Knee Pain physiotherapy & osteopathy treatment in Enfield, North London
Knees are large and complex joints, and so knee problems can make many daily activities difficult.
For example, climbing stairs, standing up from sitting, and bending down to reach or pick something up. They can cause pain and sometimes weakness, occasionally leaving people feeling afraid to even walk.
Fortunately, there is a lot we can do to help with knee problems, and even arthritic knees can improve significantly with the right treatment. Our Chartered Physiotherapists and Osteopaths are highly trained and skilled to recognise the different types of knee problems. They can help you on your road to recovery.
Oakwood Physiotherapy Clinic for Hip and Knee pain treatment
At Oakwood Clinic we offer physiotherapy and osteopathy treatments, with optional acupuncture. These professional treatments aim to relieve your pain as rapidly as possible and help you to prevent it reoccurring.
Our Clinic is especially well-known for its focus on a hands-on approach, using highly skilled massage and manipulation treatments to help ease pain and restore movement and function. Many of our patients come to us through personal recommendation from friends, family, work colleagues, doctors and consultants.
We are happy to give you advice on which therapy is best suited for you, contact our friendly team for further guidance and information
Why Oakwood Physiotherapy Clinic for your Hip and Knee pain?
Highly qualified and experienced staff who continuously update their training and knowledge through courses and in-house training
Professional yet caring and friendly environment, with well-equipped treatment facilities
Choice of male or female therapists
Advice and exercises tailored to you to help you stay fit and healthy beyond treatment
Open six days a week including evenings
Common causes of Hip and Knee pain
For sportspeople, hip and knee problems often arise from falls or direct blows. Both the hip and knee can be very painful when injured and often result in the athlete having to stop the game and rest.
The application of the RICE system is often recommended for the early stages of injuries and involves using rest, ice, compression and elevation to control pain and swelling – our therapist can help advise you on these advantageous treatments in the early stages of a sports injury.
Arthritis is another frequently seen cause of hip and knee pain and this tends to come on more slowly. Doing a lot of walking will not wear your joints out and cause early arthritis, but very heavy use and multiple injuries over the years may predispose you to arthritic problems.
Many people we treat at the Clinic with hip and knee problems have underlying muscle imbalances and less than ideal patterns of movement which are predisposing them to pain. Our qualified therapists will often teach exercises to improve these issues and eradicate the source of their pain.
How we treat Hip and Knee pain
When treating knee pain, we first carry out a detailed assessment to establish what the likely cause of your symptoms are. After your assessment, your therapist will explain the reason for your pain, and recommend a treatment plan tailored to your goals.
Your assessment
This assessment takes about 15 minutes and is part of your first treatment, which is usually a 45-minute session. The remaining time may include hands-on massage and manipulation, electrotherapy treatments such as ultrasound, heat and ice treatments, and in some cases acupuncture.
Follow-up treatments are usually 30 minutes, during which your physiotherapist or osteopath will continue to work through your treatment plan to help you recover.
Common knee problems that we treat at Oakwood Physiotherapy Clinic
Knee joint arthritis
As we age, we wear away the protective lining of our joints – the cartilage – and this can cause pain and swelling of the knees. Because we naturally avoid painful movements, people tend to do less exercise and the muscles around the knee become weaker. This increases the pressure on the joint and usually results in more pain and swelling. It is a downhill spiral that often ends up with a knee joint replacement.
Research shows muscle strengthening exercises are the most effective non-surgical treatment for knee arthritis. Our therapists are up to date with current research and will help you to learn simple, effective exercises.
Some people may need help to reduce the painful inflammation in their knee before they can manage a range of exercises. For these people, our therapists provide pain-relieving treatments such as massage and manipulation, electrotherapy treatment including ultrasound, acupuncture, and heat treatments. We also advise on suitable knee supports and give many other tips on how to help your knee become stronger and less painful.
Ligament injuries to the knee
If you have had a fall or accident, you may have damaged the ligaments of the knee. Ligaments are important for binding the bones together to make your joints stable. Our therapists routinely test for ligament injuries and will advise you on the best treatment if they find a ligament injury during your assessment.
The majority of people with ligament injuries will make a full recovery with a course of physiotherapy or osteopathy. This treatment will ensure you build up the correct muscle balance and strength, and get the movement back in your knee. We always aim to get people back to their chosen sport or activity – often achieving that goal even when the patient thought it would be impossible.
If you have had surgery to repair a ligament injury such as an Anterior Cruciate Ligament rupture, our physiotherapists are highly skilled and trained to rehabilitate you to get the maximum benefit from the surgery and help you recover as quickly as possible.
Loose bodies in the knee
As your body ages, the cartilage that lines your joints starts to wear away. During this process, small pieces of cartilage called “loose bodies” can sometimes break off and float around the inside of the knee joint. Most of the time they do not cause any problems, but occasionally they fall into a sensitive area of the joint, causing sharp pains such as when walking down the stairs, or getting out of a chair or car.
Our therapists will aim to keep your knee as mobile as possible and may use specialised massage and manipulation techniques. In most cases, the loose body will move to a less sensitive area of the joint and the painful episodes will cease.
Kneecap problems – pain at the front of the knee
Kneecap problems are the most common knee problem we treat at the Oakwood Physiotherapy Clinic. The kneecap (patella) is at the front of the knee and moves up and down in a small groove as we walk and move. Sometimes the kneecap does not glide smoothly, causing sharp pains and a feeling that the knee may give way – especially on stairs or when walking.
The good news is that this is a very treatable condition, and improves well with a treatment programme involving specialised exercises, stretches, and hands-on treatments such as massage and manipulation. If there is swelling and pain, we may use pain-relieving treatments such as electrotherapy and acupuncture.
If we find there are underlying reasons such as flat feet which are part of the reason for the symptoms, we will recommend a podiatry assessment, as sometimes insoles in the shoes can be helpful as well. We have our own in-house podiatrist who can provide professionally-made insoles for our patients.
Baker’s cyst – swelling and pain at the back of the knee
A Baker’s cyst is a harmless swelling at the back of the knee which can cause irritating aches and pains. Occasionally these cysts can burst and cause much more intense pain for a few weeks until it heals. Our therapists can advise you on the best management and care for your knee if it has a Baker’s cyst.
Physiotherapy for total knee replacement and partial knee replacement – hemi-arthroplasty recovery treatment
Our physiotherapists are very experienced and skilled in rehabilitation after all types of surgery, including total knee replacements and partial knee replacements.
In the early stages post-surgery, your therapist will help to reduce the swelling and pain caused by surgery, and as you heal up the emphasis will be on building up strength and getting the new joint moving well. We also work hard to get your walking and posture back to normal.
High quality physiotherapy after surgery is essential for getting the best possible results following on from your surgery.
Osteopathy for knee problems
Our osteopaths take a holistic approach to treating knee problems. The examination focuses on the whole body – and analyses the current knee problems in terms of the whole body’s balance. This approach can be very effective.
Combining advanced massage and manipulation helps many people recover from knee problems that are causing discomfort and stopping them doing the things they enjoy.
Your osteopath can adjust your treatment according to your preference, as some people prefer very gentle techniques. As well as their expert hands-on treatments, our osteopaths may also provide additional treatments.
Your osteopath will also show you exercises they feel will be beneficial for your back and overall posture, and may also suggest acupuncture as it can sometimes help to boost the pain-relieving benefits of osteopathy treatment.
Cranial osteopathy for knee pain
Sometimes cranial osteopathy is included in knee treatments. This is a light, gentle treatment which can be very helpful especially if you have a history of injury – such as a fall, or if you are elderly or sensitive.
This treatment involves a very light touch of the body, often the head and spine as well as the area of pain. It is a very comforting and relaxing treatment and for some people provides good pain relief.
Acupuncture for knee pain
Acupuncture may also be suggested as It is a safe and drug-free way of helping knee problems. This can boost the pain-relieving benefits of osteopathy treatment.
What happens in my first physiotherapy or osteopathy appointment?
First, your therapist will take your medical history and examine you carefully. Your hip and knee movements will be checked for pain of lack of movement range.
Other important tests will then be gently carried out to check for nerve problems, muscle involvement and ligament problems. We will explain all the results to you, along with a plan for getting you back to your best.
At Oakwood Physiotherapy Clinic we gear treatment to your needs – you may aim to be well enough for work, to go on a holiday, or be match fit for a sport.
Your treatment will start in your first session and may include massage, manipulation, electrotherapy, heat treatments and appropriate exercises and advice.
Follow up Hip and Knee pain treatments
At each follow-up session you will be briefly re-examined and asked questions about how you feel your progress is going. Feel free to ask your therapist any questions which still concern you and your recovery.
The rest of the session will focus on your treatment, which will be adjusted to optimise your recovery.
- In the early, acute stages, your treatment may include more pain-relieving treatments such as hands-on treatment, electrotherapy and acupuncture.
- As you progress, more emphasis is placed on strengthening exercises, and massage to help clear unresolved tension points in the muscles and build resilience against future strains.
- You will also be advised on how quickly you can get back to your activities, based on how your progress is going.
Are you ready to recover? Get started with our professional care and treatment for your Hip and Knee pain.
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