As a doctor of Physical Therapy, we find ourselves frequently explaining to friends, family members, clients, and even people on the street that pain is a normal part of life and our everyday experience. Another thing of note is that every ache or pain we might have may not be serious and also may not have a specific diagnosis. The key is to know and understand how to differentiate between pain that may go away on its own, and pain that is more serious. Easier said than done I know; that’s why you have our team! Still, though, it is very understandable that someone might be fearful when they first feel any sort of symptoms and with google being so easily accessible, it makes sense why so many young people think they have arthritis when their knees crack a little bit.
An example that I have for myself is that pretty much every time I’m sitting on a long train ride through the city (45+ minutes), my knees hurt for the first ~10-15 minutes after I finally stand up. As a physical therapist, naturally my fear of my symptoms is much lower because I can formulate an answer for 3 specific questions: What action caused these issues? What might this issue be? What do I need to do to decrease these symptoms? For the average person, all 3 of these are questions they may not have the answers to and that is perfectly fine.
For my own example, the action that caused my symptoms was prolonged inactivity in a seated position. My issue is likely a simple irritation of some of the structures in my knee joint from being in an awkward position. What I do for these symptoms are Controlled Articular Rotations for my knee, flexing & extending the knee a few times, walking it off, and telling myself that it will be okay — because there is nothing wrong. (Click here to learn how to perform Knee CARS)
If you believe there is something wrong with your knee or any other body part and/or your symptoms don’t decrease after 2-3 days, you should seek out the assistance of a physical therapist immediately. New York is a direct access state for physical therapy, meaning you do not need a script to be evaluated by a physical therapist. If you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@fitclubny.com or give us a call at (646) 875-8348.
