Knee Pain
Several different problems share the name. Which one you have decides the treatment: which is what an assessment is for.
Common symptoms
- , Pain at the front of the knee, worse on stairs
- , Swelling after activity
- , Giving way or instability
- , Locking or catching
- , Stiffness after sitting
Common causes
- , Increased running volume or intensity
- , Weak hip and gluteal muscles
- , Osteoarthritis and age-related change
- , Twisting injury to ligament or meniscus
- , Direct impact from a fall or collision
The knee is often not the problem
Front-of-knee pain in runners is among the most misdiagnosed complaints we see. The pain is at the knee, so the knee gets treated (ice, rest, a brace) and it returns the moment running resumes.
In most cases the driver is above it. Weak gluteal muscles let the thigh rotate inward on landing, loading the kneecap badly. Strengthening the hip resolves what months of treating the knee did not.
After a fracture
A distinct part of the Nakuru caseload is knees that were injured in road collisions: tibial plateau fractures, ligament damage, or a long period in plaster after something else.
The pattern is consistent: the fracture heals, the plaster comes off, and the knee is stiff and weak with nobody following up. Left alone it does not simply recover with use. Graded, deliberate rehabilitation is what restores it, and starting late costs months.
Arthritic knees
Physiotherapy will not reverse joint changes, but strength and movement work reliably reduces pain and improves function, and frequently postpones surgery for years: which matters more here, where a knee replacement usually also means travelling and paying for Nairobi.
How we treat it
- , Assessment of hip, knee and ankle together
- , Progressive strengthening, glutes and quadriceps
- , Training load management for runners
- , Manual therapy for stiffness
- , Post-surgical and post-fracture rehabilitation
Typical recovery: 6–12 weeks for most overuse problems; longer after surgery
See a doctor urgently if you have
- !Inability to bear weight after injury
- !A knee that locks and will not straighten
- !Rapid marked swelling within an hour
- !Fever with a hot, swollen knee
- !Obvious deformity after trauma
These are not physiotherapy problems. Go to a doctor or hospital rather than booking with us.
Treatments that help
Common questions
Is running ruining my knees?
No. Recreational runners have no higher rate of knee arthritis than non-runners, and generally lower. What causes trouble is a sudden increase in load, not the running itself.
I was told I have wear and tear. Is that the end of it?
Usually not. Joint changes on imaging are extremely common and correlate poorly with pain. Most people with mild to moderate changes keep going with the right strength work.
Do I need surgery for a meniscus tear?
Often not. For degenerative tears in middle-aged and older adults, rehabilitation performs about as well as arthroscopic surgery in good trials: which is worth knowing before committing to an operation and a trip to Nairobi.
Book a physiotherapist in Nakuru
Clinic appointments in Milimani, or a physiotherapist at your door across Nakuru. Same-week slots.