Some Advice From An Auckland Physio On Managing Knee Pain

As warmer months make their way on out, many of us might feel the sudden urge to take advantage of the final few weeks of summer. That may include enjoying the outdoors more, frequenting the swimming pool often and even forming a volleyball team. With any activity that requires high exertion and performance of the physical body, you should prepare in advance by consulting with an Auckland physio to help condition your body. Avoiding injury is vital, but poor preparation can lead to excruciating knee pain that may be unbearable to manage and hinder any plans you had of revelling in the last few warm days left until autumn.

Volleyball is quite an impactful sport, putting an enormous amount of pressure and shock onto your knees as you jump and land with each spike. Once you feel that sudden surge of pain, you may be limping off and trying to rest up before your next friendly. However, if left unchecked by a physiotherapist, you can end up causing more damage than just inflammation and tenderness.

In this article, we talk you through patellar tendinopathy to help you understand the signs as well as how we can assist you in recovering quickly.

What Is Patellar Tendinopathy? 

This crucial tendon runs across your knee and helps you to move. Until you injure yourself, you may not even be aware of how much work it does – from helping you walk, run and also jump. Although the human body is a marvel that can withstand most forces, high-intensity impact can easily result in damage. With poor form, technique and insufficient stretching, you are more likely to hurt yourself by jumping up and down during a game of volleyball.

What Should You Look Out For? 

Damage of your patellar tendon begins with tiny tears that start with intense shock to the knee. You may begin to feel slight discomfort, and although it’s a sign to stop playing, most of us ignore the feeling. As it starts to worsen with forced play, you may find yourself battling to carry out normal activities such as walking or jogging without grimacing in pain. The pain quickly increases due to tendon damage.

How Can We Help You? 

While we always encourage patients to visit us before embarking on a new fitness journey or just for a regular check-up, not many follow through until they can barely walk. We can assist by assessing your injury, evaluating your current pain levels and develop a treatment plan to help alleviate the pain completely. We also give patients with patellar tendinopathy rehabilitation programmes with less aggressive exercises to do at home to help speed up the process of recovery.

At Cairnhill Physiotherapy, we want you to stay active and injury-free. With preventative measures, advice and professional treatment, we can help you score without unbearable pain. To book a consultation with our Auckland physio team for expert healthcare and support, make a booking online today.