Question:
Is my PT imcompetent or is she right?
I developed knee pain accompanied by instability. One day, not while running, I heard two pronounced "pops" in the knee. After that, I couldn't run more than a few paces without feeling pain that made me stop.
MRI showed nothing torn so the MD prescribed physical therapy. I go to the PT and after some questions she applies tape to my knee that forces and holds the kneecap in the direction of my other knee. I then get on the treadmill and to my delight, the pain is gone.
She diagnoses the problem as an imbalance in muscle strength around the knees, particularly, the inner part of the lower quad. She gave me a bunch of stretching exercises and a weight lifting exercise that involves an ankle weight and extenting the leg while turning the heel inward.
So my question is: is my injury caused by muscle imbalance or does it sound more like ITBS, a condition I have not yet experienced. Thanks to all.
Asked by penguin5b - 1 answer - 2 years 12 weeks ago
ITBS or Iliotibial band syndrome would cause pain on the lateral or outside area just above the knee joint. It is caused by the fibrous band of connective tissue rubbing on the femur. If you don't have pain in this area, most likely it is not the cause of your problem. Moreover, since you had relief of your pain after the therapist taped your knee cap or patella, it is likely that you have a problem with the patella tracking properly. The knee cap has to follow a groove in the thigh bone(femur)when the knee bends or straightens. If it doesn't, pain occurs. This is caused by weakness of part of the inner quadriceps muscle and/ or tightness of lateral hip muscles which creates a tendency for the knee cap to pull out to the side. Taping your knee cap wouldn't have relieved the pain if you had IT band syndrome. I responded to your question due to the title of your question (wondering whether your PT was incompetent). She relieved the pain so that should speak for itself! If you didn't have any results or improvement, that is when you should be questioning if the therapy is working.
Submitted 2 years 12 weeks ago by mmcPT