When most people suffer from knee pain, they tend to assume that the problem is with the knee joint. As a result, all of their focus is directed towards corrective exercises that address the knee. Ironically, however, more often than not, the knee is not the cause of the problem.
According to the “Joint-By-Joint Approach” popularized by Mike Boyle, when a joint is in pain, it is usually the joint above or below it that is the cause of dysfunction. When the hip or ankle lose mobility, this causes a decrease in stability in the knee, eventually leading to knee pain. Even though the pain is manifesting in the knee, it is the hip or ankle that need to be addressed.
A new study published in the “International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy” has provided evidence to support this theory. After reviewing eight studies, the researchers concluded that hip exercises are effective at treating knee pain more frequently than knee exercises.
Conclusions
Next time you have pain in the knees, low back, or shoulders, consider that it may actually be a lack of ankle, hip, or thoracic mobility that is causing your pain.
References
1 Peters JS, Tyson NL. Proximal exercises are effective in treating patellofemoral pain syndrome: a systematic review. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013 Oct;8(5):689-700.