Knee Pain

knee assessment

Our approach to knee pain

Our team are industry leading experts in diagnosing and treating knee pain. We will help you understand your injury and pain, and identify any contributing factors that may need to be addressed to assist with your recovery. We are also trusted by Melbourne’s leading specialists and orthopaedic surgeons for the rehabilitation of knee injuries pre- and post- surgical intervention. Illustrating the widespread trust in our expertise, we receive many referrals from surgeons, sports doctors, and other physiotherapists seeking second opinions on long standing knee injuries.
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Common knee injuries we specialise in

How do we treat knee pain at Complete.

Our expert team will gather information from your history, including any previous knee injuries, and then conduct a thorough assessment of your knee to determine what is contributing to your pain and what we can be done to help. From here, you will be provided with a plan that is tailored to you and your injury, consisting of education, rehab exercises, physiotherapy, myotherapy, and referral to other health professionals if required.

For knee injures surgeries may not be the best option – rehab only treatment can give good long term results. Here at Complete. Physio Exercise Performance we keep a strong emphasis on progressive strengthening rehab in our treatment plan.

Patellar dislocation and instability

Your patellar is also known as the kneecap that sits at the front of your knee in a groove on your femur (thigh bone). It is attached to the quadriceps tendon above and the patella tendon below that then inserts into your tibia (shin bone). The patellar can dislocate due to trauma, such as a direct blow to the knee, or non-contact (less common). The patellar can often reduce itself (pops back in) when the leg is extended; however, you may need to go to the Emergency Department to get it reduced.

After a dislocation, you may experience future episodes of instability or pain under or around the patellar.

Patellar tendinopathy

The patellar tendon connects your patellar (kneecap) to the tibia (shin bone). Patellar tendinopathy (also known as “jumper’s knee”) is common in sports such as basketball and football due to the jumping nature of these sports. Pain is usually felt just under the kneecap that tends to warm up with activity and then be sore the next day. It can occur due to doing too much and placing an increased load on the tendon that it is not accustomed to.

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) or kneecap pain

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a condition where pain is felt at the front of the knee, either around, under or behind the patellar. The patellar (also known as the kneecap) sits at the front of your knee in a groove on your femur (thigh bone). The articulation between these two bones makes up the patellofemoral joint. PFP is a common knee condition that can affect anyone at any age and is mainly felt in activities such as walking up and down stairs, squatting, running, and jumping. PFP can also occur due to a separate injury or after knee surgery.

Stress fractures or fractures (tibial plateau or patellar)

Bone stress injuries (BSI) are overuse injuries, commonly seen in runners or active individuals. When we exercise, our bones experience some level of microdamage which is then remodelled. A BSI will occur when the bone remodelling cannot keep up with the level of microdamage which then forms a stress reaction in the bone. A bone stress injury can develop into a stress fracture (a break in the outer cortex of the bone) if undetected or not managed appropriately. A regular fracture usually occurs on impact during a traumatic injury causing a break in the bone. Fractures in the knee may affect the bottom of your femur (thigh bone), the top of the tibia (shin bone) or the patellar (kneecap).

Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is a condition within the knee joint that occurs due to changes in the articular cartilage. The pain associated with this condition may start without any obvious reason and there can be multiple factors specific to the individual which may influence their pain and function. Osteoarthritis is the most common lifestyle disease/condition in people over 65 years. Symptoms and experiences can vary from person to person. Some common symptoms include stiffness in the morning or after sitting for long periods that lasts no longer than 30mins, pain with walking or other weightbearing activities, and inflammation of the joint. Australia’s National Guidelines for osteoarthritis care recommends that individuals with joint pain should be offered education, exercise, and weight management (if relevant). These three areas are the first line of treatment for those suffering from osteoarthritis to provide the necessary tools to self-manage the condition.

Meniscal injury

Your meniscus is a C-shaped pad of cartilage located in your knee between your femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone). Each knee has two menisci, one in the lateral (outer) compartment and one in the medial (inside) compartment. Menisci help to provide cushioning and shock absorption. The meniscus can be injured due to acute trauma or from changes occurring over time. Traumatic injuries can occur through contact or non-contact incidents during sport, with actions involving pivoting or forceful twisting while weight bearing. Pain can be felt around the joint line either side, or at the front, back or deep within the knee. Some may experience a painful lock, click or catch during movement.

Post-surgical

Rehabilitation following knee surgery can be vital to restore range of motion, strength and function. We commonly provide post operative rehabilitation for total knee joint replacement, ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and other ligament reconstructions, meniscal repair, arthroscopy, and for more complex surgeries.

Iliotibial band (ITB) pain

The Iliotibial band (ITB) is a thick band of fascia that runs along your outer thigh attaching to the lateral epicondyle of your femur (outer thigh bone on the outside of your knee) and to the top of the tibia (shin bone). It is a common running injury where pain and sensitivity are localised to the outside of the knee. It is usually felt during activities such as running (especially with increasing distance), running/walking downhill or going downstairs. There is normally a gradual onset of symptoms, often due to an increase in load.

Ligament injuries

There are four main ligaments that help to stabilise the knee joint. The anterior cruciate (ACL) and posterior cruciate (PCL) ligaments attach on the inside between your femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone). These ligaments help to prevent excessive forward (ACL) and backward (PCL) movement of your tibia in relation to your femur and limit excessive rotation. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) attaches from your femur to your tibia on the inside of your knee and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) attaches on the outside of your knee. Both prevent excessive side to side movement of your knee joint.

Injury to ligaments around your knee occur most commonly in high intensity change of directions sports like football, netball, soccer or skiing. Most injuries occur as a result of a player’s own movement, like an awkward landing or missed step. But some injuries may involve contact from an opponent or object. People who have injured a ligament may sometimes describe or feel a pop, followed by pain and a sensation of instability in the knee or giving way when trying to get up or walk or run after the injury.

Ligament injuries can be managed conservatively or surgically depending on the severity of the injury.

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