Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Is Often Associated With Trigger Points In The Quadriceps Muscles
Pain in the patella , especially after sitting for a long time or running downhill, may result from incorrect movement of the patella over the femur or tight tendons.
The articular cartilage under the patella may become inflamed as well, leading to another condition called chondromalacia patellae which is found more commonly in women.
The angle formed between the two lines of pull of the quadriceps muscle and the patellar ligament is known as the Q-angle.
If the patella moves out of its normal path, even slightly, it can cause irritation and pain.
Tight tendons also place pressure on the patella causing inflammation.
Knee Pain – Vastus Medialis Trigger Points
Knee Pain: When To Seek Medical Attention
It is critical that you seek medical attention as soon as possible if you experience knee pain. An arthritis flare or a minor injury can both cause knee pain. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation can all be used to alleviate pain. It is possible to apply ice to the knee to alleviate swelling and pain. You can also help to reduce pain by elevating your knee and wearing a compressive bandage. If you are suffering from knee pain, it is critical to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
How Acupressure Works For Knee Pain
Acupressure works by stimulating certain energy pathways called meridians. These meridian lines are like rivers that flow through your body and helps blood flow circulation for pain relief.
Meridian lines are all over your body and can start at specific acupuncture points on your head or foot and end at other points along the spine, arms, legs, etc.
Acupressure is a great way to deal with knee pain because it can be used as an alternative therapy that you can self-administer at home.
There are specific pressure points that will help acute and chronic knee pain.
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Getting To Know Your Knees
The knee is such a complex joint that it takes the fine coordination of many muscles to bend your knee or to stay upright.
IT Band syndrome is a great example of knee pain coming from muscles in the hip. The TFL muscle gets tight and irritated from common actions like sitting for long periods. It then pulls on the IT Band that it connects to. The IT Band also connects to the outside of the knee. When the IT Band gets tight, it will pull on the outside of the knee, and cause knee pain.
That is why whenever someone comes into my office with knee pain I always treat the muscles in their hips.
Muscles Of The Thigh And Lower Leg
Source: modified by Uwe Gille
Source: OpenStax College
Source: OpenStax College
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Where To Massage For Knee Pain
Massage is the quickest way to deal with knee pain and often leads to quick pain relief. I asked our licensed and professional massage therapists their advice on where to and how to massage for knee pain. Their advice will be helpful to anyone suffering from knee pain or anyone wanting to help their loved ones suffering from knee pain.
So where do you massage for knee pain? The area to focus on for the knee pain massage is just above the knee on the quad muscles, because trigger points on the quadriceps refer pain to the knee. Do not massage directly on the kneecap and do not push the kneecap around. Consider using peppermint oil for the massage.
In this article I will give you simple massage techniques you can use to reduce knee pain. My mother suffers from knee pain and I have used these techniques successfully to help her deal with knee pain. I will also teach you how to use essential oils to help you with knee pain. Finally I will cover the main reasons and causes of knee pain.
Primary / Central And Secondary / Satellite Trigger Points
- Primary or Central TrPs are those that cause severe pain locally at the pressure with irradiation according to referred pain map. Usually are based around the center of a muscle belly.
- Secondary or Satellite TrPs arise in response to existing central trigger points in surrounding muscles. They usually spontaneously withdraw when the central TrP is healed. Can be present in the form of a cluster.
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The Top 6 Acupressure Points For Knee Pain
Knee pain is one of the most common forms of pain in the world. In the US alone, around 20% of the population suffer from knee pain. While this ranges from minor to chronic, it affects all ages and genders.
One of the easiest and most effective treatments for knee pain is acupressure. Importantly, it means you dont have to take any medication and is possible to administer on yourself.
In this article, well take a look at the top 6 acupressure points for knee pain. Well discuss how to locate and activate them, and the benefits they offer.
Point 1: The Calfs Nose
Youll find this pressure point just below the kneecap on the outside. When stood up, youll notice indentations on the inside and outside of your kneecap. The Calfs Nose is the outer indentation.
To trigger this pressure point, massage it firmly with two fingers. You should press into the indentation firmly, rotating in small, circular motions. Do this for up to 5 minutes at a time on both legs.
Doing so will help to relieve general knee pain along with stiffness and rheumatism of the feet. In addition, it helps to stimulate blood flow in the lower leg.
Point 2: Commanding Activity
To find the Commanding Activity pressure point, locate the crease in the back of your knee when its bent. Youll find the pressure point in the outer edges of the crease on each knee. Its easiest to find the point while your leg is bent.
Point 3: Nourishing Valley
Point 4: Three Mile Point
Types Of Trigger Points
There are both active and passive trigger points. An active trigger point often causes more pain, because it affects more than one body part. For example, if you are experiencing shoulder pain, putting pressure on the trigger point might send the pain down to your arm or your chest. A passive trigger point only affects one body part.
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Where Is The Trigger Point For Knee Pain
This area is located in the lateral section of the patella bone. The trigger point can be felt by compressing the spot with your finger on the outside corner of the kneecap.
It is possible to experience decreased circulation, increased contraction, and spasm in muscles with trigger points. Because of a lack of circulation, toxins accumulate, causing low, sharp, and sometimes even unbearable pain. Trigger points on the quadrupedal femoris are one of the most common causes of knee pain. The T Shellz Wrap can be used to treat trigger point pain in the knee and upper thigh. Trigger point pain is caused by constricted muscle fibers that begin to form knots, eventually causing toxins to accumulate. To get rid of this pain, loosen the knots in the constricted muscles. The TShellz Wrap® device is used by muscle knots to be released, softened scar tissue, relax tense muscles, relieve muscle spasms, and improve knee and thigh flexibility.
Tshellz Wrap& Circulation Boost
After severe inflammation and swelling is reduced you can begin to treat your tendons and muscles with Circulation Boost . Circulatory Boost increases the amount of blood that flows naturally to your muscles to nourish your soft tissue to speed healing.
Devices that stimulate blood flow can help treat muscle trigger point pain and accelerate the bodys healing process so you can get back to living. Circulation Boost, via use of a TShellz Wrap® will help loosen knots at the trigger points, improve elasticiy of the soft tissue , and promote blood flow to loosen your constricted muscles and other soft tissue.
Your muscles naturally receive a limited blood supply and when you stop moving your leg and knee because of pain the blood flow is reduced even further, limiting your body’s natural ability to heal itself.
By treating yourself with a TShellz Wrap® you can increase your body’s blood supply to the muscles, thereby increasing your bodys own natural healing power.
With these easy therapies – cold therapy and the TShellz Wrap® Circulatory Boost device, you will notice significantly reduced pain and an incredible improvement in your range of motion. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!
If you suffer from trigger points, we guarantee this solution for you – or your money back!
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How To Relieve Knee Pain With Pressure Points
There are a few pressure points for knee pain, with the most common being located behind the knee. Other pressure points are located on the inside of the knee and on the thigh. Each of these pressure points corresponds to a different area of the knee, so it is important to identify the specific location of your pain before trying to treat it.
The Rectus Femoris Trigger Point That Causes Knee Pain
The Rectus Femoris is a large muscle found in the front of the thigh,and is part of the Quadriceps muscle group. It attaches to the pelvis above the hip joint and runs downward to attach to the knee cap and lower leg bone .
When it contracts, it raises the knee by flexing the hip joint and/or straightens the leg by extending the knee joint.
Trigger points in this muscle refer pain directly over the knee joint, and may also produce a weakness in the knee that is felt when walking down stairs.
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Pain Intensity Function And Test Assessments
Pain intensity was measured with the 11-point NPRS , where 0 corresponded to no pain and 10 to the worst pain imaginable. The NPRS is a valid and reliable tool, useful in elderly adults . The WOMAC score was used to evaluate symptomatology and function, regarding knee OA patients . The BI tool was used to quantify everyday life activities . It includes 10 items with a total score ranging from 0100 points. A higher score corresponds to better capacity for performance of everyday life activities.
In the TUG, patients stood up from a seated position on a standard chair, walked to a line on the floor three meters away, returned to the chair, and sat down again. The score was evaluated by the time taken in seconds to complete the test cut-off point of 13.5 . Consecutive time ranges indicated a gradual increase in the risk of falling.
Treating Your Knee Pain At Home
A foam roller is great for treating the IT Band, TFL and gluteal muscles.
Start with the foam roller on the ground and you looking up at the ceiling. The foam roller is between your hip and the floor, perpendicular to your body.
Start with the foam roller applying pressure in the hip muscles, close to the sacrum, by the top of your pelvis.
Slowly roll onto your affected or painful side, so that you end up perpendicular to the floor with your shoulder facing the ceiling.
Then slowly roll your body moving towards your head, so that the foam roller is slowly rolled down the outside of your leg, towards your painful knee.
You will also want to treat the muscles on the front of your leg, the inside of your leg and the muscles on the front of your shin, side of your shin, and calf.
Enjoy your experience.
Have a pain free day.
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Symptoms And Clinical Findings
- A patient usually asks for help due to a chronic pain state , which, in reality, is often physically away from the active trigger point.
- Muscle weakness or imbalance, altered motor recruitment, in either the affected muscle or in functionally related muscles.
- Changes in Range of Motion .
- Painful movement and/or movement that sometimes can exacerbate symptoms.
- Tension headaches, migraines, tinnitus, temporomandibular joint problems… as accompanying symptoms.
- Postural abnormalities and compensations.
Vastus Lateralis Symptoms & Disorders
Clients with active trigger points in the vastus lateralis muscle will present with any of the following symptoms or clinical findings:
- Clients will complain of pain along the outside of the thigh and knee, that is worse when walking.
- Clients may also complain of a stuck patella that doesnt move as it should when they try to bend or straighten the affected leg.
- In some cases, the knee may become locked with the leg in slight flexion.
- The client may walk stiff-legged with the affected leg, often dragging that foot.
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Prevalence Of Latent And Active Mtrps
The prevalence of latent MTrPs was estimated to be 50.0%, 35.1%, 25.4%, 28.9%, 33.3%, and 16.7% for tensor fasciae latae, hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and popliteus muscles, respectively. The prevalence of active MTrPs was estimated to be 10.5%, 16.7%, 29.8%, 18.4%, 25.4%, and 12.3% for tensor fasciae latae, hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and popliteus muscles, respectively. Performance of the test results for the number of latent and active MTrPs are presented in Table 2.
Rectus Femoris Trigger Point Symptoms
Patients with active trigger points in this quadriceps muscle will complain of a deep aching pain in the front of the knee, and slightly above it in the lower thigh region. The pain may wake them up at night, depending on their sleeping position.
These patients may also experience something known as the “buckling hip” condition. This usually occurs when walking downstairs and can create a sudden fall if they aren’t holding on to the handrail. The patient will often compensate for the buckling hip condition by walking on their tip-toe with the painful leg.
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What Causes Pain In My Joints
There are 360 joints in your body, and each plays a role in how your body moves. Some of these roles may be minor, while others mean the difference between mobility and immobility, such as the joints in your knees, neck, and arms.
Joints are responsible for your movement, joining bones together in such a way that allows you mobility and range of motion, and there a number of things that can hamper their function including:
- Degeneration of the joints because of age and wear and tear
Active And Inactive /latent Trigger Points
- Active TrP is any point that causes tenderness and referral pain pattern on palpation. Almost always central TrPs are active and some satellite TrPs are also active . Inactive TrPs can eventually become active if there is a provocative factor.
- Inactive or Latent TrPs can develop in anywhere and under fingertips feel like lumps, but are not painful. Can increase a stiffness of the muscles.
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Knee Pain And It Band Syndrome Trigger Point Therapy
However, it is usually the result of the accumulated tightness of the connective tissues in your knee except traumatic accidents. Once the connective tissues get tight, it eventually develops trigger points.
The most common cause of knee pain results from trigger points in Quadriceps muscles.
Please read the trigger point therapy articles
The most important trigger points to release 1. VL and IT band overlapping area located in the middle third of the femur . These trigger points are difficult to find by palpation since it is placed in a deeper layer of VL muscle. The skilled practitioner can feel and release this point by using their elbow. The patient can do self release using the form roller.2. VL muscle attachment area of the patella bone. This area is located in the lateral corner of the patella bone. You can feel the trigger point by compressing the spot with your finger following the outside corner of the patella bone. 3. General VL muscle and IT band overlapping line . When you perform the form roller stretching, you can find and release these sensitive spots.4. VM muscle insertion area 5. Patella tendon. Stress in the patella tendon can cause trigger points in this tendon . Shockwave therapy can be an effective treatment method.
Patella tracking dysfunction
How To Apply Acupressure For Knee Pain
One of the benefits of acupressure for knee pain is you can apply it yourself. You don’t need to find someone else because the pressure points are all easily accessible.
To apply pressure, use your thumb or finger tips to press firmly on the pressure points for 5-10 seconds at a time. Repeat the pressure 4-5 more times at each point for both legs.
You can also try to self-massage the pressure points with slow, circular motions for 20-30 seconds. That can help increase circulation.
If you feel severe pain on any pressure point, stop the pressure. Any intense pain from the pressure can potentially lead to more serious injuries if you continue.
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Knee Lift Massage Technique For Knee Pain
The knee lift technique for knee pain is designed to help locate trigger points above and below the knee. During the massage you will need feedback from the recipient about any referred pain as you massage above and below the knee.
It is advised to use essential oils such as peppermint or eucalyptus for the massage. Using essential oils makes the technique more effective.
- Have the recipient lie on their back on a hard, semi-hard surface, a mattress will do just fine
- Have the recipient bend their knee and rest their feet firmly on the surface or alternately have them rest their calf on your thigh as you sit beside them
- Apply a bit of peppermint or eucalyptus oil on your hands and gently start gliding your hands above and below the knee of the recipient
- Place your fingers and thumbs above and below the knee and begin to gently squeeze the area above and below the kneecap
- As you squeeze slowly slide off those areas away from the knee cap
- Continue this technique of squeezing and alter the pressure as directed by the recipient
- You can massage one knee for 5-10 minutes and then switch to the other
The knee lift technique combined with the knee friction technique often delivers quick results because you are able to affect the trigger points all around the knee.