Your Knee Soreness is coming from your Foot and Hip!
Now that I have your attention you may want to may want to read on. If you answer yes to any one of these questions there is a very good chance your knee soreness is a symptom of something else that is weak or tight or flat…
Do you have knee pain when jogging?
Is there knee soreness when going up stairs?
Do you have knee pain from jumping?
Pain when you play sports?
Chances are that if you answered yes to any of these questions then your knee soreness is either an indirect or direct response from something else in your body that is not working functionally or mechanically.
So you may be asking yourself now, “What is causing my knee soreness?”
In my experience in assessing and treating knee injuries for the past 25 years, knee pain causes arise from either muscle issues at your hip or problems with your feet.
The Knee Joint is a Hinge Joint
The knee joint is like a hinge. It is in the middle between hip and the foot. Anything that happens to either the foot or the hip will have a direct effect on the knee.
If you have flat feet there is very good chance that right now you suffer from knee soreness unless you wear inserts or orthotics in your shoes. Without the inserts the foot becomes flat when you walk. This causes the knee to turn in more which leads to more load on the knee joint.
To correct this inserts or orthotics give support to the foot minimizing the flattening of the arch of the foot when you take a step. Sometimes this all you that you need to correct this problem.
Next, if the muscles at your hip are week that will lead the thigh bone to turning in more (rotating in more) causing more force on the knee joint. This may lead several areas of pain at the knee:
- Inside of the knee pain
- Pain on the underside of the knee cap (chondramalasia patella)
- Below the knee (patella tendonitis) pain
- Swelling behind the knee (housemaids knee)Pain above the knee (Jumpers knee)
- Pain above the knee (Jumpers knee)
![]()
What is the solution to your Knee Pain ?
As with most injuries I put you through a full assessment that includes both postural observation and gait analysis followed by specific testing at the ankle knee and hip.
Once this testing is completed I create both a clinical plan and a home exercise program. The home exercise program focus is on exercises that strengthen weak muscles and lengthens shortened muscles.
If you truly want to get rid of this soreness I would suggest that you make the time to do your “homework” on a daily consistent basis. Exercises may include the “clam” and /or the “monster” walk.
Be aware that any treatment that solely focuses directly on the knee may give you short term relief but not resolve your knee pain long term.
Michael Wolfe Grafstein
B.Ph.Ed, RMT, R.Kin, SMT(C), CAT(C)