Here is a simple and effective stretching routine for knee pain originating in muscles that move the knee joint from the thigh and lower leg: quadriceps, hamstrings, popliteus and gastrocnemius. 1) Stretching the quadriceps in the front of your thigh: Standing on one leg (hold on to something for balance) bring your other knee up […]
When knee pain is of muscular origin, the quadriceps, hamstrings, popliteus and gastroc muscles are the most common causes. If treatment of those muscles doesn’t relieve pain, therapists might think about these tips for solving the pain puzzle: Pes anserinus, short adductors, ITB/TFL, a Baker’s cyst, or chondromalacia. Remember this odd name from your therapy […]
That’s right. The calf muscles can cause pain behind your knee! It’s mostly from the two-headed gastrocnemius you see bulging when athletes go up on their toes, but the soleus muscle makes a contribution. If you have calf cramps at night, then the “gastroc” could be the cause of your knee pain. This one is […]
Pain behind the knee when crouching or going downstairs could be from the little popliteus or plantaris muscles. More likely the pop. I had a personal experience with this muscle backpacking in New Hampshire. My son and I hiked down the mountain after being in the sky for a few days and when reaching flat […]
Knowledge is power. The better you understand the muscles of your knee the more empowered you will be to keep them out of pain. The last post discussed the quadriceps in the front of the thigh. The “hamstrings” are in the back of the thigh. Guys refer to them affectionately as “hammies” at the gym. […]
For anyone with piriformis syndrome, restless leg syndrome, low back pain, hip pain, buttock pain, sciatica pain, thigh pain and back leg pain, these 5 specific stretches will help. If you feel discomfort or pain when you stretch, that’s the place that needs it. You won’t harm yourself even if it hurts if you stretch […]
When knees are painful, non weight-bearing stretching and strengthening exercises are safer, avoiding pressure on the joint. 1) Stretching the quadriceps: Sit in a chair turned sideways on one butt cheek and bring your other knee up so you can grasp your ankle. Lower your bent knee (still holding your ankle) toward the floor until […]
In the case of Joelle G., Neuromuscular Therapy treatment at our clinic near Boston proceeded as follows: The quadriceps muscles that straighten the knee were the first to be treated to release tension in these overworked muscles and to work on Trigger Points referring pain to her knee. Walking on bent knees, the quads were always working, […]
As a Neuromuscular Therapist, how do I think about knee pain? First, I think about which Trigger Points refer to the patient’s pain location. Second, with any joint pain, when medically treatable conditions have been attended to, I treat all of the muscles that cross the knee to release pressure on the joint. Third, I […]
Joelle G., a woman in her 40s, was referred by her doctor to my Neuromuscular Therapy Center Southwest of Boston for help with her knee pain. She was limping badly and couldn’t completely straighten one leg. It hurt too much to climb stairs, so working in a building with an elevator was a good thing! […]