Do you know someone who often complains about pain in their knee or knees? It’s not uncommon. In fact, it’s so common that in a survey of over 5,000 adults over the age of 65, over 30% of them reported experiencing knee pain on a daily or near-daily basis. Knee pain can stem from a variety of causes, but there is one thing that all knee pain sufferers know well and have in common: Knee pain can make life very difficult. It can make simple movements and activities such as walking, sitting down and standing up, or squatting down very uncomfortable, leaving many people in search of ways to manage their pain.
Why do I have knee pain when squatting?
Pain in the knees can arise from:
- Athletic activity — While athletic activity is good for the body, overexertion and improper stretching techniques can put stress on the joints of the knee over time.
- Long hours of physical work — Knee problems can develop in people who spend most of their working hours standing, walking, or lifting and carrying heavy objects. If proper footwear and anti-fatigue mats are not used during work, wear and tear on the knees can become exponentially worse, resulting in pain or injury.
- Traumatic injury — If your knee was injured in a fall, sports injury or car accident, you may experience knee pain long after the initial injury has healed. Knee pain while squatting, sitting or standing may be the result of an old injury.
- Arthritis — Osteoarthritis is a condition that can arise from any of the previously stated causes, as well as from old age or a preexisting condition. Additionally, some adults are at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that causes pain and inflammation in joints such as the knee.
How can physical therapy help with knee pain when squatting?
A licensed physical therapist can help you formulate a plan for your specific pain needs. Here are three steps your therapy specialist can do to reduce your discomfort and pain from squatting:
- Therapeutic exercise — There are many exercises and stretches that your therapist can instruct you in to not only help relieve the pain in your knee but also increase your joint mobility and the strength of your knee over time.
- Aquatic therapy — Aquatic therapy has been used for many years to help improve flexibility and increase muscle strength; it also provides benefits such as aerobic exercise and stress relief.
- Joint mobilization — Manual (hands-on) therapy is employed to stimulate and stretch the soft tissue around the affected area, leading to increased mobility and pain reduction, and to break up scar tissue that may be affecting the movement of the knee.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment to start treating your painful knees.