The painful knee
Knee pain is very common amongst the Australian population. Previously more common for males than females, the incidence rate is gradually becoming more even, in addition it is believed that knee injury and pain is increasing dramatically in younger populations (Maniar et al., 2022).
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There are a number of potential conditions associated with knee pain. Whilst osteoarthritis and degeneration are well known sources of knee pain, other factors such as traumatic injury from sport or recreation play a large role in a high number of causes.
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A thorough assessment of a knee is required to properly ascertain the likely cause of pain, and as such best possible management. A physiotherapist or other AHPRA registered health practitioner may recommend a combination of inflammation management (RICER), manual therapy / techniques, strengthening, and proprioceptive training.
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The course of rehabilitation and time frames for healing are dictated by the form of knee condition and overall prognosis. Within our clinic setting, use of a complete assessment including: review of medical imaging (where available), range of motion, gait analysis, and strength measures is essential in best practice care.
Further reading (click): Trends in Australian knee injury rates: An epidemiological analysis of 228,344 knee injuries over 20 years - PubMed
(Maniar et al., 2022)