4 Common Myths About Knee Pain

Myth #1. All knee pain originates from the knee

Some pain can come from your lower back and hips. The back and knees are your body’s workhorse. If your back is sore, you may overcompensate and put more pressure on your knees. Sciatica is another possibility for knee pain, as the sciatic nerve is the longest in your body. When any part of your spine puts pressure on this nerve, it could cause pain that moves from your back to your buttock, down your leg, to your knee, and beyond. This is similar to hip arthritis because of inflammation involving different nerves that run to your knee.

Myth #2. Rest until all knee pain is gone

Inactivity will make the joint pain worse because the muscles that support the knee will weaken. It is okay to take activities slower and to know your pain limits, but do not become sedentary and wait for your pain to go away.

Myth #3. Knee pain is just a part of growing old

To avoid knee pain as we age, keep a healthy weight, wear proper shoes, avoid tobacco, and do exercises and stretches to avoid osteoarthritis. Since cartilage is mostly water, drinking a lot of water will also help.

Myth #4. Physical therapy does not help. All knee pain will need surgery.

Physical therapy will help with knee pain and often surgery can be avoided. When you see our physical therapist, they will teach you what exercises and stretches to do, how often to do them, and they will make sure you are doing each one correctly. Keep in mind, physical therapy is not done for you. Physical therapy is a “tool” for you to treat and manage your pain. Just like a car needs maintenance to run, your knees will always need a range of motion and strength to work and feel good. Sometimes, a cortisone injection or pain medication may be needed to facilitate the physical therapy temporarily.

Sources

Top 10 myths about knee pain – UCHealth Today

A Common Cause of Knee and Hip Pain and How to Treat It (tenethealth.com)

4 Knee Pain Myths | Rothman Orthopedic Institute

Age-proof your knees – Harvard Health

Get the facts about knee pain – Mayo Clinic Health System

Content Contributor: Andrea McMahon