Knee & Hip Pain
Osteopathy can help manage many types of hip & knee pain through manual therapy techniques to help with pain relief, improve mobility, and enhance overall function.
The most common causes of knee and hip pain are:
Knee
- Osteoarthritis- Degeneration of the cartilage within the knee causing pain and stiffness.
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome (Runner’s Knee) – Pain around the knee cap due to over- use and/or muscle imbalance.
- Meniscal tears – Injury to the cartilage within the knee joint which causes pain, swelling and reduced range of movement.
- Ligament injury (ACL/MCL etc.) – Sprains or tears in the ligaments of the knee joint – most commonly due to sports injuries.
- Tendinitis – Inflammation of the tendons around the knee joint including patella, quadriceps, pes anserine and iliotibial band.
- Muscle injury – strains or tears can occur in muscles around the knee.
- Bursitis – inflammation of the small fluid filled sacs around the knee joint. These cushion and help prevent friction.
- Osgood Schlatters – pain and swelling under the knee cap commonly seen in children aged 9-14.
Hip
- Osteoarthritis- Degeneration of the cartilage within the hip joint causing pain and stiffness.
- Bursitis – Inflammation of the bursa around the hip joint causing pain
- Labral tears – Tears in the cartilage that lines the hip joint leading to pain and reduced range of movement.
- Muscle injury- strains or tears can occur in muscles around the hip joint.
- Piriformis syndrome – compression of the sciatic nerve caused by piriformis muscle. When this muscles is tight it can cause irritation of the sciatic nerve which can cause pain and numbness into the leg (often called sciatica).
- Tendinitis – Inflammation of the tendons around the hip joint including iliopsoas, gluteus medius and minimus, hamstring, and adductor tendons.
How can Osteopathy help?
Osteopathy can be very effective in helping to managing hip and knee pain, through manual therapy and exercise prescription. It’s important for individuals to have a treatment plan tailored to their specific needs.
Osteopathy focuses on the musculoskeletal system, using manual techniques to promote overall health and alleviate pain. Once a working diagnosis for your pain is established, your osteopath will discuss a treatment plan with you – with the aim to help pain management, reducing inflammation and improving mobility and function.
Osteopathic treatment uses gentle hands-on manual therapy techniques – these may include soft tissue massage, stretching, and gentle joint manipulation.
Hip and knee pain can often interfere with daily activities, work, and recreational activities. Your osteopath may provide recommendations for these to help you manage your symptoms and support overall health. Managing pain often requires a combination of treatments and lifestyle adjustments, and your osteopath may provide you with specific exercises to strengthen muscles around the joints, improve range of motion, and enhance overall function and stability.
Osteopaths are trained to screen for medical conditions. If the cause of your hip and knee pain is not musculoskeletal, you may need to be referred to another healthcare practitioner.
