How To Move Without Pain

July 2022

Do I need an x-ray if my joints hurt?

Approximately 25% of adults will have knee pain at some point in their life. The pain may be from an injury, like a fall or a twisting movement. The pain could also develop slowly over time from changes in muscle strength, ligament stability, or the movement of the patella (kneecap) as the knee bends and straightens. Most of us will wait out the pain, hoping it goes away on its own with a little rest, a little medication, and a little icing. X-rays can detect bone fractures, bone alignment with other bones, certain tumors and other abnormal masses, pneumonia, some types of injuries, calcifications, and foreign objects.

What is a hip labral tear?

Hip impingement, more specifically, Femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) can develop for many different reasons; however, the exact cause is often unknown. There are two specific types of FAI that can occur, one due to the shape of the femoral head and the movement within the acetabulum (joint socket), and the other from an overgrowth of the anterior (front) hip tissues causing a pinching of the tissues during certain movements… but more about that later.

Improving the strength of your lower extremities and trunk will help to reduce added stress and overworked muscles around the hip. Strengthening the hips and trunk can reduce abnormal forces on the already injured joint.

4 Squat Modifications to make sure your knees don’t hurt

Squats are great exercise. The movement is familiar and functional, a movement we complete every time we sit in a chair, walking down stairs, or get into bed. Strengthening within our legs from hips to ankles is needed to complete the motion correctly. If squatting is a painful activity for you, try these ideas for modifications so you can work to strengthen your legs without pain.