Chapter 21 · Knee
Knee Pain protocol
Indexed — full page in progressSource: Rehab Science · Ch 21 · PDF pp. 809–835📖 Rehab ScienceBuild my programme →
AMBER — get assessed before starting rehab
Screen for red flags before starting any protocol (safety check). Progress by symptoms and function, not by the calendar: > 3/10 pain → start phase 1; < 3/10 → phase 2 (PDF p. 205).Follow this programme to treat
- General knee pain
- Patellofemoral joint pain (pain around the front of the knee or behind the kneecap)
- Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome (pain on the outside of the thigh just above the knee)
Conditions in this protocol
- Patellofemoral joint pain (runner's knee) PDF p. 809
- Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome PDF p. 812
Questions the book answers
Good for
- Alleviating knee pain
- Relieving muscle tension above and below the knee
- Warm-up for phase 2 and 3 exercises
- Perform every day
- Tools: foam roller, slant board
- Add phase 2 when you have no pain at rest and no more than mild pain (3/10) with the exercises
Guidelines
Soft Tissue Mobilizations
▶ Spend 1‒2 minutes on each area · Perform in any order on both sides · Stop on tender points for 10‒20 seconds
Stretching Exercises
▶ Do 3 reps with 30- to 60-second holds · Perform in any order on both sides · Don’t stretch into pain
Quad stretch (choose one)
choose one▶ Do 3 reps with 30- to 60-second holds · Perform in any order on both sides · Don’t stretch into pain
Good for
- Reducing knee pain
- Early knee and hip strengthening
- Warm-up for phase 3 exercises
Guidelines
- Perform 3 or 4 days a week
- Do 3 sets of 10–15 reps unless otherwise noted
- Tools: resistance loop, plyo box
- Add phase 3 when you can do the exercises with no more than mild pain (3/10)
Exercises
diagram pending
Side-lying hip abduction
PDF p. 823 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Single-leg bridge
PDF p. 824 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Lateral squat walk
PDF p. 825 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Banded squat
PDF p. 826 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Lateral step-up
PDF p. 827 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Single-leg calf raise
PDF p. 828 · instructions pending
Good for
- Strengthening the knees, legs, and hips
- Preventing knee pain and injury
Guidelines
- Perform 3 or 4 days a week
- Do 3 sets of 10–15 reps
- Push sets to fatigue
- Tools: resistance loop, physio (exercise) ball, dumbbells, plyo box
Exercises
diagram pending
Standing banded hydrant
PDF p. 830 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Reverse lunge
PDF p. 831 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Ball hamstring curl
PDF p. 832 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Split squat
PDF p. 833 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Skater squat
PDF p. 834 · instructions pending
diagram pending
Lateral step-down
PDF p. 835 · instructions pending
Source: Rehab Science · Ch 21 · PDF pp. 809–820· 6 original research citationsshow sources ▾
Also cited by the book on these pages:
- [Ch 21·1] McClinton SM, Cobian DG, Heiderscheit BC. Physical therapist management of anterior knee pain. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2020;13(6):776-787. find original ↗
- [Ch 21·2] Willy RW, Hoglund LT, Barton CJ, et al. Patellofemoral pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2019;49(9):CPG1-CPG95. find original ↗
- [Ch 21·3] Robertson CJ, Hurley M, Jones F. People’s beliefs about the meaning of crepitus in patellofemoral pain and the impact of these beliefs on their behaviour: a qualitative study. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2017;28:59-64. find original ↗
- [Ch 21·4] Aderem J, Louw QA. Biomechanical risk factors associated with iliotibial band syndrome in runners: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015;16:356. find original ↗
- [Ch 21·5] Hutchinson LA, Lichtwark GA, Willy RW, Kelly LA. The iliotibial band: a complex structure with versatile functions. Sports Med. 2022;52(5):995-1008. find original ↗
- [Ch 21·6] Fairclough J, Hayashi K, Toumi H, et al. The functional anatomy of the iliotibial band during flexion and extension of the knee: implications for understanding iliotibial band syndrome. J Anat. 2006;208(3):309-316. find original ↗
Page numbers are those of the uploaded PDF edition. "Find original" opens a PubMed search for the cited study.