Pain in the front or side of your knee?
Clicking or popping around the kneecap?
Don't be so quick to blame the knee! We see this all the time at On Track Physiotherapy. Client comes in with knee pain and has difficulty with squatting, stairs, etc.
Often times people think that this is a knee issue. When quite often it actually has more to do with the hips and foot than anything.
When people think about the knee, many believe that it just bends and straightens. When in reality there is actually a decent amount of rotation that is normal and should occur at the knee with various different tasks.
This is because you hips and ankles have more degrees of freedom than the knee. Move your ankle or hip around for a moment. Then move you knee. Notice how many more options are available to the ankle and hip.
This puts your knee "a.k.a the middle man" at the mercy of the hip and ankle. Your body is like a tetor toter, if one end moves, the opposite end is going to do something as a result.
So if you hip or ankle do not have the motion necessary to accomplish the task, it causes the knee to work overtime.
If your hip and ankle don't have stability and control, then the knee takes the brunt of the stress.
Your body needs controlled motion available throughout the lower extremity to distribute forces and start feeling better.
Listen to the video above, as I explain this in more detail.
Real Solutions For Knee Pain| Ann Arbor, Mi | FREE Discovery Session|
About the Author: Dr. Greg Schaible is a physical therapist/strength coach specializing in athletic performance. He attended The University of Findlay, graduating in 2013 with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT). As a Track and Field athlete, he was as a 5x Division II All-American and 6x Division II Academic All-American. Greg is the owner of On Track Physiotherapy in Ann Arbor, Mi. You can stay up to date with helpful information and news on Facebook.