Do you struggle with knee pain? Perhaps it’s from an injury to the meniscus, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), or the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Or it could be the result of a knee replacement.
If there’s no clear injury, you could be dealing with osteoarthritis.
Whatever the source of your pain, you CAN find relief. Treating knee issues with Pilates-based PT (physical therapy) is a highly effective way to relieve pain while strengthening and stabilizing this largest joint in the body.
Anatomy of the Knee
Your knee joint is a hinge joint that bears a great deal of the stress from your everyday activities. It also supports a large share of your body weight. This makes it one of the most prone to injury.
The primary function of the knee joint is flexion and extension. It’s comprised of the femur bone in the thigh, the tibia bone in the shin, and the patella, or knee cap. Where the surface of these two bones come together, there’s a layer of cartilage. Between the femur and the tibia there are two menisci which are crucial for absorbing shock and reducing friction as the joint moves.
There are four major knee ligaments that hold the joint together and control its stability and motion. The two most prone to injury are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
Any of the components that make up the knee can sustain an injury. Sprains and tears, fractures, and dislocations are among the most common injuries.
Injuries to the ACL and PCL
One of the most important ligaments is the ACL. It’s only one of the most commonly injured. This is because it resists abnormal forward movement relative to rotational forces. An ACL tear usually occurs when there’s quick deceleration while twisting. Folks struggling with an ACL injury are fine when moving in a straight line, but attempting to turn causes the knee to collapse underneath them.
Meanwhile, the PCL prevents the tibia from sliding backward as it relates to the femur. A direct blow to the tibia – such as one might incur in a car accident – can damage the PCL and lead to stability issues.
Treating Knee Issues with Pilates-Based PT
While not every type of knee injury can be effectively treated with Pilates-based physical therapy exercises, many of them can. Any time physical therapy is recommended, Pilates-based physical therapy is also appropriate.
Regardless of the knee injury sustained, your body will attempt to protect the area around the knee. As such, it’s common to lose quad and glute strength while compensating. Part of what makes Pilates-based physical therapy so effective is that most Pilates exercises focus on quad and glute strength and activation.
In addition, the low- or even no-impact movements in Pilates help to strengthen the muscles that support and surround the knee joint while increasing core stability to decrease the risk of injury to your knee and other lower extremity joints.
Finally, Pilates-based PT goes the distance in building balance and muscle tone. There’s a built-in focus on body awareness and flexibility as well that provide a more stable base for knee movement. All of this not only helps with rehabbing after an injury or knee replacement, but it also helps prevent future injuries and the pain that comes with them.
Restoring Knee Function for Arthritis Sufferers
One of the huge advantages of seeking Pilates-based PT is access to specialized Pilates equipment like the Reformer and the Cadillac. The Reformer is particularly effective for strengthening the knee.
If you’re not familiar, the Reformer is a machine that looks like a bed with springs and pulleys. It utilizes mechanical resistance to safely target the muscles and joints. This is especially good for those struggling with arthritis or who are recovering from a total knee replacement. With instruction from the physical therapist, clients perform exercises while lying comfortably on their backs. There’s a foot bar that allows for safe conditioning of the leg and thigh muscles. The controlled resistance not only helps build strength but promotes circulation to and stabilization of the knee joint.
Find Healing Through Pilates-Based Physical Therapy
Now that you see the effectiveness of treating knee issues with Pilates-based PT, you might be ready to see what it can do for you.
So if you’re struggling with knee pain due to injury, arthritis, or knee replacement and your doctor has cleared you for physical therapy, contact us today.
You’ll be amazed at how beautifully these two modalities complement one another. We invite you to come see for yourself.