Physiotherapy for Knee Pain in Tirana, Albania

The causes of knee pain are usually divided into three general categories. The traumatic causes that are related to accidents, degenerative causes which are related to age and last but not least, the causes that are related to diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, various autoimmune diseases, and so on. 

Traumatic injuries.

• Ligament injuries such as anterior or posterior cruciate ligament rupture
• Injuries to the articular cartilage of the thigh, tibia and patella, as well as meniscus rupture.
• Muscle fractures or tendon diseases, osteochondritis of the tibia (knee jumper).
• Fractures of the thigh, tibia, fibula or patella.

Degenerative causes.

• Osteoarthritis.

Systemic diseases.

• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Cancer.
• Seronegative for rheumatoid arthritis.
• Inflammatory polyarthritis.
• Psoriatic arthritis.
• Monoarthritis.
• Neuropathic arthritis.
• Osteonecrosis.
• Bone density disorders.

The first appointment with a physiotherapist is very important because it will ensure the right diagnosis and the proper treatment of the problem. 

During this appointment, your physiotherapist will collect your detailed medical history, in order to get all the possible information for your disorder. Moreover, he should detect the factors that aggravate or alleviate your problem and for any other medical history that might contribute to the whole problem of your disorder.

With the information that your physiotherapists will collect, it will be performed a targeted examination. This examination might include different parts, such as:

Gait analysis (assessment).

The aim of this application is the identification and documentation of the gait problems.

Palpation.

This has to do with the usage of the hands in order to touch the various structures around the knee and detect any abnormalities or assess whether a structure is painful through the process of touching.

Measurement of the range of motion of the joint.

This depends on the ability of the muscles and the connective tissues that surround the joint to stretch, while maintaining their original structure. A variety of equipment are used to measure the range of motion of a joint. 

Power measurement.

There are many different connections of muscles in the knee area, and measuring strength in the area can help determine if any muscle weakness or imbalance is causing the pain of your knee.

Assess your balance.

If your balance is off, you may put too much pressure and strain on your knee which at a final stage might cause you pain.

Joint measurements – circumference or swelling.

After an injury there might be swelling in the knee joint. However, your physiotherapist can measure the size of the swelling of your knee joint and in this case, he can give you a direct treatment to follow. 

After you complete your total examination, then your physiotherapist can work with you and start the treatment that suits best on your occasion. 

The symptoms vary and depend on the type as well as the cause of the problem. However, there are some signs and symptoms that are described more often from the patients.

The basic symptoms of the Knee pain, are:

• Swelling and stiffness.
• Redness and warm feeling when touched.
• Weakness or instability.
• Noise and annoyance while moving.
• Inability to fully straighten the knee.

Nearly every one of us have felt an ‘innocent’ knee pain or tightness, after walking, jumping, gaining a mileage, or speed in training. However, we should know at what point we should stop and seek the help of a specialized physiotherapist. 

There are some signs which inform us, when it is necessary to visit our physiotherapist. 

The “Red” Flags.

When a physiotherapist refers to the term “Red” Flag, describes the symptoms or signs that are a possible indication that something more serious is hiding behind of a musculoskeletal pain.

Numbness, tingling or muscle weakness.

All of these are signs that “something is happening” with your nerves. At the moment that a nerve is irritated from the pressure or entrapment at any place of the body, then this gives us numbness or tingling. 

Pain that insists for more than 2-3 weeks.

When a pain insists for several weeks despite the resting you get or even if you stop your training, then that means that it is time for you to visit a professional physiotherapist.

The rule of scale 0/10.

This refers on a scale of 0/10 the rating of the intensity of the pain, for example how “strong” a pain is felt.

Pain which is unfamiliar or well-located in a joint or bone.

If you are experiencing a pain that is unfamiliar to you and you have never experienced it before then you should seek the help of a specialized physiotherapist.

It does not exist a specified number. Each patient has a different problem and all sessions should be discussed and decided together with your physiotherapist.

Each time that a patient came back with the same problem, the admission of non-compliance was diverse. This surely, does not apply to cases of chronic problems which need to be treated repeatedly, every six months to avoid any discomfort.