Knee & Hip Pain Physiotherapy

Knee and hip pain are often dismissed as age, weight or wear and tear. That explanation is incomplete. Pain is influenced by strength, joint mobility, walking mechanics, previous injury, activity level, sleep, inflammation, fear of movement and how the joint is loaded every day.

The common advice to rest and avoid painful movement may reduce symptoms for a few days, but it does not improve the joint’s capacity. Physiotherapy focuses on rebuilding that capacity safely.

We ask when pain appears, whether it is linked to walking, stairs, sitting, squatting, standing, sleep or exercise.

Your physiotherapist may observe walking, sitting to standing, step patterns, balance, knee control, hip control and basic movement tasks.

We look at hip strength, knee control, ankle mobility, range limitations and movement compensations.

Your goal may be walking without fear, climbing stairs, kneeling for prayer, returning to gym, working without pain or recovering after surgery. The plan is built around that goal.

• Progressive strengthening for the hip, knee and lower limb.
• Mobility work for stiff joints and tight surrounding tissues.
• Gait retraining and balance work.
• Load management for walking, stairs, squats and exercise.
• Pain-limited movement strategies for osteoarthritis.
• Return-to-sport or return-to-gym progression.
• Post-surgery rehabilitation aligned with medical clearance.

Osteoarthritis does not mean movement should stop. Many patients improve function through strengthening, weight-supportive strategies, pacing and education. The plan must be realistic, especially for older adults or patients with other health concerns.

Hip pain often changes how a person walks. Over time, altered gait can increase load on the back, knee or opposite hip. Physiotherapy addresses the hip itself and the movement pattern around it.

Online physiotherapy can be effective when the patient can safely move at home and the condition does not require urgent in-person examination. Video allows the clinician to observe walking, squatting, chair transfers and exercise technique.

Seek medical review before physiotherapy if pain follows major trauma, you cannot bear weight after injury, there is obvious deformity, severe swelling, suspected fracture, fever, sudden calf swelling, or symptoms are rapidly worsening.

• Avoiding all activity until the joint becomes weaker.
• Pushing through sharp pain because exercise is supposed to hurt.
• Ignoring hip strength when treating knee pain.
• Ignoring foot, ankle and gait mechanics.
• Using the same exercises for every type of arthritis or injury.
• Returning to stairs, running or gym activity without staged loading.

Progress may start as less fear while walking, easier chair transfers, better stair control or fewer flare-ups after daily tasks. Later goals may include longer walks, better balance, stronger squats, prayer positions, gym return or post-surgery independence.

If pain is after surgery, review post-injury and post-surgery physiotherapy. If joint pain is influenced by weight, inflammation or low protein intake, review nutrition for lower back and joint pain. If travel is difficult in Faisalabad, home physiotherapy may be suitable.

Some patients need simple sit-to-stand work. Others need hip abductor strengthening, knee control, balance, step practice, mobility drills or gait retraining. The exercise is less important than whether it fits the cause of the symptoms and the patient’s current tolerance.