Knee & Thigh Pain Treatments

Don't kneel to pain

YOUR KNEE & THIGH

Your knee and thigh sit between the ‘drivers of your leg’ – your hip and your foot. The knee supports your body weight and transmits the power generated by your back, hip and thigh muscles through your leg.

We see many patients with knee and thigh complications at clinic. Amongst the most common are pulled muscles in the hamstring, quadriceps, calf and groin; iliotibial band injuries; arthritis of the knee; patella tendonitis; runners’ knee and housemaids’ knee. Athletes are particularly prone to iliotibial band problems (runners, cyclists) and patellar tendonitis (dance, gymnastics, tennis and skiing). Housemaids’ knee is common amongst tradespeople who kneel frequently (carpet fitters, builders, gardeners) and poor functioning biomechanics can affect anyone.

Once we have determined the underlying cause of your symptoms, we will recommend one (or a combination) of the following knee and thigh pain treatments: Acupuncture; Orthoses; Stretches and Exercises. Take a look at the below sections about Knee and Thigh Treatments to see how we can help you.

ACUPUNCTURE FOR KNEE & THIGH PAIN

The femur (thigh bone) is the longest and strongest bone in the body and the knee is the largest and most complex joint. Together they do an incredible job supporting our body weight and allowing our legs to bend, straighten, twist and turn.

If patients present to us with chronic knee or thigh pain injuries such as Runners Knee, Patella Femoral Pain (pain in the front of the knee cap), Chondromalacia Patella (damage to the cartilage at the back of the kneecap) and Iliotibial (IT) Band problems (the band crucial for stabilising the knee during running), we often use knee, leg and thigh pain acupuncture to reduce swelling and bring immediate pain relief. Once the pain has reduced, we will carry out more in-depth analysis to discover the underlying cause of the pain and treat accordingly.

We also use acupuncture for pain relief against osteoarthritis and to ease joint and hamstring pain, tight muscles and numbness.

Orthoses for Knee & Thigh Pain

Ian Sadler, BxClinic’s Lead Clinician, is an expert in orthoses. Orthotic treatment (custom made shoe insoles) is extremely useful for helping both chronic knee and thigh pain and lower body biomechanical malfunction.

Your lower body biomechanics often become misaligned and your knee and thigh may well be the body’s ‘section of choice’ when compensating for a flat foot or a high arch. If your foot is not rotating correctly across the ground, you may be using your knee in a way it is not designed to function which can cause pain and deterioration and eventually arthritis.

Custom made foot orthoses for thigh pain, and knee and leg pain orthotics are excellent for alleviating joint stress and pain caused by poor biomechanics and for aiding recovery from acute injuries, such as Runner’s Knee. They bring pain relief by preventing the damaging movement and allowing your soft tissue to operate in the correct manner to repair itself.

Stretches & Exercises for Knee & Thigh Pain

Our knees and thighs work extremely hard supporting our body’s weight during both physical exercise and simple daily activities like going up and down stairs.

Typically two types of injury affect the knee and thigh: acute trauma and biomechanical complications. Acute trauma often occurs as a result of a sudden twist, like a torn cartilage (torn meniscus). Injuries like this are common, especially amongst sports people including runners and hikers, but particularly contact and jumping sports like football or dancing. Biomechanical issues with other parts of the body can cause knee and thigh pain. If your foot is pulling your knee out of position, your knees and thighs will have to compensate.

Specific upper leg pain, thigh pain and knee pain stretches and exercises will bring pain relief. They strengthen your joints and muscles, making them less susceptible to injury. They will also bring relief from osteoarthritis soreness and help you recover more quickly after surgery or injury.

Referrals

BxClinic specialises in biomechanics and we work within the scope of our practice and expertise to deliver the best possible care and outcomes for our patients. There are times when our assessments of a patient’s condition determine that the best course of treatment is with a clinician of a different expertise.

A good example of this might be severe knee pain after a long walk caused indirectly by pelvic instability. Treating the knee pain would be inappropriate so we would refer to a clinician better suited to help with the pelvis. Where appropriate we may also refer patients for scans.

We work with a range of partners including physiotherapists, osteopaths, massage therapists, Pilates teachers, sports rehabilitators and local specialist shops.

Nothing at any rate could walk upright continuously and securely without flexions at the knee.

Aristotle

What Patients Say

Dawn

Marathon runner with knee pain

“The pain had gone and I had no problems on the day of the marathon or after."
Steve

Runner with ITB problems

“The clinic resolved a long standing ITB problem quickly and easily with orthotics."