FIX KNEE PROBLEMS
De knie is verantwoordelijk voor bewegingen als buigen, strekken en draaien. Blessures en klachten aan de knie komen veel voor. Door sportblessures maar ook neemt de frequentie van knieblessures toe met de leeftijd door slijtage. In dit artikel leggen we alles uit over knieklachten en over hoe je knieklachten kan verhelpen.
Anatomy of the knee
The knee is composed of 3 bones: the Femur (femur), Tibia (tibia) and Patella (kneecap) that come together in a joint. Around the joint are two collateral ligaments on the sides (medial, inside and lateral, on the outside). At the front, the patellar tendon connects the Quadriceps muscle (thigh muscle) to the tibia through the kneecap. On the inside of the knee are two Menisci (medial Meniscus and lateral Meniscus) and an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The menisci act as shock absorbers, distributing the load to the entire lower leg. The cruciate ligaments prevent the tibia from sliding too far forward or backward and (like the collateral ligaments) are very important for proprioception (the ability of the nervous system to determine where the body or body part is in space).
The muscles of the knee are on the front the Quadriceps (thigh muscle), the hamstrings and on the back of the knee you will find the Popliteus and the Gastrocnemius. The latter is one of the two calf muscles which also runs across the knee joint at the back of the knee.
Knee pain
There are different types of knee complaints. It is important to distinguish between complaints that developed after trauma (or after a single moment) and complaints that developed slowly. Complaints that developed after one moment may involve injury to or in the knee. Symptoms consistent with this include swelling, stiffness and pain. In this case, always contact a general practitioner or a physical therapist.
Symptoms of knee pain that has developed slowly can vary depending on the cause, but often include pain, swelling and stiffness in or around the knee. The pain may be sharp or dull, and may worsen with activities such as walking, running, squatting or climbing stairs. We explain a number of different knee complaints below. We can help you well with these complaints.
Meniscus injury
The Menisci are two crescent-shaped discs of connective tissue on the inside of the knee that provide better pressure distribution on the tibia. Meniscus injury is a common knee problem in which these discs tear or are damaged. This can happen due to sudden twisting movements or trauma as can happen during sports activities. Symptoms include pain, swelling, stiffness, and difficulty fully extending or bending the knee. The feeling of being "locked" or instability may also occur. Treatment ranges from rest, physical therapy to surgery, depending on the severity of the tear.
Cruciate ligament injury
Cruciate ligament injury, often occurring in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), is a serious knee injury caused by sudden rotational movements or direct trauma, such as in sports activities such as soccer or skiing. Symptoms include sudden, sharp pain, a "snapping" sound at the time of injury, and immediate swelling. The knee often feels unstable and cannot support body weight properly. Treatment usually begins with the physical therapist, and a quick start is essential for restoring strength and stability. Surgery is not performed in all cases, but often surgical reconstruction of the cruciate ligament is necessary to restore the knee to full functionality. The recovery process after surgery takes between 6 and 12 months, depending on the severity of the trauma. At Energenic, we do not do long-term rehabilitation after cruciate ligament reconstruction. However, you can contact us for residual complaints after your rehabilitation or if you are curious what our method can do for your (residual) complaints.
Jumpersknee
Sweater's knee, also known as Patella tendinitis, is an overuse injury in which the tendon of the thigh muscle that runs from the kneecap (Patella) to the shinbone becomes inflamed. This injury is common in athletes who do a lot of jumping, such as basketball and volleyball. Symptoms include pain and tenderness just below the kneecap, especially when jumping, running, climbing stairs or squatting. Treatment of these symptoms can help improve coordination of the upper leg muscles to relieve the tendon, and (specific) strength training can strengthen the tendon.
Runner's knee (Patellofemoral pain syndrome)
Runner's knee, also known as Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), is a common overuse injury that causes pain in the front of the knee and around the kneecap. This condition is often seen in runners, but can also occur in other sports that involve a lot of running or sprinting. The pain results from irritation of the cartilage behind the kneecap, often due to overuse, misalignment of the kneecap, or weak muscles around the knee and/or hip.
Symptoms include a dull, nagging pain at the front of the knee, especially during activities such as walking, running, climbing stairs or sitting for long periods of time with bent knees.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is an overuse injury that causes pain and irritation on the outside of the knee. The Iliotibial Band is a tendon plate that runs down the side of the leg from the edge of the side of the pelvis (Ileum) to the side of the knee and attaches to the tibia (Tibia). From the hip, two muscles extend into this tendon plate, the Tensor Fascia Lata and the Gluteus Maximus.
Irritation occurs when the Iliotibial band repeatedly rubs the thigh. This often occurs during activities involving repetitive knee bending such as running and cycling. Symptoms include sharp or burning pain on the outside of the knee, especially during or after activity.
Causes of knee pain
Knee pain can occur from a variety of causes, ranging from acute injuries and symptoms that develop slowly. An acute injury can happen during sports. Think of a fall while skiing or an injury after a tackle while playing soccer. In complaints that arise after one moment, the cause of the complaint is obvious. With complaints that arise slowly, it is often more difficult to determine. Overuse is often caused by repetitive movements. If the movement pattern is not optimal, then over time somewhere stiffness, pain or irritation can develop. Often pain that develops slowly is the end of a compensatory strategy by the body. The body will always try to compensate for a lack of stability or coordination somewhere. To do so, it uses other muscles and structures. Only when these structures can no longer do this does a pain or injury arise. At Energenic we test where the weak spots are in the chain to find out what is causing the complaints.
What can you do yourself for knee pain?
It is important not to provoke the symptoms but to give rest and space for recovery. If the complaints arise after one moment or after a trauma and you recognize one of the symptoms as swelling, pain, stiffness, unstable feeling in the knee or just that the knee locks up, contact a general practitioner or physiotherapist. If the symptoms develop slowly and symptoms do not go away on their own, then it is important to get the correct diagnosis. On this website you can read what our treatment method is and why it is different from standard physical therapy.
What you yourself can do besides not provoking is to make sure you have proper footwear for when you exercise. For example, running requires different shoes than strength training in the gym. What is also important is to look at your technique when performing the sport you do. For example, you can work on your running technique by doing specific exercises or make sure your chain strength balance is right. You can always film your technique to have it reviewed by an expert.
Strength training for knee problems
Are you active in the gym and familiar with strength training? Then we advise you to lower the intensity and perform exercises slowly. Make sure you always train within the maximum, pain-free range of motion. If you feel increasing pain during an exercise, stop immediately.
If you have pain after the workout, the training volume was probably too high. For example, if you did 6 sets, divided into 2 knee exercises, and you get more symptoms afterwards, try 4 sets next time and evaluate the difference. If you have no pain during and after the workout, then you can gradually increase the intensity.
Exercises that are important for the knee are not just a squat pattern. Also work on strength balance around the ankle and around the hip.
Zorg dat je altijd door kan ademen tijdens de sets. Mensen die niet kunnen doorademen tijdens de set (of kreunen) doen dat omdat ze aan het compenseren zijn. Dit doen ze door hun middenrif (ademhalingsspier) vast te zetten. Focus je naast de ademhaling ook altijd op de targetspier (de spier die je met je oefening wil trainen). Voel je tijdens de oefening deze spier niet aanspannen? Dan is de intensiteit te hoog en/ of de techniek van je oefening niet goed. Heb je aan beiden wat veranderd, maar voel je de targetspier nog steeds niet? Kies dan (tijdelijk) voor een andere oefening en maak een afspraak met ons om te kijken waarom de aansturing van de betreffende spier niet goed is!
Our treatment method for knee pain
Neuromuscular therapy focuses on reducing pain and dysfunctions in the neuromuscular system, which includes muscles, tendons, joints, fascia and nerves. Using knowledge of anatomy, physiology and neurology, this therapy applies manual techniques to restore balance and functionality to this system.
During the first session, you will gain insight into the causes of your symptoms. Often the pain is in a different place than the actual cause. By treating the underlying cause, time is spent solving the problem rather than just treating the symptoms. A comprehensive evaluation identifies all the structures involved in your symptoms. Long-term symptoms may require treating previous injuries as well.
Meer over onze behandelmethode vind je hier!
