Physical Therapy Services
Knee Pain
An individualized approach to a common complaint.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is increasingly becoming a more common problem in society, and it is a complaint we see frequently. The most common complaint associated with knee pain is the normal wear and tear. Another ailment that affects the knee is osteoarthritis. The symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be reduced through our individualized approach to physical care.
How This Works
How knee pain care works at Omega Physical Therapy
A knee rarely acts alone. It sits between the hip and the ankle and takes whatever those two do not, so an evaluation for knee pain assesses the hip, the ankle and how you walk, squat and take stairs as well as the knee itself. Normal wear and tear is the most common complaint the practice sees, and osteoarthritis is another condition that affects the joint.
Treatment is individualized and one-on-one with Dr. Dmitry Shestakovsky, DPT: manual therapy and soft-tissue techniques for the knee and the surrounding muscle, together with therapeutic rehabilitation that loads the joint in a controlled, graded way. The symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be reduced through the practice’s individualized approach to physical care.
What to Expect
One-on-One Care, Built Around You
Stairs, kneeling and getting out of a low chair tell you more about a knee than a single pain score does, so those are what the evaluation measures against.
Evaluation
Where and when the knee hurts, what it does on stairs and standing from a chair, joint range and swelling, and strength and control at the hip and ankle as well as the knee.
Hands-on treatment
Manual therapy to the knee and hip and soft-tissue work to the thigh and calf musculature, directed at the restriction and irritability the assessment found.
Your home program
Graded strengthening for the muscles supporting the knee and hip, plus practical guidance on activity levels, footwear and pacing so the joint is loaded regularly without being overloaded.
Follow-up and review
The same functional markers — stairs, sit-to-stand, walking distance — are rechecked at follow-ups, and the loading is progressed from there.
Benefits
What knee pain care is used for
Physical therapy is individualized, and what any plan involves depends on your evaluation. These are the situations this kind of care is commonly used to address at our Brooklyn office.
- Addressing knee pain, including pain associated with normal wear and tear
- Reducing the symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis through an individualized approach to physical care
- Difficulty with stairs, squatting, kneeling or standing from a seated position
- Rebuilding strength and control around the knee and hip after injury or a period of reduced activity
Common Questions
Knee Pain FAQs
Should I be exercising a painful knee?
For most knee problems some form of movement is part of the plan rather than something to avoid — but which movements, and how much, is exactly what the evaluation is for. Dr. Shestakovsky will set the starting point and progress it as the knee tolerates it.
Is physical therapy an option if I have arthritis in my knee?
Osteoarthritis is one of the conditions the practice treats, and its published position is that the symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be reduced through its individualized approach to physical care. What that looks like for you is decided after an evaluation.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
It depends on your insurance plan — some require a physician referral for physical therapy and some do not — and New York State sets its own rules for seeing a physical therapist directly. Rather than guess, call the office at (718) 996-9929 before your first visit with your plan details and we will tell you what yours needs.
What should I wear?
Shorts, or loose trousers that can be rolled well above the knee, so the joint can be examined and watched while you move. Bring the shoes you walk in most.
Is it covered by my insurance?
Omega Physical Therapy welcomes insurance and will do everything it can to help you receive as many benefits from your plan as possible. Because there are so many different plans and coverage options, the office cannot give a definite answer in advance — a copy of your insurance card is taken at your appointment so your coverage can be estimated. Cash, checks, debit cards and most major credit cards are also accepted. Call (718) 996-9929 with your plan details and the front desk will talk it through with you.
Have a question that is not here? Call (718) 996-9929 and we will answer it.