I want to be more active but…

By Scott Gormley

Many people start the new year with fitness and lifestyle goals and resolutions. One of the biggest problems we hear is that existing injuries have stopped them continuing or achieving them. With many people’s goals to move more in the new year, we see a shift from a winter full of shoulder, neck and lower back pain to knee, foot and hip pain becoming more prevalent in the early part of the year.

Knee pain more than any other, causes more people to stop exercise than other joints. Existing injuries, tendon and ligament problems and arthritis all play a part in a painful knee. The key to successfully achieving your goals is normally understanding your limitations and good planning. If you know what you can and can’t do and what would benefit your knees, many people manage and resolve their symptoms successfully.

As a physiotherapist we are experts in exercise prescription and regularly guide patients through their recovery from injury. One of the biggest tricks of our trade is to grade people’s exposure slowly and gently allow them to get used to exercise and then progress. This is typically the mistake that most people make when starting a new regime. We would generally apply a 10-20% rule when increasing the duration or distance of any exercise and not be worried about having a week where you didn’t increase at all. Sometimes our bodies need to adapt, and this can happen more slowly when we have had a previous injury.

Knee injuries come in 3 main categories, Muscle and Tendon, Ligament and Bone (arthritis). Understanding exactly why you’ve experienced knee pain previously and what type of knee pain you have will help you manage and resolve your injury. Typically, rest and or painkillers are used by many, this can be very useful in the early stages of an injury but once the main symptoms have reduced, prescribed exercises are then the most helpful for all knee injuries. Alongside exercises you may require shockwave treatment, massage, manipulation, acupuncture and or orthotics. In certain cases, we recommend braces and supports for knees to help maintain function and improve strength.

We work closely with local specialists, surgeons and GPs, for those patients who need extra support or a scan. We have a pathway set up to get you seen quickly by the right person.

If you have struggled previously with any injury and you’d like to understand it further, you can now book direct online www.shropshirephysiotherapy. co.uk or give us a call 01952 825025