You are in the middle of getting that muscle burn in a leg exercise, or you are sweating away on the treadmill and you feel a momentary but irritating twinge-like soreness somewhere inside your knee. Only a few more minutes to go and you think that maybe it will work itself out. Over the next few days, you feel that knee quite a bit more when you get up from sitting. You get to the point where cannot ignore your sore knee while you exercise.
This complex hinge joint has the unique job of joining the two longest levers in the body. It must support the body weight and allow movement at the same time. Injuries to the knee may involve cartilage, ligament, bone, nerve, muscle, or tendon structures. This is far from an exhaustive list.
Typically, pain is a signal that there is the potential for, or there actually is, tissue damage occurring. Unfortunately, the wrong kind of workout pain can yield no gain. The solution may be straightforward. Stop when it hurts. Oftentimes, it is not so simple. Problems that begin this way can linger and really keep you from doing all that you want to do physically.
When we get injured the first thing that often comes to mind is, “what is the problem?” Then suddenly, many become interested in understanding anatomy! What structures are affected and what did I do that caused this? What should I do now to get better? It is important for you to know that these are questions that a physical therapist can help you answer. In an appointment, a physical therapist will perform a detailed physical evaluation and afterwards, write a full report. A physical therapist can work with you and design how you are going to use movement and certain exercises to facilitate the right healing environment for your specific injury and/or physical limitations.
Please feel free to contact me for more information either at the club or via telephone at 805.798.1408.
Anna Kotula, DPT
2-13-05
