The BodyWorks Knee Program
Manual therapy techniques designed to help you get back to doing what you love.

• Range of Motion and Stretching

Having full range of motion (ROM) at the knee is vital for most functional activities. In order to achieve a normal walking pattern one requires the ability to fully extend (straighten) the knee joint. Additionally being able to fully flex (bend) the knee assists in activities such as dressing, stair climbing, sitting, squatting and kneeling. Being as such, it is our focus to achieve full active ROM at the knee joint in order to assist in optimal function for our patients.

Various exercises are involved in achieving ROM. Some examples are riding the exercise bike, stretching, strengthening, and manual ROM exercises.

• Functional Strengthening Exercises

Functional strengthening consists of what are called "closed-chain" exercises. This just means that your feet are fixed on the ground (or solid object) while you exercise. This is an important aspect of treatment for two reasons:

1. They help re-train you for Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) in proper posture and
2. They put a lesser amount of stress through the Patello-Femoral Joint (Where the Knee Cap meets the Thigh bone).

Some examples are: stair climbing, squats, lunges and positional transfers.

• Gait and Proprioseptive Training

We analyze your gait (walking pattern) from heel strike to push-off and use this to re-educate you on the proper pattern. Whether it has been thrown off from a recent injury, operation or just habit it is important to walk correctly to minimize excessive forces through the joints. We also educate patients on how to properly use assistive devices such as canes, crutches and walkers

Proprioceptive training consists of exercises aimed to help re-educate your joint to know where it is in space (balance).

• Patient Education and Home Exercise Programs

Each patient will leave their first visit with an idea of their condition, a likely cause, methods for pain management and a personalized exercise program to assist in an expedient rehabilitation.