Best Knee Stability Exercises

Today we will talk about all things knee joint stabilisation!

  • The stability of the knee joint is dependent upon static and dynamic factors.
  • The static stabiliser includes passive structures such as the knee joint capsule and the various ligaments and other associated structures such as the
    • Menisci
    • ligaments which all act as static stabilisers include the medial collateral ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, the ACL, PCL,
    • The iliotibial band is also considered a static stabiliser in spite of its muscular connections.
  • The dynamic stabilisers of the knee are all the muscles and their aponeuroses, including:
    • Quadriceps
    • Pes Anserinus
    • Popliteus
    • Hamstrings

Because of the static factors it’s not something we can physically make it stronger, if you ever had ACL, PCL, meniscus or any other passive knee structure injuries my advice as the physio is to then make sure it’s vital for you to build up your dynamic factors and make them as strong as possible to help manage your injuries to the best of your abilities.

I am going to show you some strengthening and stability exercises to improve just that!

Keeping in mind these exercises are of general nature and do not take your injuries/history into considerations. In order to fully rehab your discomfort you will still need to continue to progress to harder and more functional strengthening exercises that are specifically tailored for you, in order to feel pain free while working.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle.

Our physiotherapist will be able to give a full assessment on you and come out with individualised advice/ treatment plan that is tailored for your particular needs.

At Capital Physiotherapy, your initial appointment is 40-60minutes long. This allows our physios to be thorough in their assessment, as well as giving them enough time to give you treatment on the same consultation!

For any physiotherapy related concerns drop us an email info@capitalphysiotherapy.com.au or make an appointment through our booking system!  

 

Additional Information:

We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this pandemic.


Why Are Knock Knees Not Allowed in the Army

 

Knock knees are what we call (Valgus knee) in the medical term.

Knock knees can be one of the reasons to be deemed unfit for defence forces. 

Why are knock knees not allowed in the army?

Answer is simple, in the military training you will need to go through vigorous physical training i.e Long distance running 30-40km, long standing, heavy lifting, crawling, climbing etc.

If you have knock knees, your knees will not be able to cope with the amount of load needed in the military training. Hence, even if they allow you to join the training, sooner or later you will most likely find that your knees will not be able to cope with all these physical demands.

Those medical prerequisites are put in place for the health of the applicants. 

If you have knock knees you are naturally at a higher risk of getting knee injuries such as

  • Meniscus tear
  • Knee early arthritis
  • Knee ligament strain
  • Knee Capsule strain

Having said that, most people with knock knees live their life fine with no need for surgical intervention. People who generally experience pain and need surgeries are generally the more severe cases and also if they put too much physical load on the knee via exercises or work in their daily activities.

Hence, it is important that if you have knock knees that you do the right exercises to keep your knees and legs strong and avoid high impact activities to slow down the progression of the wear and tear of your knee structures.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your posture/alignment issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

Want to know more about Melanie – Our Hawthorn Physiotherapist?

 

Meet Melanie Lim, a Bachelor of Physiotherapy Graduate from the University of Melbourne. She has gained a wealth of clinical experience through both public and private systems during her undergraduate studies to be here today at Capital Physiotherapy’s Hawthorn Physio clinic

capital physiotherapy hawthorn clinic's physiotherapist Melanie Lim profile shot

At the Hawthorn physio clinic, Capital Physiotherapy offer bulk billing for their patients. Get in contact with Melanie today and book an appointment for a one on one session with her!She has completed advance training to specialise in a range of physical therapy treatments such as sport, dance, pre and postnatal, and dry needling. With a keen interest in treating and educating her clients (and YouTube audience), she aims to create custom pain treatment management plans for the Hawthorn community, and Melbourne at large.

 

Additional Information:

We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this pandemic.

Keeping in mind these tips/advice are of general nature and do not take your injuries/history into considerations. If you are experiencing any pain or would like an individualised tailored program to help improve your dancing, I highly recommend you speak to any one of your physiotherapists to guide you through your rehab journey.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our women’s health physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle.

Our physiotherapist will be able to give a full assessment on you and come out with individualised advice/ treatment plan that is tailored for your particular needs.

At Capital Physiotherapy, your initial appointment is 40-60minutes long. This allows our physios to be thorough in their assessment, as well as giving them enough time to give you treatment on the same consultation!

For any physiotherapy related concerns drop us an email info@capitalphysiotherapy.com.au 

Our Physiotherapy Clinics in Melbourne

10 Best Knee Strengthening Exercises

General knee strengthening exercises build surrounding muscles like quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus and calves to improve joint stability and support.

Easy to difficult

Easy

  1. Sit to stand
  2. Static hamstring press
  3. Adductor with pillow

Intermediate

  1. One leg sit to stand
  2. Proprioception one leg clock tap
  3. Wall squat
  4. Hamstring slider in and out

Advance

  1. Pistol squat
  2. Hamstring running
  3. One leg hamstring balance touch opposite ankle 

The youtube video that we created will show you some simple exercises that will help kick start your knee strengthening exercises, keeping in mind they are generic exercises and are not designed to be individually tailored. If you are experiencing knee pain. I highly recommend that you book an appointment with us here at Capital Physiotherapy to have you problem assessed and be given a tailored rehab program that is suitable for your conditions.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your posture/alignment issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you break this habit and lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle. 

Our physiotherapist will be able to give you individualised advice/ treatment plan that is tailored for your particular needs.

At Capital Physiotherapy, your initial appointment is 40-60minutes long. This allows our physios to be thorough in their assessment, as well as giving them enough time to give you treatment on the same consultation! 

For more physiotherapy information and concerns, visit us at our Footscray clinic or any of our clinics near you or drop an email at info@capitalphysiotherapy.com.au. We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this pandemic.

Runner’s Knee

Experiencing knee pain while you are running? 

Then this is the video for you:

There are 2 different type of runner’s knee pain that we commonly see in our clinic

  1. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) – Around the kneecap area
  2.  ITB syndrome -pain on the outside of your knee

Both are caused by the similar origin.

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Keeping in mind these exercises are just the basic exercise that we start off with to fully fix your knee injuries you will still need to continue to progress to harder and more functional exercises in order to feel pain free while running.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your knee issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you improve your running efficiency and lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle. 

Our physiotherapist will be able to give a running assessment on you and come out with individualised advice/ treatment plan that is tailored for your particular needs.

At Capital Physiotherapy, your initial appointment is 40-60minutes long. This allows our physios like in Footscray area to be thorough in their assessment, as well as giving them enough time to give you treatment on the same consultation! 

For any physiotherapy related concerns, visit us at any of our clinics near you or make an online booking using this link. We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this pandemic.

Best 4 Ways to Fix Knock Knees

Knock knees are what we call (Valgus knee) in the medical term.

So what causes your knee to “go in”?

1. Genetics are a big contributing factor for people who suffer from moderate to severe knock knees. These cases normally require surgical intervention.

2. Flat feet (also genetics) can also cause  knock knees , as it changes the alignment of your whole foot. The use of orthotics to lift up your arch and change your footwear. There are also exercises that physiotherapists can teach individuals to help reduce the progression of your flat feet. 

Some other contributing factors for knock knees that we as physiotherapists normally see are mild to moderate knock knees individuals which the likelihood of the contributing factors were more environmental/ biomechanics rather than genetics. 

3. Tight inner thigh muscles will pull your thigh inwards causing your knee to turn slightly inwards as well hence stretching them are vital.

4. Weak gluteal muscles will lead to inability for you to control the turning out of your hip which leads to an alignment issue that collapses your knee inwardly.

The youtube video that we created will show you some simple exercises that will help kick start your knock knees problem.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your posture/alignment issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

Want to know more about Melanie – Our Hawthorn Physiotherapist?

 

Our physiotherapist, Melanie Lim, has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy Graduate from the University of Melbourne.

capital physiotherapy hawthorn clinic's physiotherapist Melanie Lim profile shotWith her wealth of clinical experience – in both public and private systems, Melanie is contactable at Capital Physiotherapy’s Hawthorn Physio clinic to provide you with the best physio treatment in the Hawthorn and for the surrounding suburbs.

At the Hawthorn physio clinic, Capital Physiotherapy offer bulk billing for their patients. Get in contact with Melanie today and book an appointment for a one on one session with her!She has completed advance training to specialise in a range of physical therapy treatments such as sport, dance, pre and postnatal, and dry needling. With a keen interest in treating and educating her clients (and YouTube audience), she aims to create custom pain treatment management plans for the Hawthorn community, and Melbourne at large.

 

 

Additional Information:

We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this pandemic.

Keeping in mind these tips/advice are of general nature and do not take your injuries/history into considerations. If you are experiencing any pain or would like an individualised tailored program to help improve your dancing, I highly recommend you speak to any one of your physiotherapists to guide you through your rehab journey.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our women’s health physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle.

Our physiotherapist will be able to give a full assessment on you and come out with individualised advice/ treatment plan that is tailored for your particular needs.

At Capital Physiotherapy, your initial appointment is 40-60minutes long. This allows our physios to be thorough in their assessment, as well as giving them enough time to give you treatment on the same consultation!

For any physiotherapy related concerns drop us an email info@capitalphysiotherapy.com.au 

Our Physiotherapy Clinics in Melbourne

Patella Dislocation

Patella dislocation refers to the displacement of the knee cap out from its normal alignment from the groove of the femur (thigh bone). Most commonly, the patella tends to dislocate laterally towards the outside of the knee. As muscles, ligaments and stabilizing structures run through the knee joint, a dislocation can therefore disrupt these structures and cause them to be overstretched and damaged.

What causes patella dislocation?

Dislocation of the kneecap is often caused by a traumatic type incident, such as a direct blow to the knee in a twisting motion. However, there are also factors that can increase the risk of patella dislocation, such as:

  • Previous history of patella dislocation or subluxation
  • Poor tracking of the patella
  • Shallow femoral groove
  • Weak inner quadriceps muscles
  • Tight lateral muscles/support, such as vastus lateralis (lateral part of the quadriceps), ITB, hip flexors and biceps femoris (lateral part of the hamstring)

Symptoms include:

  • Visible relocation of the kneecap to outside of the knee
  • Swelling and tenderness at the kneecap
  • Pain in weight bearing or straightening of the leg
  • Feeling of instability, like it is giving way
  • Feeling of weakness in the quadriceps muscles

This injury is usually seen in athletic teenagers participating in sports involving a lot of twisting and turning motions. Pivoting your femur (thigh bone) internally on a planted foot while knee is bent is the most common mechanism of injury (Greiwe et al., 2010).

Relocation of the patella will be needed, either by self or by health professional. X-rays, ultrasound or MRI may be used to confirm diagnosis. Damaged structures can also be identified on imaging, but this will also be assessed in the physiotherapy session.

What can physio do for patella dislocations?

The first step is to reduce the swelling and inflammation as well as providing some temporary support such as taping or bracing. Normalizing and improving the range in which your knee moves will be the major focus during this period. Once everything has settled, a rigorous rehab program focusing on strengthening muscles of the lower limbs begins. This type of training takes at least 8-12 weeks to 6 months of regular physio visits and adherence to the program for the best results to prevent future dislocations and for safe return to sports and daily activities.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, we believe early management and rehabilitation is essential, so if this has happened to you or you notice you are experiencing some of the symptoms listed and need further advice, contact us today at info@capitalphysiotherapy.com.au or call 0401 865 333. We are located conveniently at South Yarra, Balwyn and Footscray.

House Maid’s Knee

What a funny name for an injury! But what is it? 

This injury is commonly seen in patients who work or spend most their time on their knees. For instance, floorers, carpenters and in more historic times house maids who scrubbed floors thus the name, “House Maid’s Knee”. 

So, what is it?

House maid’s knee occurs when the bursa or fluid-like sac, that sits on top of your kneecap becomes inflamed from repetitive kneeling. Normally the bursa decreases the friction between the skin and kneecap but sometimes it can become inflamed and irritated when there is too much weight-bearing and loading on the kneecap. This can cause swelling, heat and inflammation leading to restricted movement and increased pain at the front of the knee.  

Thankfully, house maid’s knee can be easily treated by a physiotherapist. A course of anti-inflammatories can be taken to help reduce inflammation along with applying ice to the knee to decrease swelling. After this, stretches will be prescribed to reduce friction around the knee along with strengthening exercises to help support joint during movement. 

If are having knee issues or have any concerns, contact Capital Physiotherapy at info@capitalphysiotherapy.com.au and we can have you back to work in know time!

Runner’s Knee Pain (ITB Syndrome)

ITB Syndrome (Iliotibial friction syndrome) is one of the most common causes of “Runner’s Knee”. Being an overuse injury, it is caused by repeated trauma rather than a specific incident.
It arises at its proximal end from the tendons of the tensor fasciae latae and gluteus maximus muscles. From its origin, the Iliotibial tract travels along the lateral side of the thigh and across the knee joint, inserting on the lateral epicondyle of the tibia.

Sign and Symptom:

  • Pain with activities that require repetitive activities involving knee flexion-extension
  • Burning pain at the outer aspect of the knee.
  • The pain tends to be worse when running or coming down stairs.
  • There may be an audible snapping sensation the knee bends due to the band flicks over the bony tubercle.
  • There may also be some swelling on the outer side of the knee.
  • Pain is also exacerbated when running a long distance.
  • The onset occurred most frequently at the lateral knee after 2-3 km of running, or hiking over 16km.

At Capital Physiotherapy, all our physiotherapist is able to assess your running and come up with strategies to help you during your run. At capital physiotherapy, we have clinicians who have ample experience returning athletes back to sport. If you’ve got lingering pain that is sticking around longer than expected, book in with one of our friendly physiotherapists and get some recommendations on what to do. We are conveniently located at South Yarra, Footscray and Hawthorn (Formerly at Balwyn) so choose a clinic most convenient for you. You may drop an email at info@capitalphysiotherapy.com.au or do an online booking here.

Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome

Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome usually occurs in children and would normally affects both knees. This can be classified as ‘growing pains’. The pain is usually located at the tibia tuberosity (the bump in the tibia) and can be very sensitive to touch. These tend to occur when the child is undergoing a growth spurt, as well as an intense period of exercise; specifically: soccer, basketball and ballet. Traditionally speaking, there are more boys being affected by this syndrome; however the gender gap is narrowing as more girls participates in sports.

Ongoing activity, without appropriate management by a physio, may result in an avulsion fracture, whereby a piece of bone is torn away from the main bone. In this case, a splint may be ordered to allow the fracture to union.

Osgood-Schlatter is normally treated conservatively when caught quite early. Physiotherapy is usually recommended to help guide rehabilitation. Treatment would involve reducing tight muscles in the quadriceps, hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscles; as well as some strengthening exercises. Taping may also help.

Physiotherapists can also liaise with your child’s coaches so that they can continue to train, but minimizing any activities that may aggravate the syndrome. This is important as stopping their training will stunt their skills growth. Stopping training will also result in muscle atrophy and tightness developing as you ‘wait’ until the pain goes away. This may then create a domino effect and result in other issues in the near future.

Our physiotherapists at Capital Physiotherapy are well experienced dealing with Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome. Not only are they qualified to assess the functioning of your child’s knee joint; but they also have experience working with different sports clubs. This means they are well placed to not just treat your child, but communicate with other stakeholders to ensure your child gets the best care they deserve. This holistic care is important for your child’s wellbeing and Capital Physiotherapy will deliver.

So don’t hesitate to contact us at Capital Physiotherapy and we will get your child back to their best!

Muscular Imbalance Causing Knee Pains

I have seen many people reporting of knee pains. Some who had a sporting incident, resulting in a traumatic damage to the knee; while others have been a gradual progression of knee pain. Initially the pain is described as mild, an annoying ache. With ongoing aggravation, the pain progresses in a sharper type, where it can eventually stop people from doing their daily activities. With these gradual progression type of pain, it is important that the knee is looked after quickly so that further aggravation and worsening of symptoms can be avoided.

The quadriceps muscles are made up of 3 main group of muscles. The first in the Vastus Lateralis; the second is the Vastus Intermedialis and the third is the Vastus Medialis Oblique. Each of these muscles attaches onto the patella and has its own direction of pull. The VL pulls the knee cap laterally (to the outside), while the VI pulls the knee cap directly upwards. The VMO, meanwhile, pulls the patella medially (to the inside).

Each of these muscles will interact in such a way that the knee cap is pulled directly up along the patellar groove. By keeping the knee cap moving smoothly along this groove, you can minimise the pressure around the knee cap.

As you can imagine, any issues with the quadriceps, will result in this finely tuned movement of the knee cap to be disturbed, causing issues in the future.

Improper training, could potentially result in the VL being overworked and getting much stronger than the VMO. You can see this when someone does a squat or a lunge and their knees are moving sideways. This results in an imbalance of the patella as it move up and down along the patella groove. The result of this would be increased friction along one side of the patella which will gradually become increasingly worsening knee pain.

Injuries to the knee will also affect the movement of the patella. The more significant and frequent injuries you have in the knee, the more your VMO becomes less activated. This will have the same impact as the above scenario over time; mainly a gradual worsening of pain; as well as wear and tear along your knee cap.

It is therefore imperative that you get your knee pain looked at as soon as you can. Further postponement as well as ongoing aggravation will result in worsening of your symptoms and finally preventing you from doing your exercises.

Come to our physios at Capital Physiotherapy. Our appointments are strictly 1-on-1 and we provide longer than industry standard appointments to truly understand, not just your body, but your exercise routine as well as a multitude of other factors that can affect you. It is only with a great understanding of your situation will you achieve the outcome you deserve.

So don’t wait any longer and call us now!