With the numerous calls I have recently received about one specific type of pain, I thought it was best that I address an injury that many people push to the side– knee pain. Knee pain is one of those injuries that most people tend to ignore… It usually starts out as nagging pain that doesn’t really stop you from doing anything (unless you have severe pain, which we’ll talk about shortly).
For most, the pain just shows up with certain activities, like trying to get up from the couch or a low chair or going up and down stairs. For the more active people, the pain may only occur when they try to run, or go for a hike, or play soccer or basketball. Whether your pain comes and goes with certain activities, or it’s gotten more frequent with even just light activities, here’s the dangerous pattern with knee pain…
Knee pain that lasts longer than about two weeks is unlikely to go away, and is almost guaranteed to get worse over time. If left untreated, what started as just a little knee irritation can end up leading to a more serious problem, requiring surgery or a total knee replacement. Our goal at Natural Fit Therapy is to help people stay healthy, active, and independent, without pain pills or surgery. So, in order to help prevent unnecessary surgery, treating your knee pain while the pain is still manageable is a huge key to success!
That being said, it sounds nice and makes sense to treat your knee pain early before it gets serious or requires surgery. However, the majority of people we help eliminate knee pain at Natural Fit Therapy have been suffering for at least two to three years!
Most of these people started off with very mild, nagging pain. Then after several months (or even years), their pain progressed to the point where they’re now missing out on activities that they enjoy. This is the tipping point for most people, so I’ll say it again: most people will only come to us for treatment of their knee pain once they start missing out on activities that they love to do (like running, hiking, sports, or playing with kids or grandkids).
So, if you’re reading through this and you’re still only experiencing mild knee pain, DON’T WAIT until it gets worse. You’re only hurting yourself by waiting around for the pain to go away.
Still don’t think knee pain is a serious injury? Let’s look at some statistics then. According to Classic Rehabilitation, Inc….
· Approximately 20 percent of people in the U.S. suffer from knee pain
· Knee pain is the second most common cause of chronic pain
· Knee pain is typically the result of too much weight put on the knee point
· Another leading cause of knee pain is improper technique during activity
“So, how can I get help for my knee pain?”
Over the last 10 years, I’ve worked with literally hundreds of clients who’ve experienced mild to chronic knee pain and I’ve had the opportunity to help them get their lives back. Let our therapists take care of you and get you back to an independent, healthy and active lifestyle again!
I’m offering a FREE Discovery Visit for anyone reading this blog.
What’s a Discovery Visit?
A Discovery Visit is a 20-30 minute appointment with a Doctor of Physical Therapy where you’ll go over what’s going on with your knee pain (and possibly other pain), what your goals are, and how we can help!
To schedule your FREE DV, call our clinic at 512-730-0231.
