Why Does My Knee Keep Locking?
There are various causes of knee injury or pain. Here at the clinic we are used to dealing with a wide range of complaints associated with the knee, which can range from twisting injuries to tears. In the knee there are different areas of cartilage tissue. They act as shock absorbers in the joint and are known as menisci; damage to them is often associated to knee clicking or locking. There are of course a range of causes of knee locking.
Causes
One of the most common knee injuries is a twisting injury. This is common in sportspeople such as footballers and basketball players. It can happen when the foot is on the ground and the body twists as a result of a tackle or simply by wrong-stepping. The pain can vary but people often feel a tearing sensation at the time of injury or even a popping feeling.
A meniscus tear can occur from a twisting or it can be as a result of degeneration due to age or illness. Working with your doctor and physiotherapist, treatment can ease pain and make movement easier. Your physiotherapist can also help you deal with chronic pain that may occur.
Menisci act to help movement and stability of the knee. If they are damaged, function can be impaired and a click or move severe locking may be felt. A severe injury such as a “bucket handle” tear can cause locking to occur from a torn meniscal flap affecting the area. The knee may lock and unlock sporadically causing pain and weakness. It also severely affects range of motion in the leg.
The knee has cartilage covering the ends of the bones known as articular cartilage and damage can occur here. A floating piece of cartilage can cause pain and knee locking. Not all tears or loose cartilage are easily spotted and in some cases an MRI scan is needed to aid diagnosis.
What Can My Physiotherapist Do to Help?
There are a range of treatments that your physiotherapist can give you to help with knee locking and pain as a result of injury or illness.
Gentle stretching using manual techniques can help regain movement. Gentle movement will also aid restoration of motion in the knee.
Exercising the muscles surrounding the knee can help bring some strength back to the area.
A course of physiotherapy can assist in the knee being able to bear weight again. It can also improve posture on recovery from injury.
Physiotherapy can help athletes to return to sport on a phased and safe basis.
Importantly, physiotherapy can reduce pain and swelling around the knee.
There are varied reasons for knee locking. Whatever the reason for the pain, swelling or lack of movement, the experts at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic can help you on the road to recovery. Call or Book an Appointment today.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy after an operation has been shown to provide benefits in decreasing pain, strengthening muscles and improving how you function. Some of the common operations we see are Hip and Knee replacements, Knee Arthroscopy, Tendon and Cuff Repairs, Shoulder Stabilisation and Wrist Fractures.