knee pain – 6 problems that Bowen Therapy helps

Knee pain almost anywhere on the knee

Knees are one joint commonly affected by arthritis.

Osteoarthritis may give pain and stiffness in the knee.  It may be particularly worse after periods of non-movement – getting out of bed in the morning or sitting for a long period.  The knee may also be stiff or sore when climbing stairs, walking or kneeling, and sometimes feels like it might give way.  Osteoarthritis pain can sometimes get worse throughout the course of the day.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition.  Pain may be strongest in the morning, and feel better through the day as movement increases.

Exercise, weight loss, pain medication, ice packs, and mobility aids are the usual self-care for osteoarthritis.

Bowen Therapy can’t help rid you of arthritis, but is great for improving mobility and thus reduced pain.  Bowen moves around the knees have reduced the pain for many, and regular maintenance treatments help people continue an active life.  With knee pain and restricted movement often comes compensatory patterns – regular Bowen treatments can also help prevent other problems that arise from compensations.

Knee pain above the knee cap

Pain in the lower thigh, just above the knee cap, is often the result of quadriceps tendonitis. 

This is often a problem of overuse, with contributing factors of alignment.  Repetitive stresses on the knee structure can lead to injury, strain or irritation of the quadriceps muscles and tendons.  Those doing activities such as running, jumping, or sports with quick starts and stops tend to experience this problem more frequently.  However, even those who don’t play sports can experience this problem.

The area is often warm and very tender to touch, with pain more noticeable when the knee is moving.  Many find that their knee is stiff when getting up in the morning or after a period of inactivity, as well as during and after exercise.  The pain may be mild, or strong enough to prevent athletes from playing their sport.

My experience with this was thankfully a short-lived injury years ago.  I’d only recently started to hike – how hard could walking be ?  one foot after the other !  But, at the end of a long downhill, my lower thighs were burning.  The next morning, the pain was worse, and walking down stairs was difficult.  No Bowen for me back then, but lots of rest and words of advice from seasoned hikers:  “you were using your knees going downhill,” I was told “but you need to use your quads.”

Bowen would have gotten me back to action faster, helping muscles recover and bringing a level of balance back to legs and body.  Key is also strength exercises, ensuring that the quadriceps are strong enough and are firing – especially for those downhills and quick stops.

Knee pain below the knee cap

Pain felt below the kneecap may be a sign of patellar tendonitis.  This is inflammation in the patella tendon, that connects the kneecap to the shinbone.

Micro-tears from repetitive stress during jumping may result in inflammation of the patella tendon.  Thus, the condition is often referred to as jumper’s knee.  It is an injury that’s often specific to athletes who play jumping sports such as basketball, volleyball, or long jump.  Overtraining or playing sport on hard surfaces are also risk factors.

Rest is commonly recommended to give the tendon time to repair, together with ice and anti-inflammatories.  Knee braces are also useful for many.

The underlying cause is often linked to poor quadricep flexibility, preventing the knee from bending as well as it should.  Bringing balance to the body through Bowen Therapy, with focus on leg musculature, will help with recovery. 

Knee pain on the knee cap

Pain on or around the kneecap is likely to be caused by patellofemoral pain syndrome. 

This is usually a pain that comes on gradually, and is most noticeable when going up or down stairs, kneeling or running.  It often develops as an overuse injury, seen commonly in runners – thus, often known as “runner’s knee”.

With this problem, the pain is often caused by the kneecap not tracking smoothly in the groove in the femur when the knee is bending or straightening.

There are a number of possible underlying causes, many of which are related.  Altered firing patterns in the quadricep muscles, over-pronation of the foot, and imbalances in thigh muscles can contribute to the patella being pulled from the best position.

Bowen therapy can help bring balance to the pelvis and muscles of the thigh.  Strengthening exercises will probably also be needed to maintain that balance and keep the patella tracking correctly.