There are many instances throughout the years when I have had Elizabeth & Jersey City Physical Therapy clients who have come in for treatment citing “knee pain”. And, understandably, patients rightfully assume that the source of their pain has to 100% be in the knee. However, what people don’t necessarily know is that your knee pain might not be coming from your knee after all! Which leads my Physical Therapy patients to become a little bit puzzled when I start asking questions about aspects not having to do with their knee whatsoever.
And why is that? That’s because after spending a few minutes inspecting the knee, the real source of pain was found, in that I came to find out that the clients knee pain really wasn’t coming from the knee but from their lower back. What a surprise!
But how would someone know this without going to see a Physical Therapist? Well, I’m here to give you my two simple ways to figure out the real cause of your knee pain.
Simple Knee Pain Test #1
If you bend the knee, straighten it, or hop on it and it causes pain, then most likely its your knee!” If the knee is swollen, then most likely its your knee!
Simple Knee Pain Test #2
If you are walking and the knee pain starts after 5 min, and if you have weird tingling sensations in your leg or knee, a feeling of either heightened or reduced sensation to scratching around the knee, and as well if you move around your back and it produces the same knee pain, then most likely the pain is actually coming from your lower back!
That’s it!
Again these are just my tips, supported by over 18+ years of Physical Therapy experience in treating my patients both quickly and efficiently. Is it the ONLY method? Of course not. Other Physical Therapists have their own ways of figuring out sources of pain. But the reality is that it gives you guidance and information as a way to be better advocates for your healthcare and to direct traffic so to speak with regards to where your health care professional should be looking to service you best.
In an era with unprecedented wait times in a waiting room and reduced time spent with your physician, it is nice to at least have some basic knowledge of your body to be able to be an advocate for yourself.
Stay active my friends!
Dr. James Pumarada is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 18+ years of experience. He is the co-owner of Complete Physical Rehabilitation, a Physical Therapy practice based in Elizabeth and Jersey City, NJ.