Osteopath for Knee Pain
Can an Osteopath Help with Knee Pain?
Knee pain is a common and often debilitating issue that affects one's ability to walk, exercise, or perform everyday tasks. Whether caused by a sports injury, joint degeneration, or poor biomechanics, knee pain can significantly impact one's quality of life.
If you're searching for a natural and practical approach, seeing an osteopath for knee pain could help alleviate discomfort and improve your mobility by treating the symptoms and their root causes.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
Knee pain can arise from a variety of injuries or chronic conditions:
Strains and tears: Sports injuries, falls, or overuse can result in strained muscles, torn ligaments, or inflamed tendons (tendinitis).
Meniscus damage: The meniscus acts as a shock absorber. Tears often occur when twisting or rotating the knee under pressure, leading to pain, locking, or clicking.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: Often seen in runners, this occurs when the kneecap does not glide smoothly, typically due to muscle imbalance around the thigh.
Knee Osteoarthritis (OA): Common in older adults, this is the gradual breakdown of joint cartilage and bone, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.
An experienced knee pain osteopath can identify and address these causes through manual therapy and personalised rehabilitation strategies.
How Do I Know If my Knee Pain is Serious?
Knee pain can be a symptom of many different conditions. If your knee is badly swollen or has changed shape, or if you have a very high temperature. Moreover, if you feel hot and shivery and have redness or heat around the knee, telephone 111 or contact your GP (NHS, 2020). Other causes of knee pain include tumours, deep vein thrombosis and stress fractures. In addition, nerve entrapment, lower back or hip pain referral, bakers cyst and infection, to name a few.
How is your Knee Pain Diagnosed?
It’s not necessary to see your GP to gain a knee pain diagnosis. A Manual therapist, a Sports Osteopath London, a physiotherapist or a chiropractor) can diagnose knee pain more specifically. They will take an entire case history, perform a physical examination with testing, and explain what is going on, so you understand the cause of your pain. After that, proceed with treatment if appropriate.
Why Can’t I Bend my Knee?
Generally, an injured or torn meniscus causes pain and swelling, preventing you from fully bending your knee. A damaged meniscus is very common after landing and rotating simultaneously, causing too much pressure through your knee joint and resulting in injury. It’s typical to hear a “pop” in the knee when a tear occurs. Also, swelling and stiffness in the knee will worsen over the first 2 or 3 days after the injury. You will feel like your knee’s lockout or clicks when bending, and it may not straighten. Your knee will feel like it will give way without warning. A damaged meniscus is a prevalent injury during contact and dynamic team sports.
Wellthy' Clinic’s Approach to Knee Pain
At Wellthy Clinic, our Osteopath will provide hands-on treatment to reduce pressure on your knee. A postural assessment will take place to ascertain why you have knee pain. It could be a referred pain from an osteopath for foot pain, a cranial osteopath for back pain, an osteopath for hip pain or an osteopath for shoulder pain. After that, a combination of muscular stretching, joint articulations, and joint manipulations will be used to increase movement functionality and reduce pain. You will be given both muscular stretching and strengthening exercises.
GP Medication and Referral
Paracetamol may be prescribed for non-traumatic knee complaints; however, its effectiveness has been questioned (Cochrane, 2019). Considering how your knee pain started, your GP will refer you to a physiotherapist or orthopaedic consultant. A physiotherapist will give you muscular strengthening exercises for your knee pain. An orthopaedic consultant will discuss surgical options.
How Long Should Knee Pain Last?
Depending on the cause and the individual, long-lasting knee pain will take longer. From an osteopath’s perspective, acute (experienced for less than six weeks) mechanical knee pain will typically resolve in 3-6 weeks. In both cases, having a structured rehab plan will enable you to take control of recovery.
Can Exercise programmes help?
If the pain is not too severe, light exercise benefits people with knee OA by reducing knee pain and improving physical function (Cochrane, 2018). At Wellthy Clinic, we are big believers in meaningful movement, and rehab Pilates exercises are great for building strength. The stretching and strengthening exercises can also help remove pressure from your knees.
Can Nutrition help with knee pain?
Yes, our musculoskeletal health nutritionist specialist can advise on how best to optimise your recovery. Please feel free to book a 15-minute free discovery call to talk about your situation and your options.
Why Choose a Wellthy Clinic Osteopath for Knee Pain?
Whether your knee pain is due to injury, arthritis, or poor biomechanics, our integrated approach can help. A knee pain osteopath at Wellthy Clinic will:
Provide hands-on treatment
Identify postural or structural imbalances
Support your long-term recovery with education and movement
Don’t let knee pain hold you back. Book a consultation with a trusted osteopath for knee pain and take the first step toward freedom of movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does anything really work for knee pain? Yes, effective treatment depends on the underlying cause, but many people find relief through osteopathy, targeted exercise, and addressing inflammation. A personalised approach tends to deliver the best outcomes.
What is the best pain relief for bad knees? A combination of hands-on therapy, strength-building exercises, and anti-inflammatory support is often most effective. It's essential to identify the cause before choosing the right strategy.
How do I strengthen my knees to stop knee pain? Strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core can help stabilise the knee joint and reduce discomfort. A rehab professional can guide you through safe and effective exercises.
Should I wear a knee support for knee pain? Knee supports can be helpful in some cases to reduce strain or aid stability during activity. A practitioner can advise whether it’s appropriate based on your specific situation.
Why won’t my knee pain go away? Chronic knee pain is often linked to underlying issues like muscle imbalances, joint dysfunction, or referred pain from other areas. Without addressing the root cause, symptoms can persist or worsen.
Is it better to rest or walk with knee pain? Gentle movement is usually beneficial for most non-traumatic knee issues, as it supports circulation and mobility. However, short-term rest may be necessary in the early stages of an acute injury.
What not to do during knee pain? Avoid high-impact activities, deep squatting, or forcing movement through pain. These can aggravate the joint and delay recovery.
How to loosen a stiff knee? Gentle stretching, mobilisation exercises and osteopathy can help restore flexibility and ease stiffness. Consistency and a progressive approach are key.
How do I know if I’ve permanently damaged my knee? Red flags include ongoing instability, swelling, or pain that doesn’t improve with conservative care. A thorough assessment and possibly imaging are needed to rule out serious injury.
Why does my knee hurt but there’s nothing wrong? Pain can sometimes be caused by subtle postural imbalances, nerve referral, or low-grade inflammation not visible on scans. A full-body assessment can often reveal overlooked contributors.
References
NICE (2017) Knee pain assessment here
Cochrane Library (2015) Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee
Cochrane Library (2019) Paracetamol versus placebo for knee and hip osteoarthritis
Cochrane Library (2018) Exercise interventions and patient beliefs for people with hip, knee or hip and knee osteoarthritis: a mixed methods review
Matthew Glithero
Matthew Glithero is an Osteopath (MOsT), Cranial Osteopath & Pilates instructor with a background in Sports Science (BSc).
He is a dynamic Osteopath who delivers bespoke treatments aimed to reducing pain. Helping you feel better and empowering you to pro-actively manage your own symptoms.