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Knee Pain: Causes & Effective Treatment Options – goPhysio

What's causing my knee pain?

Knee pain is rarely down to one single cause, it’s often a combination of factors, from old injuries and joint wear to how your hip and foot are working. Here are the causes we see most often, though every case is different, which is why we always start with a full assessment.

  • Ligament tears or strains, such as ACL or MCL injuries
  • Arthritis
  • Patellofemoral problems, such as tendinopathy, mal-tracking or anterior knee pain
  • Bursitis (including “housemaid’s knee”)
  • Osgood-Schlatter’s disease and other adolescent knee pain, common during growth spurts
  • Meniscus (cartilage) damage
  • Muscle tears or overuse injuries, such as ITB friction syndrome – common among runners
  • Sports injuries from activities like triathlon, cycling, running and skiing

A lot of knee pain looks and feels worse than it actually is – clicking, swelling or stiffness often don’t automatically mean serious damage. Part of our role is helping you understand exactly what’s going on, clearly and confidently. Clinically reviewed by Paul Baker, MCSP

Physio-knee-assessment

Treatment you can trust! They helped me get rid of my knee pain, something I didn’t believe was possible, and THEN they helped me get stronger and improve my running form. I highly recommend – to all ages!

J. Howell

Knee-Shockwave-Therapy-goPhysio

Can physiotherapy help my knee pain?

Yes – for our experienced team, the knee is one of the most straightforward joints to assess, diagnose and treat. If knee pain is stopping you doing what you love, or being as active as you need to be, don’t delay getting it looked at. Your treatment may focus on:

  • Reducing swelling, pain and restoring your normal range of motion
  • Building strength and control around the knee
  • A safe return to full function, work and sport

Book an appointment and we’ll assess your injury, give you a clear picture of what’s going on, and set out the exact steps you need to take to get better.

Not sure what to do next?

Ready to get started? → Book Your Knee Pain Assessment

Dealing with a running injury? → Read About Running Injuries

A sports injury? → Read About Sports Injuries

Need ongoing support building strength? → Learn About Exercise Rehabilitation

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the cause, which is why an assessment helps before continuing high-impact activity like running. In many cases some movement is still beneficial — your physiotherapist will advise what’s safe while you recover.
Not usually. Most knee problems can be diagnosed through a thorough clinical assessment of your movement, strength and history. We’ll only recommend a scan or X-ray if your assessment suggests it’s genuinely needed.
Arthritis is one of several possible causes of knee pain, alongside ligament, tendon and cartilage problems. Because these can feel similar, an accurate assessment is important — treatment for arthritis is different to treatment for a ligament sprain, for example.
It depends on the cause — a mild strain might settle in a few weeks, while ligament or cartilage injuries can take several months. We’ll give you a realistic timeframe once we know exactly what’s causing your pain.
Ligaments (like the ACL and MCL) connect bone to bone and control stability, while cartilage (the meniscus) cushions the joint and absorbs impact. Both can be injured together, particularly in twisting injuries, which is why a proper assessment matters.
Yes — physiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for knee arthritis, focusing on building strength and movement around the joint to reduce pain and improve function, alongside advice on managing symptoms long term.

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