Alright, I get asked this often. As a PT and someone who had surgery on both my knees in my early 20's I have been battling knee symptoms for a while.
The key to resolving knee pain is to keep the quads strong and don't avoid exposing the knee to the painful load.
For many, it is natural to avoid the things that are painful. Don't kneel down, don't go down stairs with that leg, don't squat low.
It makes sense. I don't like feeling that pain either. But... if you avoid it, it only makes it worse. The key is how you load the knee and to what extent.
If you load it between 0-3/10 pain, you won't cause increased pain and over time the exposure to this will actually decrease the pain you have with load.
The body is extremely adaptable. It's the reason some people can deadlift over 1000 lbs and someone out there can run a 3:45 mile. I promise your knee can adapt if you give it the right stimulus.
If you need some help with rehab, let us know!
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