From Our Blog

A common condition among older adults, osteoarthritis, develops when the cartilage that usually serves as a cushion in a joint wears away, leaving bone to rub against bone. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons estimates that more than 8 million Americans older than age 45 suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee. Are you one of […]

Knee injuries are possibly the most common injury that runners experience. In fact, it is one of the most likely reasons to keep you from running. Knee pain can be a warning signal that you need to change something in your running regimen. For instance, your posture or the rate at which you are increasing […]

When your osteoarthritic knee hurts, your foot tends to turn outward. This is a “trick” your body has learned, one that is common to many people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee. The pain can be temporarily reduced by turning your leg outward when you walk or climb stairs. Other strategies are crucial, […]

Although going up the stairs may feel challenging, some people experience more pain going down. This is because your muscles have to work hard to control your weight as you descend. If you have suffered from knee problems in the past or continue to have problems, it is probably time to look at increasing strength […]

Knee pain from osteoarthritis is no walk in the park. In fact, the pain probably keeps you from walks in the park. Could wearing a knee brace help you overcome this discomfort? Often, arthritis affects only one compartment of the knee. This can result in your lower leg angling awkwardly and appearing “bow legged” (varus) […]

With arthritis, knee joints can be painful and may frequently ache. Fortunately, exercise can help you to relieve pain and improve your mobility. While moving a stiff joint may sound counterproductive, health professionals agree that movement can help to reduce arthritic knee pain. If you suffer from arthritis pain in the knees, exercise can alleviate […]

In order for you to walk, run, sit or kick comfortably, your knee—the largest joint in the body—must be able to move through an arc of about 130 degrees, from completely straight, or fully extended, to completely bent, or fully flexed. Two muscle groups control this motion: the quadriceps on the front of the thigh […]

Do you experience knee pain when you return to the basketball court after a layoff of a few months? If your knee always aches—even if you cannot remember incurring a specific injury—you may be suffering from jumper’s knee (formally known as patellar tendinopathy). This progressive deterioration is especially common among adult male basketball and volleyball […]

If your child experiences knee discomfort, it could be due to Osgood-Schlatter disease. Although temporary, this condition can be a source of pain and swelling. Most children suffering from Osgood-Schlatter disease also experience a tender bump just below the kneecap. The pain associated with this condition appears when children, whose bones are growing rapidly, are […]

Kneecap, or patella, pain is common, whether a person is athletic or sedentary. Although there are many causes of this condition, an important treatment is Kneecap, or patella, pain is common, whether a person is athletic or sedentary. Although there are many causes of this condition, an important treatment is knee taping, also called “McConnell taping” after […]

As the largest joint in the body and because of its exposed position, the knee is especially vulnerable to injury during sports activities. Knee braces, rigid or semirigid orthopedic appliances worn to support painful or injured knees, have garnered recent attention as preventive and therapeutic components in the treatment of sports injuries. Braces are made […]

Physical therapy can help with most fractures, but it is especially important if you have suffered a fracture of the femur, which runs from the hip to the knee. This incredibly strong bone typically requires significant force or direct trauma to break. A femoral fracture often requires surgery to place the bones back into position. […]

During the aging process, the fibrous cartilage between the thighbone (femur) and the shinbone (tibia) within the knee can degenerate and become prone to tearing. These cartilages—the medial meniscus and lateral meniscus—act as shock absorbers, thus protecting the joint surfaces from undue wear and tear, which can lead to arthritis. When you run, walk or […]

When a surgeon uses smaller incisions and makes fewer muscle cuts to replace a knee, the procedure is called minimally invasive. While you can expect postoperative pain, your surgeon, working with us, can help you manage and minimize it very effectively. But it is important to realize that you have had very significant knee surgery! […]

As we age, many of us experience increased pain in our knees. Most of this pain is the result of osteoarthritis (OA), which is the wearing away of cartilage that helps our bones glide smoothly. If nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, muscle strengthening, rest and weight loss do not relieve knee pain, joint replacement surgery may be [...]

Arthrofibrosis, also known as “stiff knee syndrome,” occurs when excessive scar tissue forms around a joint, limiting range of motion and causing pain and disability. It can be a complication of knee replacement or anterior cruciate ligament surgery, with infections and bleeding as known contributing factors. Of the roughly 720,000 knee replacements performed every year […]

You may think you’re too young for knee problems, but the truth is that pain in the kneecap is common in young, active people. Knees are vulnerable to sports-related injuries, and simple anatomical differences like flat feet or weak muscles can start affecting your knees as early as adolescence. Symptoms of what is commonly referred […]

Knee arthritis is the single greatest cause of chronic disability among adults in the United States. Many factors can lead to knee pain—arthritis, excessive foot pronation, muscle fatigue, even injury—but we have good news for you: Most chronic knee pain is preventable. The New England Journal of Medicine recently found evidence suggesting that exercise and […]

You have been told you have a degenerative meniscus tear in your knee. Don’t blame yourself―you did nothing to bring this on. A degenerative condition results from plain old wear and tear linked to aging—in this case, of the cartilage (usually the medial meniscus) within the knee that serves as a shock absorber. As cartilage […]

If you have a total knee replacement in your future, you may have heard about a procedure that retains the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), also known as an ACL-sparing knee replacement. The popularity of this surgery continues to increase, especially among younger patients. But is an ACL-sparing knee replacement worth it? First, you need to […]

A common condition among older adults, osteoarthritis of the knee occurs when cartilage in the knee wears away, forcing the bones to rub more closely against one another. This not only causes pain, swelling and stiffness, but it is also a common cause of disability. And while age is considered one of the main risk […]

If you are undertaking a physical therapy program for knee pain or injury, it might strike you as odd that so much focus is put on increasing strength and flexibility in your hips. After all, your hips aren’t the problem. But here’s something you may not know: While your pain and difficulty moving may be […]

Knee osteoarthritis, common among older adults, occurs when cartilage in the knee breaks down. That allows the bones to rub against one another, causing pain, swelling, stiffness and decreased mobility. Drugstore shelves are filled with supplements containing chondroitin and glucosamine that promise healthier joints for those suffering from knee osteoarthritis. These supplements may sound like […]

Does it seem as though everyone is having a total joint replacement? Well, not only are older Americans taking advantage of total knee or hip replacement but younger patients—especially the athletically driven baby-boomer generation—are opting to have the surgery as well. Total joint replacement involves surgically removing parts of an arthritic or damaged joint and […]

While no one wants a knee injury, of course, a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) is probably the easiest knee injury to treat. MCLs will often heal on their own, meaning that a full return to normal activities without surgery is possible, even when dealing with the most severe tears. Often, a course of physical […]

A thick, naturally occurring liquid that lubricates the joints, hyaluronan (also called hyaluronate) becomes thinner in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. If you are one of the millions of adults living with osteoarthritis of the knee, your physician may prescribe hyaluronic acid injections to ease pain and stiffness. An injection of hyaluronic acid may […]

IT band syndrome is a nickname for iliotibial band syndrome, a condition affecting the thick, fibrous band of tissue that runs from the pelvis to the top of the shin and keeps the knee stable and functioning when you walk or run. When the IT band becomes irritated or inflamed, patients feel knee pain that […]

If you suffer from knee pain, the culprit might be a Baker cyst, an accumulation of joint fluid that creates a bulge at the back of the knee. The bulge is noticeable, and a physician can usually diagnose it accurately by taking a history and feeling for the swelling behind the knee. Most people will […]

If you have torn your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the main ligament that stabilizes the knee, and are scheduled for reconstructive surgery to repair it, your surgeon could use either an autograft or an allograft. What is the difference between the two? An autograft is a piece of tissue removed from your body and used […]

Deciding to have your knee replaced can lead to many logical concerns regarding safety, rehabilitation and whether the increase in quality of life makes the procedure worth the trouble. Not everyone will regain full range of motion after total knee replacement. Depending upon the specific nature of your injury and knee replacement, however, a full […]

Patellar tendinitis, also known as jumper’s knee, is an injury to the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone. This condition generally affects athletes, often basketball and volleyball players, who jump frequently and put repeated stress on the patellar or quadriceps tendons. But jumper’s knee can also affect high- and long-jumpers, soccer players, weight-lifters and […]

Made up of bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscles and fluid, the knee works like a complex machine. If one part of the machine is not working properly, intense discomfort can ensue. One of these system malfunctions is a bone marrow lesion, a microfracture or swelling in the soft bone right below the knee joint. In […]

Does your knee hurt when you walk, run or climb stairs? If so, you have plenty of company. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Americans make more than 19 million physician visits each year for knee pain. Although osteoarthritis is the most common cause of knee pain in individuals over age 55, knee […]

In 2012, National Football League running back Adrian Peterson returned from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his knee to have the best season of his career. His amazing recovery shows how far ACL treatment has progressed over the last decade and gives many athletes hope that they too can make full recoveries after […]

The menisci are cartilages in the knee that protect the joint from stresses of activity. Pivoting actions that cause the knee to twist pose a risk for meniscus tears. The injury is common among tennis players, but it can also result from deep knee bending, squatting or lifting a heavy object. If you have torn […]

More than a million surgeries are performed every year to help people suffering from arthritis of the knee. While such surgery is sometimes the best option, two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one in 2002 and one in 2008, found that physical therapy and medications can be just as effective as […]

It sounds counterintuitive. You have surgery that makes it easier to be active and mobile, and then you begin to gain weight. But that is exactly what recent studies have suggested: Patients who have knee replacement surgeries have a 60% chance of gaining 5% or more of their body weight within five years. The good […]

The menisci, two semicircular pieces of knee cartilage located where the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) meet, help diffuse the forces on the knee and act as shock absorbers. Meniscal tears are common. Young athletes often tear a meniscus when twisting with the knee flexed and the foot firmly planted. Older adults may […]

Although the feet are essential for proper running form and good biomechanics, runners often neglect them. A runner with an incorrectly aligned foot can experience pain in the lower body, most often in the knee. How the foot causes such discomfort revolves around pronation, the inward roll of the foot and the flattening of the […]

A 2013 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that physical therapy can be just as successful as surgery in treating tears of the meniscus, a rubbery C-shaped disc that cushions your knee. Each knee has two of these discs—one at the outer edge of the knee and one at the inner […]

After your knee replacement, you might think your knee will work just fine. Unfortunately, many people do not realize that straightening the knee after surgery is not as simple as they originally thought. Along with loss of strength, reduced extension is one of the most common complaints following knee replacement. Full motion of the knee […]

The knee is one of the easiest parts of the body to injure because it is used for many motions the body performs. Common acute injuries are caused by sudden stops and turns during activities such as soccer and tennis. Pain may also occur after exercise, but you may also feel it if you sit […]

When it comes to weight, “lightening up” has benefits for knee pain. Knee pain is a common kind of joint pain, resulting from a variety of causes. These range from overuse and repeated movements by athletes to chronic illnesses such as arthritis. Research shows that, when it comes to your knees, what you weigh matters. […]

A patellar fracture affects the kneecap, which can be easily broken, and often occurs from a fall directly onto the knee. They are most common in people 20 to 50 years of age and affect men twice as often as women. One of three bones making up your knee joint, your kneecap serves as a […]

If you go to the doctor complaining of knee pain and the first thing he or she does is examine your feet, you might think your physician has misread your chart. However, your physician is actually doing something proactive to diagnose the reason for your knee problems. This is because knee pain is often directly […]

The menisci are pieces of cartilage found between the femur (thighbone) and tibia (shinbone) in the knee joint. they absorb force and provide stability and cushioning to the joint. But a meniscus can tear, and when it does, there are several repair options. One, especially if the tear is small, is to not treat the […]

It seems counter-intuitive, but when it hurts to move your knee, the best thing you can do is move your knee. A 2009 study in the British Medical Journal found that supervised exercise therapy improved pain and function in people suffering from patellofemoral(front-of-the-knee) pain. A more recent study of young military recruits in the United […]

The ACL—anterior cruciate ligament— provides stability to the knee by keeping the tibia (shinbone) from sliding in front of the femur (thighbone). About 250,000 ACL reconstructions are performed annually in the United States on individuals who experience the condition. ACL tears are not usually sutured together because the repairs do not fare well over time. […]

Chances are you have seen runners and people in rehabilitation from serious knee injuries wearing straps or sleeves on their knees. While it might seem hard to believe, those devices can actually help relieve knee pain. Knee pain and injuries happen when you damage cartilage, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones in your knee. A blow […]

Remember the old children’s song that went, “the knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone”? Those lyrics are a bit misleading. The thigh bone is actually connected to the shinbone; the knee joint rests between these two bones, cushioned by an important portion of cartilage called the meniscus. When this cartilage becomes torn or damaged, […]

A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), followed by reconstruction surgery, can be devastating for an athlete. It leads to many questions: When can I return to competition? Will I lose my scholarship? How do I prevent reinjury? Advances in physical therapy now help athletes improve rapidly during the early period after surgery. Read full article  […]

Healthcare providers usually call pain at the front of your knee or under your kneecap patellofemoral pain syndrome. Most often, this pain occurs after exercise, but you may also feel it if you sit too long. Over time, your knee may begin to hurt during exercise or throughout the day. You may feel a nagging […]

Tibial osteotomy is a surgical procedure that realigns the angle of the lower leg and changes the distribution of pressure within the knee. Physicians most often recommend the surgery for people 40 to 60 years of age who have osteoarthritis on only one side of the knee. In the knee, the femur (thighbone) of the […]

Dislocation of the kneecap, or patella, is especially common among young women 16 to 20 years of age who participate in sports such as soccer, gymnastics and ice hockey. When it occurs, the kneecap slides out of its groove, usually laterally, resulting in pain, swelling and decreased mobility. Patellar dislocation can result from a direct […]

Patellar subluxation occurs when the kneecap moves slightly out of its groove at the end of the thigh bone and then comes back into place. A serious condition, subluxation is often painful and may lead to actual dislocation of the kneecap. Another problem is that subluxation puts additional strain on certain structures, requiring a person […]

Here’s the catch-22 of physical therapy: Reducing pain requires physical work, but physical work can cause pain that makes it extremely difficult to do that work. Patients with arthritis of the knee joint often find that using a brace allows them to perform strengthening exercises more easily. But some people wrongly believe that a brace […]

If your doctor says you have arthritis in your knee, does that mean you will need knee replacement surgery? The short answer is not necessarily. Fortunately, your body can compensate for the loss of function caused by arthritic damage to cartilage and bone in a knee joint, even if x-ray evidence seems to indicate that […]

Kneecap dislocation occurs when the patella, or kneecap, slides to the outside of the joint, thus stretching and possibly tearing the ligaments that hold it in place. The patella is probably the most commonly dislocated bone in the body, with kneecap dislocation occurring most often in teenage athletes and adult women. Kneecap dislocations fall into […]

Many patients believe that a physical therapy regimen follows joint replacement surgery, but exercise before surgery can reap many benefits afterward. Think about it: The pain in your knee has probably rendered you less active. Less activity causes the muscles—in this case, those in the thighs and hips that directly and indirectly support your bad […]

How much weight will you be allowed to place on your leg after total knee replacement surgery? This is a very important question, the answer to which depends on a number of factors. Weight-bearing following the surgery may be partial or full, depending on the surgeon’s approach. A critical part of the question is whether […]

A decade ago, individuals who had osteoarthritis of the knee were limited in their options for treatment: anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, reduced activity or surgery. Viscosupplementation, a relatively new treatment involving injections of a lubricating substance called hyaluronan, has become available for patients who suffer from this painful condition or who are unable to tolerate […]

If you are scheduled to undergo knee replacement surgery, your surgeon has three procedures from which to choose. An artificial knee can be held in place, or fixed, using a cemented , noncemented or hybrid procedure. Your surgeon will decide which procedure is best for you. The cemented procedure is the most common and produces […]

Knee problems associated with cartilage damage are not fun. Particularly prone to damage is the articular cartilage, which covers the end of bones where they meet, or articulate, with another bone, such as the knee, to provide shock absorption and enable the joint to withstand weight bearing needed to perform daily activities and sports. Once […]

The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, which connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone) in the center of the knee joint, actually consists of two “bundles” or “bands.” One, the anteromedial (AM) , controls the forward and backward movement of the tibia while the other, the posterolateral (PL), controls the knee when […]

The strongest joint in the body, the knee can bear forces of more than twice your body weight. When the thighbone (femur), knee and shinbone (tibia) are properly aligned, weight is distributed equally over the knee. However, degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis or tearing and repair of the anterior cruciate ligament can result in an uneven distribution […]