Guide includes new research, solutions, and more.VIEW THE GUIDE Debridement can refer to a variety of different surgical procedures.
Most often, at the knee, debridement is performed on the meniscus. It can also be referred to as a “scope.”
With continued use of our bodies, they start to break down, and often, the knee’s menisci start to wear and tear. When this happens, small pieces can become trapped in the knee and cause pain for the individual. The purpose of the debridement is to remove the frayed pieces of tissue and “clean up” the knee joint.
Rehab following a knee scope is typically 3-6 weeks in physically active people. Physical therapy will strengthen your muscles and regain your motion in order to restore your ability to function. Most people are able to return to sports and recreational hobbies without limitation.
How Our Physical Therapists Help Relieve Knee Pain
Total Motion is a physical therapy clinic that helps patients in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford, VA, find relief from leg, hip, and knee pain. Whether you’re experiencing a sports injury or something more long-term, our therapists provide a supportive service and environment that helps you regain mobility and feel whole again.
Physical therapy for knee pain offers several advantages over more invasive treatments, like surgery. PT services are often more cost-effective and provide a more personalized, caring experience that leads to recovery success. PT helps patients create new, positive habits to reduce recurring knee pain and mobility issues. Likewise, physical therapy exercises can allow patients to avoid reliance on pain medications.
A treatment plan devised by our physical therapists can include:
- Strength exercises that improve the muscles of the knee and leg
- Stretching exercises that enhance mobility and relieve pressure
- Balance exercises to better distribute a body’s weight and pull pressure off areas
No matter what the cause of your knee pain is, whether it’s from meniscus tears or sports injuries, Total Motion will help you through your rehab in order to ensure the best outcome. Our job is to help restore your total function for a total life.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment. Remember, a referral may not be necessary.
Resources
Knee Pain Physical Therapy Services in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford
Pain, discomfort, and lack of mobility can decrease your quality of life, so it’s never a good idea to ignore knee & leg problems. Our physical therapist can address and help treat your ailments. The combination of treatment by a medical professional, at-home pain management, and our PT expertise & techniques bring you back to your usual self — learn more about what we can do by contacting our amazing team using the contact form below.