Knee Pain

Knee pain can be categorised as acute (short term) injuries or chronic (long term) injuries. These chronic injuries are usually “overuse” injuries, whereby the knee joint is compromised by repetitive trauma. Knee pain can be caused by a variety of factors including bursitis, tendinitis, arthritis, tears in the ligaments, or menisci (osteoarthritis of the joint) or infection – and very commonly by condition known as runner’s knee

Below are some types of Knee Pain commonly seen at Footworx Podiatry:

Patella Femoral Syndrome (patella-femoral syndrome, ‘Runners Knee’, PFS)

PFS is related to poor tracking of the kneecap during walking and is characterised by pain at the front of the knee when walking up or down stairs and during prolonged periods of sitting, swelling and clicking within the knee. The complaint is a response to inflammation of the under surface of the knee cap and is usually caused by a combination of factors that all need to be addressed for full recovery.

One of these factors is an alignment problem within the knee, which stems from poor foot posture. As the foot moves on the ground it sets up a chain reaction in the body. If the foot is not aligned properly this can cause issues further up the limb, magnifying as the movement or rotation travels up to the knee.

Treatment for the condition may include anti-inflammatory advice, taping, stretching, strengthening, footwear advice, activity modification and treatment using orthotic therapy.

Correctly identifying your particular kind of knee pain is vital to effective treatment. We use a thorough biomechanical assessment to identify whether structural issues such as poor foot posture are the cause of your knee pain.

Knee Arthritis

As we get older we develop wear and tear arthritis within some joints. This can be worsened by previous injuries, some medical conditions, body weight and repetitive stress usually through work or sport. Medial (inside) knee joint arthritis affects a large proportion of the population over 45 years of age. Full length laterally wedged orthotics have been clinically proven to reduce medial knee joint pain. For some patients orthotics may be a substitute for or reduce the requirement for pain relief medication and surgery.

Osgood Schlatters Disease

This is a painful condition that affects the lower portion of the knee cap and occurs commonly in children between 9-16 years old. The child will have swelling in the area, and tenderness to touch. The disease is related to activity, growth spurts and age. The child will often be able to point to the exact site of pain on their leg. The condition can be acute or chronic in nature and require your Podiatrists use of radiology to diagnose and provide appropriate management.

At Footworx Podiatry we take a detailed history, physical assessment and gait analysis to ensure the correct diagnosis of your knee pain.