Knee Pain
From running-related knee pain to arthritis and post-surgical knees, the treatment depends entirely on which one you have.
Common symptoms
- , Pain at the front of the knee, worse on stairs
- , Swelling after activity
- , Giving way or a feeling of instability
- , Locking or catching
- , Stiffness after sitting for a long period
Common causes
- , A jump in running volume or intensity
- , Weak hip and gluteal muscles changing knee mechanics
- , Osteoarthritis and age-related joint change
- , Ligament or meniscus injury from twisting
- , Direct impact or a fall
The knee is usually not the problem
Front-of-knee pain in runners is one of the most misdiagnosed complaints we see. The pain is at the knee, so the knee gets treated (ice, rest, a brace) and it returns as soon as running resumes.
In most cases the driver sits above: weak gluteal muscles let the thigh rotate inward on landing, which loads the kneecap badly. Strengthening the hip resolves what months of treating the knee did not.
After surgery
Post-surgical knees are their own category and follow the surgeon’s protocol closely. The first six weeks matter more than any other period: knees stiffen readily and are stubborn to free again afterwards.
How we treat it
- , Assessment of the hip, knee and ankle together
- , Progressive strengthening, particularly the glutes and quadriceps
- , Load and training modification for runners
- , Manual therapy for stiffness
- , Post-surgical rehabilitation to protocol
Typical recovery: 6–12 weeks for most overuse problems; longer after surgery
See a doctor urgently if you have
- !Inability to bear weight after an injury
- !A knee that locks and will not straighten
- !Rapid, marked swelling within an hour of injury
- !Fever with a hot, swollen knee
- !Obvious deformity after trauma
These are not physiotherapy problems. Go to a doctor or hospital rather than booking with us.
Treatments that help
Common questions
Is running bad for my knees?
No. Recreational runners have no higher rate of knee arthritis than non-runners, and generally lower. What causes trouble is a sudden increase in load, not running itself.
I was told I have wear and tear. Is that the end of running?
Usually not. Joint changes on a scan are extremely common and correlate poorly with pain. Most people with mild to moderate changes can keep running with the right strength work and sensible load management.
Do I need surgery for a meniscus tear?
Often not. For degenerative tears in middle-aged and older adults, structured rehabilitation performs about as well as arthroscopic surgery in good-quality trials. Traumatic tears in younger patients are a different discussion.
Book a physiotherapist in Nairobi
Clinic appointments in Westlands, or a physiotherapist at your door anywhere in Nairobi. Same-week slots.