Knee Pain Relief That Works Fast

The proper functioning of the knee is essential to our most basic activities. Knee pain is common and can become chronic. Though most knee pain does not need surgery, it can be just as disabling as those requiring surgery. Chronic knee pain can be divided into those causes occurring outside the knee joint space and those causes within the joint space.

Chronic pain inside the knee joint can be caused by:

• Arthritis, which causes the joint to swell and deteriorate. Arthritis pain is caused by the lining of the knee being inflamed.


• An anterior cruciate ligament or ACL injury. This is a tear in the main knee ligament that joins the upper leg bone with the lower leg bone. The ACL helps greatly to keep the knee stable, with pain, knee joint swelling and unsteadiness being symptoms of this injury. Surgery is required for serious athletes or tears that don't respond to treatment.


• A meniscus tear. The meniscus is a rubbery disc that cushions your knee joint. Each knee has two of these discs, and they balance and cushion your weight across the knee. A meniscus tear can occur when you lift something heavy or play sports. As you get older, your meniscus gets worn. This can make it tear more easily. A torn meniscus almost always causes pain and swelling of the knee. As in ACL tears, surgery is required only for serious athletes, or tears that don't respond to treatment.

Chronic pain outside the knee joint can be caused by:

• Tendonitis, pain which occurs because the tendons controlling the knee joint's movement are chronically inflamed. This result of overuse, misuse or injury, comprises a significant number of chronic knee pain cases. Pain after prolonged activity is the most common complaint.


• Torn ligaments. The ligaments supporting the knee from the inside of the joint and outside of the joint can be torn in a fall, playing sports, or in an accident. The most common symptom is pain directly over the ligament. Swelling over the torn ligament may appear, and bruising is common 1 to 2 days after the injury. In more severe injuries, patients may complain that the knee feels unstable, or as though their knee may 'give out'.


• Knee Bursitis, a common cause of swelling and pain on top of the kneecap. This condition is associated with individuals whose work requires kneeling for extended periods of time. Knee bursitis is common in professions such as carpet layers and hobbies such as gardening. The symptoms of knee bursitis include swelling over the kneecap, and limited, painful movement of the knee.

When considering treatment, the Feldenkrais practitioner recognizes the knee is a complicated hinge joint:

• the knee hinge is dependent on proper hip function as it shares the same long bone


• the long bone of the hip must sit on the knee in a way which prevents wear and tear


• the ankle/foot also share long bones with the knee


• the knee hinge is therefore also dependent on stable foot and ankle function

Have you rested? Have you already tried physical therapy, or even surgery? Knee pain relief can occur even if the ligaments or cartilage in your knee have been torn. Relief is the result of improving key relationships within the entire leg, and optimizing the function of the knee as it relates to hip and foot. The goal of your treatment is to relieve pain and prevent your knee from being re-injured.

At The Feldenkrais Center, our approach to treating the causes of your chronic knee pain allows for a quick and effective treatment course. Most patients are substantially improved in less than a month. Feldenkrais uses simple, gentle movements to reorganize posture, flexibility, strength and coordination. Based on the neurological processes by which we learn movement skills, it is a novel approach to knee injuries, harnessing the power of the brain to help the body function more efficiently. More efficient use of self creates environments within which chronic pain can heal. Imagine your life without knee pain, and discover how Feldenkrais can help you.