Day 7

Day 7

Today, I observed an initial patient evaluation focused on chronic right knee pain. The patient explained that her knee has been bothering her on and off for around 10 years. The pain mainly occurs while walking, going up and down stairs, or sometimes when the knee randomly gives out. Most of the pain is centered around the patella, and she wears a brace for support during more intense activity. She is still a very active person overall.

During the evaluation, I learned that you can often see how much meniscus a person has left through an X-ray. Diane explained that kneecap/patella pain can often come from issues with patellar tracking. There is a groove in the femur where the patella is supposed to move smoothly, and if it shifts out of that groove it can cause pain and feelings of instability. One possible cause is a tight IT band. This patient also walks more on the outside of her feet because of a bunion surgery she had when she was 13, which may be putting additional stress on the knee over time.

Diane then tested the patient’s gluteus medius strength. She was a little weak on the right side, but not too bad overall. However, she was noticeably stronger on the left side, which could help explain the knee pain on the right. I also observed the patient tightening and relaxing her quadriceps muscles. Diane pointed out that her medial quad muscle was weaker. If the lateral quad muscle becomes stronger than the medial side, it can also contribute to poor patellar tracking.

To help address the issue, Diane prescribed three exercises: clamshells with resistance, straight leg raises with weight, and bridging with a ball squeeze. She also emphasized foam rolling as part of the treatment plan.

I also have my knee test tomorrow with Diane. Since I had a lacrosse game today, I had to leave the clinic at 2:00. I studied for the test on the way to the game and again on the ride home. We also crushed Brewster, which made the day even better.

Hours today: 4

Total Hours: 34