Knee and Thigh Pain at Revitalize Clinic

Our proven approach to your pain relief.

Your team of Osteopaths, Physiotherapists and Sports Therapists look forward to meeting you

Expert Diagnosis

You will discover why you are in pain

Specialist Treatment

Massage, joint manipulation, acupuncture and online guided self treatment

Video Guided Plans

Tailored exercises for your knee and thigh’s strength and mobility

The knee is the most complex load bearing joint in the body. This is why we want to avoid unnecessary invasive intervention (injections, surgery, replacements etc) of any kind at all costs. Surgery in fact, increases the likelihood or arthritis long term in the knee. It’s always better to try the safer option first and that option is reducing your pain whilst improving mobility and strength

The knee and thigh are often very poorly misunderstood by many patients and practitioners. This leads patients to be on harmful medication for far longer than they should be. Many patients also rely on extensive treatment, too many visits to their physio, osteopath, chiropractor etc, unnecessary surgery and more.

The longer you’re on medication or reliant on seeing someone for your knee or thigh pain, the less empowered you are. This leads to a lot of money spent, and a lack of trust in your lower and neck back. Both aren’t good, long term.

We want

effective treatment for pain relief

advice that empowers you over your pain

a plan to strengthen your injury for long term improvements in pain reduction, confidence and tolerance to movement

Mrs Thomas avoids knee replacement

Mrs Thomas hobbled into the clinic. She was scared. “Mr Dr said I have to have a knee replacement but I don’t want one…” she said.

Arthritis is like rust on a car. The car can still run fine if you take care of it. Within 8 weeks, Mrs Thomas’ knee pain was fixed, she could squat and lunge pain free. She also lost 2 stone in body fat and reduced her diabetes medication

What causes knee pain?

There are many causes of knee and thigh pain

But those presenting to the clinic, most often come in with the following complaints

Joint Pain

this can occur outside (e.g. knee cap) or inside the joint

Muscle Tear or Strain

which creates inflammation, stiffening the joint

Arthritis

wear and tear of the knee joint

But it is far more accurate to think of the knee as an integrated system.

Therefore, it’s never going to be only one area which is effected. Often, a combination of areas of the knee are effected. This is why we go through extensive questioning and testing of the knee when we see you, to diagnose what is causing your knee or thigh pain and we can do this in the clinic or via video call.

How long does knee pain take to recover?

This really depends on the type of injury and how long the knee pain has been present for. But don’t worry, after asking you some specific questions and running through some special tests at the clinic or via video call, we can explain exactly how long we expect your knee pain to take to recover.

Knee pain tends to be more stubborn to eradicate the longer it carries on for. This is because the pain can then become chronic, which is where it is “hard wired” or “learnt” by your nervous system as a default setting. When knee pain becomes chronic, a lot of focus needs to be placed on improving the knee’s response to movement. This will be done via treatment, self administered treatment (massage, mobilisation etc.), advice and exercise.

Do I need a scan such as an MRI or X-Ray?

In some situations, yes. And if so, we can write a letter to your doctor to speed up the process. However most of the time, you don’t need an MRI or an X-Ray. These scans are used mostly when your knee pain is potentially dangerous and will cause you long term harm or when working with us is unlikely to help due to a structural issue. When we see you, we can decide as to whether you need further investigation or not. If you do, we will send you for further investigations via your GP.

How does Revitalize diagnose knee pain?

The most important information we take is taken during the case history. By asking specific questions, we can narrow down what is causing your knee pain from a great number of possibilities to 2 or 3 possibilities. For example, we will be able to ascertain as to whether or not your knee pain is likely as a result of inflammation, disease, serious conditions such as cancer, damage, chronic pain conditions, weakness, muscles, joints, ligaments etc.

After we have taken this case history, we can then apply special tests. During clinic appointments or video call, we will ask you to gently increase and decrease stresses placed on the areas that we think might be causing you pain. This will enable us to conclude as to where your pain is coming from.

We must give the knee the best chance to recover

If the knee is tired, damaged or sensitised, we need to give it a break. This firstly involves reducing your pain. We can do this via treatment (massage, joint manipulation, acupuncture etc) or self administered treatment via video call (self massage, joint mobilisation, therapeutic exercise) which are both as effective as each other.

But you also need to know how to control your pain outside of your appointment. Don’t worry, you’ll receive a video guided rehab plan of your exercises and some lifestyle advice. This doesn’t mean stopping exercise, basic movements or what you enjoy completely. It means that we need to teach you a better way of doing things. For example, if you walk, run or lift a lot, this may be reinforcing your pain. Almost hardwiring it. So all we need to do is show you a slightly different way of doing what you need to.

This may be setting your feet slightly differently, using your hip muscles more, taking regular breaks, offering knee supports etc.

Face to face or via video call, you’ll be in control of your pain every step of the way

We must repair what has been damaged

Knee pain cause you to avoid using the knee. Especially when pain has continued for weeks, often the knee and the surrounding muscles become weak and deconditioned. We need to work to improve the stability of these weakened structures. This involves providing you with specific exercises ranging from a basic to an advanced level, dependent on your needs.

Your knee and thigh will feel stronger, more durable. Many of our patients forget what it was even like to be in pain. Your confidence will increase again, as will your trust in your back, allowing you go back to doing what gives you joy before your back pain.

Success rate of treatment of Knee Pain at Revitalize

Knee pain is one of the most common injuries we see at the clinic. We’ve built an amazing reputation for providing effective treatment for knee and thigh pain. This is because we don’t only treat your pain, we empower you to treat your own pain as well. Many other practitioners will have you coming back more than you need to, because they don’t give you the right advice and self management between sessions.

Basically, if you’re not doing effective exercises between your sessions, you’re with the wrong practitioner.

At Revitalize, it’s a must. One 45min appointment a week is never going to be as effective as a 45min appointment plus daily treatment and highly effective therapeutic exercise that you can self administrate every day.

Below are some of my favourite video testimonials.

Mrs Thomas avoids Knee Replacement

Mrs Thomas hobbled into the clinic. She was scared. “Mr Dr said I have to have a knee replacement but I don’t want one…” she said.

Gymnast's Knee Pain Fixed

Crystal was suffering from quadriceps tendonitis. This is where the quadriceps muscle pulls too hard for the front of the knee to handle.

After some guided stretches and strengthening exercises her pain dropped. By then strengthening her hips, her pain plummeted to zero.

Harry Reid’s ACL Tear, Knee Injury

Harry Reid, Eastenders 2014-2018 visited our Gravesend Revitalize Clinic with an ACL tear for which he was awaiting surgery.

The stronger you go into surgery, the stronger you come out. ACL reconstruction is very low on the invasive scale. Most people go wrong by resting, resting, resting, coming out of surgery and then realising the knee hasn’t been returned to full function.

The mechanical problem has been fixed. But you haven’t challenged the function and therefore you lose the function. Harry will notice that he bounces back from surgery at a record rate to return to the stage within weeks after the surgery

ACL Complete Rupture Rehabilitation

This is Franco one of our recent patients at Revitalize who around 2-3 months ago ruptured his ACL (1 of 2 internal knee ligaments), and suffered a high grade strain to his MCL (ligament on the inside of his knee) whilst playing football.

This resulted in pain, inflammation & swelling, restricted movement, a reduction in function including instability, with the body/brain trying to understand the new circumstances in his knee.

At first there was a need to do the simple things, slowly sitting & standing, balancing on one leg, testing strength, regaining range of movemet all markers that allowed us to progress at the right pace.

Now Franco has returned to playing football, pain free without the knee for surgery

Our Pain Team

Charmine Mensah (M.Sc)

Senior Physiotherapist

Elliott Reid (M.Ost)

Osteopath

Ellie Bearman (B.Sc)

Sports Therapist

David Woodgate (M.Sc)