Knee Physical Therapy
Knee complaints are a common problem, which many people suffer from. They can be particularly troublesome for athletes or for older people, but anyone might experience pain, stiffness, swelling or other problems in their knees. At Lake City PT, we recognize the range of backgrounds that people with knee pain and injuries have. We offer knee physical therapy at our Hayden, Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Spokane Valley locations that is designed to treat the pain and discomfort while also providing long-term solutions.
Some common knee problems include osteoarthritis, which affects almost 20% of those over age 45, rheumatoid arthritis, ACL injuries, knee bursitis, a torn meniscus, and patellar tendonitis, which often affects runners, cyclists and other athletes.
What is Knee Physical Therapy
Knee physical therapy is a physical therapy that is specifically designed to help people who have injuries or health conditions that affect their knees. Physical therapy for the knees includes exercises that are chosen to strengthen the knee and improve its range of motion, as well as enable movement without pain. When receiving treatment with knee physical therapy, patients can benefit from better mobility, which leads to them being more active.
As well as PT exercises, other therapies can be used to alleviate knee pain and improve the function of the knee. These might include the use of ice and heat, ultrasound massage, and electrical nerve or muscle stimulation. Through physical therapy, the knees can be strengthened, and pain in the joints and muscles of the knee can be relieved.
How Does Knee Physical Therapy Help Patients
At Lake City PT, we use physical therapy to help patients with a range of knee complaints. Physical therapy can help patients with knee pain and other issues in various ways. Some people may benefit from physical therapy before or after having surgery on their knee. Physical therapy can also help patients to recover from a knee injury, such as an ACL injury or a torn meniscus. People who have more long-term knee conditions, such as arthritis of the knees, are able to benefit from physical therapy too.
Knee physical therapy eases pain in the joints and can improve movement in the knees too. If you are recovering from an injury or want to address a health condition that affects your knees, physical therapy from Lake City PT can get the strength back into your knees.
How long is physical therapy for knee injuries?
The length of time you might be prescribed physical therapy for a knee injury depends on the type of injury, the severity of the injury, and how it affects you. When you attend your first session with a physical therapist, they will assess you and create a treatment plan for you to follow. For a knee injury that is less serious, four to eight weeks of therapy can be helpful. More serious injuries might require more than eight weeks of therapy to provide the full benefit of the treatment.
People having physical therapy for ongoing conditions, such as arthritis, might benefit from having long-term help to keep them mobile and help them to manage their pain.
Knee Conditions Physical Therapy Can Help
Various knee conditions can improve when physical therapy is used to treat them. Knee physical therapy can help both knee injuries and chronic conditions. It is often recommended before or after knee surgery, after an injury, or for people with arthritis.
Physical Therapy for Knee Surgery
Physical therapy can help patients who have had knee surgery. It could also help to make it possible to avoid knee surgery. PT may be useful after having a knee replacement or other knee surgery, such as repairing an ACL injury.
Physical Therapy for Knee Injury
Different types of knee injury can be treated with physical therapy, encouraging faster healing and helping the knee to heal correctly. Knee injuries can include a number of problems, from ACL injuries to knee dislocations. Each type of injury should be approached in the appropriate way with a tailored PT treatment plan.
Physical Therapy for Knee Arthritis
Knee arthritis affects many people, especially older adults. Movement can help to improve arthritis in the knees, which is why physical therapy can form part of the treatment for the condition. PT can make it possible for people with knee arthritis to stay mobile and active.