Ever since you learned to walk, you’ve been putting one foot in front of the other without thinking about it much. However, the seemingly simple task of walking can become a challenge when you have knee pain when doing so. 

If you do feel knee pain when walking, you’re a member of a pretty large group. A national medical survey on knee pain reveals that 18.6% of men and 29.9% of women reported knee pain. Having a restricted ability to move around because of knee pain isn’t something that anyone wants to experience for long. Fortunately, physical therapists can take steps to determine why you feel knee pain when walking. These medical specialists can then work to address your knee pain and its root cause. 

Three steps physical therapists can take to discover the source of your knee pain when walking

1. Taking your medical history — You would be surprised how often an issue with your knee or other joints is related to an issue you had in the past. That’s why your physical therapist will be so keen to go over your medical history with you. They want to gain information about past problems that may be behind your current knee pain. 

2. Asking you questions — Your medical history isn’t the only thing your physical therapist will want to ask you about. The odds are good that they’ll ask you many questions. The reason? The more information they have, the more effectively they can treat you. Some points that your physical therapist may ask questions about include: 

• Your symptoms, such as, “Do you feel knee pain when going up stairs?”
• Your movement limitations.
• Normal activities that you do. 
• How you walk, or your gait. 
• Your sitting and standing posture. 

In some cases, your physical therapist may ask you to demonstrate certain movements or positions like sitting while asking you questions. 

3. Performing physical evaluation — Taking a look at the affected knee is also something that your physical therapist will do. They may use their hands to move the joint through its normal range of motion (ROM). In addition, they will likely examine the muscles and other soft tissue in the areas around your knee, such as in your thigh or calf. 

After taking these steps, physical therapists will now have information that can help them diagnose the source or sources of your knee pain. They can then help you take steps to treat your pain. 

Rehab Access can help you take the next step to address knee pain when walking

Our physical therapists at Rehab Access are highly experienced at addressing knee pain when walking. However, we know that not everyone with this type of pain has exactly the same cause. That’s why our clinicians will take the time to learn as much about your condition as possible using a free screening. Then, we’ll build you a physical therapy plan that’s customized to fit you. 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help reduce your knee pain or to schedule an initial appointment.