You may think that if you have knee pain it means something’s wrong with your knee. You might be right, but there’s often more to the story.
Anterior knee pain (pain in front of the knee) is a very commonly caused by your kneecap moving incorrectly. And there are multiple mechanisms behind this.
If the piriformis muscle (in the hip) is tight, it will force the hip to maintain a rotated position, causing the outside portion of the quadricep muscle to over-tighten, pulling abnormally on the kneecap and resulting in pain.
The iliotibial band (on the side of the thigh) also has a connection to the kneecap, like the quadriceps, and when too tight, has the same effect.
But why might there be a problem with the piriformis and the iliotibial band?
The piriformis and ITB attach to the pelvis and will respond by over-tightening if the pelvis is not in its proper position. Another cause could be the lumbar spine. If the nerves that control these two muscles are irritated, for example, by a bulging or herniated disc, it causes the muscles to spasm or tighten.
Taking the spine’s connection a step further, the psoas muscle, which attaches to the lumbar vertebra, can be the cause of a herniated/bulging disc. Tightness here will influence the disc by its attachment to the vertebra).
As you can see, there are numerous mechanisms behind knee pain that don’t involve the knee—not directly anyway. A trained myofascial release therapist can identify these potential causes.
We serve Nassau County and Suffolk County, Long Island, Babylon and Massapequa, also serving Lindenhurst, West Islip, Islip, Bellmore, Merrick, Seaford, Wantagh, Copiague, Amityville, Massapequa Park, Deer Park, Dix Hills, West Babylon, North Babylon, Plainview, Plainedge, Bethpage, Farmingdale, and surrounding areas.
We specialize in treating chronic back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, TMJ and headaches.
Give us a call for a free consultation: 631-376-0600 or 516-590-7611.
Anthony Davis, PT