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KNEE PAIN

Knee pain can be due to any number of causes: Hereditary (anatomical abnormalities), injury, overuse, reduced flexibility, arthritis, to name just a few.  Physicians make the determination of the specific cause and diagnosis for each person.

What is common to all knee diagnosis is that the condition is either caused by, or creates, faulty biomechanics.  What is caused or aggravated by biomechanics - foot function, gait and the wrong kind of footwear - is what Pedorthists can address.  In fact, many with chronic knee pain say their symptoms are either reduced or go away when foot function is corrected.

An overwhelming cause of knee problems is overpronation and it seems to be an element in most chronic knee conditions.  However, with all knee problems, what may start as a hereditary issue will be affected by a person’s muscle strength, flexibility, weight, activity and footwear.  This holds for injury or other causes of the knee pain.

• Patella tendonitis
• Chondromalacia
• Torn meniscus
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Iliotibial band syndrome

Symptoms:

• The location of pain and the type of symptoms are primary to learning what the diagnosis is.  For example:
• Is pain in the front of the knee, medial, lateral or back of the knee? 
• Does the pain go up to the hip or is it localized?
• Is there swelling, locking, snapping, slipping of the kneecap?
• Is there pain with use and/or at rest? 
• What happens when rising after sitting for a while with the knees bent?
• Is there pain going up stairs?  Down stairs?
• On a scale of 1-10, what is the level of pain?  Does this level change with activity?

Signs to look for:

• Over pronation
• Flat feet
• Genu valgus (knock knees)
• Genu varum (bow legged)
• Soft heel counter on shoes

Possible Causes:

• Multiple causes, ranging from hereditary (anatomical abnormalities), injury, overuse, reduced flexibility, arthritis, overpronating, etc.

Goals:

• Obtain a medical diagnosis and treatment plan
• Restore correct foot motion
• Align hips, knees, ankles and feet
• Support arches
• Increase lower body flexibility and muscle strength
• Maintain optimum body weight

Solutions:

Arch Supports:

• Bio-Orthotics Winstep or Sundance exercising support with metatarsal lift

• Lower and thinner arch support with longitudinal and metatarsal support, such as the Bio-Orthotics Journey or Silhouette, for use when shoes cannot accommodate the Winstep or Sundance exercising support

• Extra depth shoes with firm heel counter and rocker sole

• MBT physiological footwear

• Avoid pumps or heels

• Go barefoot on a minimal basis only

• For exercise, use shoes with titanium springs

Activities:

• Obtain a medical diagnosis and treatment plan

• Regular stretching of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, Achilles tendon and arch structure

• Regular exercise program for strengthening hamstring, quad, calf and iliotibial band

• No high impact activities until released to do so by physician and shoes and arch support available to wear

• Rotate weight bearing exercises, such as walking or jogging, with non-weight bearing exercising, such as swimming or bicycling

• If too much body weight is an issue, reduce weight

This information does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition and does not take the place of a doctor’s care.  The information has been compiled from sources available to the general public and referenced below.  Copyright 2005 Carole Romig

Sources  Image:  Text:  FootStore.com, Footsmart.com