Understanding Knee Pain: What You Need to Know

Knee pain can come from many different sources, leading to a variety of diagnoses such as patellofemoral pain syndrome, meniscus tear, ligament tear, tendon injuries, runner’s knee, and jumper’s knee, among others.

A common approach to treating knee pain is to strengthen the muscles around the knee and hip, including the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. This can be effective for people who are not very active, as simply getting them moving can make a big difference in reducing pain. However, if you already work out regularly and still experience knee pain, this strategy might not be enough to give you the relief you need.

The knee may seem like a simple joint that just bends and straightens, but there’s actually a small amount of rotation happening as it moves. When you straighten your knee, your thigh bone (femur) rotates inward, and your shin bone (tibia) rotates outward. When you bend your knee, the femur rotates outward, and the tibia rotates inward. If you’re lacking mobility in these movements and traditional stretching isn’t helping, focusing on improving the knee’s rotational movement could be the missing piece. Exercises like banded terminal knee extensions (TKE) or foam roller knee flexion mobilizations may be just what you need.

Knee Flexion Foam Roller Mobilization

If you’re more limited with bending your knee, try the knee flexion foam roller mobilization. Do 2 sets of 15-20 reps 1-2 times per day over the next 2-3 weeks and see if it makes a difference.

Banded Terminal Knee Extension (TKE)

If you're having trouble straightening your knee, try the banded TKE. Position the band above the knee to pull in and the band below the knee to pull out. To focus on bending the knee, switch the pulls: the band above should pull out, and the one below should pull in. Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps, 1-2 times a day for the next 2-3 weeks.

Even though the knee has this added rotational complexity, it’s still considered a relatively "simple" joint compared to the more complex hip and ankle joints. Often, knee pain is the result of issues in the joints above or below it. For example, stiffness in the ankle can reduce its ability to absorb force, placing more stress on the knee. Likewise, limited movement in the hips can reduce the knee’s ability to rotate properly.

If you’ve been doing lower body strengthening and mobility exercises like banded TKEs or knee flexion mobilizations for a few weeks and haven’t seen much improvement, it may be time to consult a healthcare professional. Click the button below to schedule a discovery call with us, and let’s work together to get your knee feeling better.