Knee pain treatment in Plainwell, MI

We are only given one set of knees that are meant to last our entire lives. When knee pain becomes bad enough to affect your daily routine, it can reduce your quality of life. Armor Physical Therapy in Plainwell, Michigan wants to help with your knee pain treatment through physical therapy.

Diagnosing knee pain

When you first see the physical therapist for knee pain, he or she will perform a thorough evaluation to determine the root cause of your knee pain. Medical history, including previous injuries, can help paint a clearer picture of your condition. Baseline measurements for strength and range of motion are also taken.

A gait analysis will often be performed so that any abnormalities in your stride can be identified. Sometimes pain in one area of the body can be caused by the body overcompensating for weakness in another area. Knee pain can be the result of excess strain to make up for problems in the hip or ankle. A gait analysis can reveal how your body may be overcompensating for your knee pain.

Knee pain treatments

Depending on the specific knee injury you have, your therapy goals and treatment may vary. But the common goals of rehab for the knee are to improve mobility, strengthen the surrounding muscles and increase stability in the knee. Common physical therapy treatments for knee pain include:

Manual therapy — The physical therapist will manipulate the joint with appropriate force to increase range of motion and prevent the buildup of inelastic and fibrous scar tissue.

Electrical stimulation — Overuse injuries in the knee are the result of inflammation in the joint. TENS units stimulation increases blood flow to promote the body’s own natural healing process.

Strength training — The physical therapist will prescribe sets of exercises that you can do at home to increase strength in the muscle groups around the knee. Often, it is the work you do outside of the physical therapist’s office that can have the biggest impact on the effectiveness of your treatment.

Scheduling physical therapy with Armor Physical Therapy

Knee pain should not have to keep you in your chair and immobile. The physical therapists of Armor Physical Therapy want to help you walk or run without knee pain. If you are in the Plainwell, Michigan area and have recently injured your knee, contact us today to set up your initial appointment.