8 WAYS TO END

KNEE PAIN
AND
STIFFNESS
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 ABOUT THE KNEE

The knee joint lies between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin
bone (tibia). It is a unique joint in the sense that it contains extra
supporting structures within it due to the fact that it has to cope
with a lot of stress being put through it. 

As well as a cartilage surface on the bones, there are extra shock-

absorbing structures called meniscus within the joint. These provide
additional cushioning to protect the joint surfaces. There are also 4
large ligaments giving the knee extra stability - the medial and
lateral ligaments on either side, and the posterior and anterior
cruciate ligaments within the joint. All of these structures act to
provide the knee joint with adequate support and stability to cope
with the rigours of day to day life.
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 FIXING KNEE PAIN
Due to the knee being subject to almost constant stress and force
going through it, it is one of the most commonly injured parts of the
body and also one of the most prone to wear and tear. Whether it is
an acute sprain or more long-standing pain and stiffness, knee
problems can always be helped and symptoms can be settled long-
term.

There are lots of people out there with chronic knee pain and
stiffness, many of whom assume they are just 'getting old’ or have
'wear and tear' and have to live with it. Some who seek help from
their GP will be prescribed rest and painkillers, but most of the time
this will not solve the problem.

There are many ways to manage and even eradicate knee pain
altogether without the need for painkillers or surgery.

Here, you'll find our top 8 tips on supporting your knees, reducing

stress on them and keeping the structures within them strong and
healthy.

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 TIP NUMBER 1

KEEP ON MOVING
Regularly work the knee through the full range of motion

Regularly work the knee

through the full range of
motion BEND
Hug your ankle into
The cartilage and meniscus in the knee your hip
don't receive nutrients through a blood
supply, but instead act as sponges for the STRAIGHTEN
joint fluid to get nourishment. Compression Pull toes up and
of these structures squeezes joint fluid out straighten knee fully
of them, and decompression draws in fresh
joint fluid and fresh nourishment. RANGE
Bend and straighten
By moving the knee from full bending to knee fully when
full straightening, each part of the joint will sitting for a while
become squeezed allowing for fresh joint
fluid to be drawn in.
 TIP NUMBER 2

CUSHION
Cushion your knee when kneeling

Cushion your knee when PADDING

kneeling
This applies whether you have a job that CLEANING
involves a lot of kneeling, or if you only Use a pillow when
kneel now and again for example if cleaning down low
cleaning.
WORKING
The back of the knee cap has the thickest Knee pads are good if
layer of cartilage in the body in order to you are moving a lot
withstand forces such as that when we
kneel and put our full body weight through SWITCH
it. It will still breakdown however if it is
Alternate sides if
overstressed so minimising the force on the kneeling on one knee
knee cap by kneeling on a cushion will
protect the cartilage from damage.
 TIP NUMBER 3

SUPPORTIVE SHOES
Wear stable shoes with an arch support

Wear stable shoes with an ARCH

arch support SUPPORT
Having fallen arches, sometimes known as
'flat feet', can cause the lower leg to twist RUNNING
when walking, creating adverse force Proper running
through the knee joint. This can irritate an trainers
already painful knee joint, or create a
repetitive strain in an otherwise healthy WALKING
knee. Laces and arch
support
A simple solution is to wear supportive
footwear as much as possible. Trainers or
shoes with an arch support are ideal. Heels
SANDALS
and very flat shoes with thin soles should Soles with arch
support
only be worn sparingly.
 TIP NUMBER 4

HOT OR COLD?
Which to use and when

Which to use and when WARM UP

Both hot and cold are appropriate
for knee injuries. COLD
Ice pack for acute
My general rule is that if the injury is a injury e.g. strain
fresh, acute one that feels hot and swollen,
then use cold such as an ice pack. This HEAT
might include a ligament strain or meniscus Hot pack for chronic
tear. injury e.g. arthritis

If the injury has been nagging for a while

and is more chronic, tight and achey, use
HOW MUCH?
heat such as a hot water bottle. Heat will 10 minutes every 2
hours maximum
bring fresh blood flow and relax tight
muscles. 
 TIP NUMBER 5

CROSS TRAIN
Varied exercise to reduce the load on the knees

Varied exercise to reduce ACTIVITY

the load on the knees
Exercise is undoubtedly good for knee RUNNING
health, but sometimes too much impact Limit downhill
can have a negative effect. Ideally we want
to keep the knees as strong as possible
without causing damage to the internal
CYCLING
Adjust seat height to
structures. suit you

A mixture of higher impact exercise such as

running and walking, with low impact
GYM WORK
exercise like cycling, swimming, and gym Varied strength and
balance exercises
work is the best way to give the knee the
strength it needs without overloading the
joint itself. 
 TIP NUMBER 6

ROLL WITH IT
Roll over tight muscles

Roll over tight muscles ROLL OVER

Tight bands and knots in the muscles of the
leg can cause pain in the knee. These WHERE
include the gluteal muscles at the hip, the Any tight muscle in
calves in the lower leg, and the quads and the leg
hamstrings at the thigh.
WHEN
A good self-massage technique to iron out After exercise; in the
these knots is to use a foam roller which evening
acts like a rolling pin on these muscles.
Place the roller on the floor and lie the HOW LONG?
target muscle on it. Use your arms to
1 minute per muscle,
support your upper body and roll the whole rolling up and down
of the tight muscle up and down the roller.
 TIP NUMBER 7

EXERCISES
Try these two simple exercises every morning

Exercise 1 Exercise 2

Try these two simple exercises every morning:

Exercise 1
Sitting on a chair or bench with your legs dangling down, pull the right foot
upwards and straighten the leg fully out in front. Then relax the knee and
bend it as far as you can (to the point of resistance but not pain). Repeat
these movements 20 times each direction. Both legs can be exercised at
the same time by alternating the movement i.e. as one straightens, the
other bends etc.

Exercise 2
Stand facing a wall with your left big toe and knee touching the wall. Now
slide your right heel back as far as you can, keeping the foot pointing
forward and the heel on the ground. You should feel a good stretch in your
calf and up to the back of the knee. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the
other leg. Perform this stretch 3 times on each side. 
 TIP NUMBER 8

PHYSIOTHERAPY
Consult a physiotherapist for an individualised treatment programme

Physio for an
individualised treatment PHYSIO
programme HANDS-ON
An expert physiotherapist will be able to Mobilise and
diagnose your exact problem and tailor a manipulate
treatment programme specifically for your
needs. For persistent knee pain there is DESENSITIZE
likely an underlying issue involving the Acupuncture, Gunn
joint, muscles, or nerves and unless this is IMS, ultrasound
identified and dealt with, the pain or
stiffness in your knee is unlikely to just go EXERCISE
away. A programme consisting of hands-on
Specific to your exact
treatment, techniques to desensitize needs
muscles and nerves, and exercise will get
your knee pain resolved.
STUBBORN KNEE PAIN

Putting these top tips into action is the best start you can make to
deal with your knee pain or stiffness. Little changes like the ones
suggested can make a big difference. If your knee issue is stubborn
and fails to resolve completely, even when following these tips, then
it probably needs some extra help to push it in the right direction.

At The Physiotherapy Place we have specialist knee pain

physiotherapists who can help you to understand your problem and
work with you to resolve it. We do many specialist treatments
for knee pain and stiffness and although every case is different,
every case can be effectively treated to reduce or completely
eradicate your symptoms.

0131 669 3369

WWW.THEPHYSIOTHERAPYPLACE.COM
INFO@THEPHYSIOTHERAPYPLACE.COM
The Physiotherapy Place is a physiotherapy clinic located in Portobello,
servicing the surrounding areas of Edinburgh, Duddingston, Musselburgh
and East Lothian. If you would like to speak to one of our physio's, get in
touch to arrange a FREE 15 minute telephone consultation for advice on
your specific problem.

We are members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Health

and Care Professions Council.

0131 669 3369

WWW.THEPHYSIOTHERAPYPLACE.COM
INFO@THEPHYSIOTHERAPYPLACE.COM
117 PORTOBELLO HIGH STREET, EDINBURGH