4 Ways In Which Physical Therapy For Knee Pain Benefits You

When you're in pain, the last thing you think about is exercise. And in fact, part of the recuperation strategy for a lot of leg pain is to rest. But when the pain is in one of your joints and is not getting better, you can't fully rely on the RICE protocol to heal everything. This is when you seek out a diagnosis of what exactly is causing the pain and what you can do about it. Physical therapy is usually part of the mix, for four very good reasons.

It Will Keep You Moving

First, that therapy will keep you moving your knee. You can't keep the joint immobilized all the time because that will just lead to the joint becoming stiff. You don't want to repeat movements that actually make the knee hurt, though, which is why you want a therapist to create a plan for you. If you attempt to fix this on your own, you could make it worse instead. The movements should be geared toward retaining and increasing mobility while reducing pain, as well as making the muscles around the knee much stronger.

It Should Strengthen the Muscles Around the Knee

Speaking of which, when you have weak muscles around the knee, the joint doesn't get a lot of support or protection. It's more likely to become injured again and again. Part of the physical therapy should focus on building strength around the knee so that it has more cushioning above and below, and the structure of the knee becomes more stable.

It Allows a Therapist to Monitor Your Progress

Sometimes physical therapy doesn't have the effect it should, which indicates that something else is going on. When you're undergoing therapy, the physical therapist can keep track of your progress and spot issues before they become too great. For example, if you're not experiencing the pain relief that you should after a certain amount of time in therapy, the therapist can immediately revise your therapy plan to better address what's happening, or send you to another doctor for further evaluation. If you weren't in therapy, you might not know what to do other than call a doctor.

It Helps Your Hips and Ankles, Too

Not only do the muscles around your knees have to be strong for your knee to function well, but your hip and ankle joints have to be strong and stable, too. The therapy plan may address strengthening your whole leg and taking care of any hip or ankle problems as well. Even if you thought those problems were minor, they can affect your knee. When you're in physical therapy, you can address the leg as a whole and increase your legs' overall health.

For more information on physical therapy for knee pain, contact a medical professional.