Knee Pain
Knee pain has many causes, from runner's knee to a meniscus tear or an ACL injury, and a physical therapist can sort out which one you have and build a plan around it. Heights Physical Therapy treats knee pain in Gunnison, Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley, and strength and movement work can help many knee problems.
Knee pain going up stairs, downhill or into a squat
Where the knee hurts, and in what movement, gives your therapist the first clues.
Runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain)
An aching around or behind the kneecap, worst going up stairs, running downhill or sitting for a long time. It often responds to changes in load and to strength work.
Patellar tendinitis (jumper’s knee)
Pain just below the kneecap that shows up with jumping, mountain bike climbs or deep squats. The tendon needs the right amount of load, not none.
IT band syndrome
Pain on the outer knee that builds as you run or ride, often tied to hip strength and training load.
Meniscus tears
The meniscus is the cushion in the knee. A tear can cause catching, swelling and pain with twisting. Exercise-based rehab is often part of care.
Ligament sprains and ACL tears
A twisting fall on skis or a bad landing can sprain or tear a ligament, and an ACL tear often makes the knee feel like it gives way.
Knee pain when squatting
Knee pain when squatting often points to the kneecap, the tendon or the meniscus, and how deep it hurts tells your therapist where to look.
Knee arthritis
Stiffness and aching that comes with long walks or cold mornings. Strength and movement help the joint tolerate more. See arthritis.
Knees take a beating from skiing, biking and trail running
Our valley is hard on knees. Long descents, deep powder turns, steep climbs on the bike and uneven trails all ask the knee to absorb force. Often the pain is not only in the knee. A weak hip or a stiff ankle changes how force reaches it, so we look at the whole leg, along with how you ski, ride or run.
Heights treats ACL tears and meniscus tears with a plan set around your goals and, if surgery is part of it, your surgeon’s guidance. If surgery is being considered, you, your surgeon and your therapist decide together what is right for you, and rehab before and after surgery is part of care.
What a knee plan at Heights includes
Treatment is custom and always includes education and a home exercise program.
- Therapeutic exercise and strengthening for the quads, hamstrings, hips and calves
- Manual therapy for stiff joints and tight tissue around the knee
- Neuromuscular training, which teaches the knee to stay steady when you land, pivot or step down
- Coaching on how you squat, step down and land, so the knee is loaded in a way that feels better
- Advice on whether a brace or tape from a store makes sense for your activity
- A plan to return to your sport or hobby in stages
Knee surgery and getting back out there
We keep the two sides of this clear.
Before and after ACL reconstruction or knee replacement
Getting stronger before an operation helps recovery, and rehab afterward follows your surgeon’s protocol. Read more on post-surgical rehab.
ACL rehab and return to sport
Testing whether you are ready to ski, cut or jump again is covered on sports injury rehab.
Pain from other joints
A stiff hip or a weak foot and ankle can show up as knee pain, so we check them.
See a doctor first if you have
- A knee that is hot, red and swollen with a fever
- A knee that locks and will not straighten
- Not being able to put weight on the leg after an injury
- A calf that is swollen, warm and painful after surgery or a long trip
Call us and we will tell you what applies to your insurance, and whether you need anything from your doctor, before your first visit.
Get your knee looked at before the season starts
If your knee is keeping you off the trail or the mountain, we can help you work out why. We see patients from Gunnison, Crested Butte and across the valley. Call or request an appointment and we will find a time that works.
We see patients in Gunnison, Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley, Colorado.