Knee Pain Physiotherapy in Newmarket
Knee pain can make stairs, squats, walking, work, running or sport feel uncertain. Knee pain physiotherapy in Newmarket can help clarify how swelling, mobility, strength, movement and load are interacting. The term knee pain covers many presentations, including patellofemoral pain, osteoarthritis, tendon-related symptoms and meniscal or ligament injuries. This guide does not diagnose any of them; a plan is based on your history, examination, safety screening, goals and informed consent.
Understanding Knee Pain
Patellofemoral pain is often felt around or behind the kneecap and may be sensitive to squatting, stairs, running or prolonged sitting. Osteoarthritis can involve pain, stiffness and fluctuating function, but symptoms and imaging do not always match perfectly. Meniscal or ligament-related presentations range from manageable loading problems to injuries needing medical or surgical review. Tendon-related knee pain is often influenced by the amount and speed of loading. Swelling, locking, giving way, loss of movement and the injury mechanism help determine what assessment and referral may be appropriate.
Common symptoms
- Pain with stairs, squatting, kneeling, running, jumping or prolonged sitting
- Stiffness or difficulty fully bending or straightening the knee
- Swelling after activity, injury or at the end of the day
- Weakness or reduced confidence with stairs, walking, balance or transfers
- Clicking, catching, locking or giving way that needs further assessment
- Pain around the kneecap, joint line, tendon or another specific area
Common causes or contributing factors
- A sudden increase in walking, running, jumping, squatting or work demands
- A fall, twist, collision or change of direction during sport
- Quadriceps, hip or calf strength and endurance limitations
- Changes in mobility, balance, footwear, surface, recovery or training volume
- Joint changes such as osteoarthritis or a meniscal or ligament presentation
- Protective movement changes after pain, swelling or a previous knee injury
When to seek urgent medical attention
Seek urgent medical care after major trauma if the knee is visibly deformed, cannot bear weight, locks and will not move, or swells rapidly. Prompt assessment is important for a hot, red, very swollen knee with fever, calf swelling or shortness of breath, or progressive numbness or weakness. Recurrent giving way or persistent locking also deserves medical review. Physiotherapy can support rehabilitation when appropriate, but cannot determine the urgency of a knee injury from a website description.
How physiotherapy assessment can help
Your physiotherapist will ask about injury mechanism, swelling, locking, giving way, activity changes, medical history and goals. The examination may include knee and hip range of motion, swelling, strength, balance, walking, stairs, squat or step tasks, and sport or work-specific movement. Ligament, meniscal and tendon-related features are considered alongside the whole presentation. If findings suggest imaging, physician review or a different provider is needed, that recommendation comes before selecting a routine exercise plan.
Treatment options at Protouch
Strength and function
Quadriceps, hip and calf strengthening may be progressed with exercises that match your tolerance and goals. The aim is improved capacity for meaningful tasks, not a generic list of exercises for every knee problem.
Load management and education
You may learn how to adjust activity volume, recovery, surfaces and task difficulty while maintaining appropriate movement. For arthritis, education and gradual activity can be as important as symptom-focused treatment.
Movement and balance progression
Squat, step, walking, balance and gradual activity drills may be introduced when safe. They are selected and progressed after assessment, including consideration of swelling, stability and sport or work demands.
Optional adjuncts
Manual therapy or taping may be used when appropriate to support movement or short-term comfort, but not as stand-alone care. Dry needling is not a routine treatment for patellofemoral pain and, if mentioned, is limited to selected surrounding muscular findings after screening and consent.
For selected persistent presentations, shockwave therapy may be considered after assessment as an adjunct to progressive rehabilitation.
Exercise and active rehabilitation
Your program may move from comfortable range of motion and basic strength toward sit-to-stand, squats, steps, walking, balance and higher-demand tasks. The correct resistance, depth, speed and volume depend on your findings and response. A flare in symptoms is discussed in context rather than treated as proof of damage, while marked swelling, locking or instability should be reassessed. Progress is based on function, strength, confidence and activity tolerance, not on a promise of a universal timeline.
What to expect at your first appointment
Bring information about the injury or when symptoms changed, relevant imaging, and a list of activities you want to resume. Wear shorts or comfortable clothing if possible. Your physiotherapist will assess movement, swelling, strength and function with your consent, and explain any findings that may require medical review. You will work together on an initial plan that fits your current capacity and can be changed as the knee responds.
Patient FAQs
Can physiotherapy help knee arthritis?
Physiotherapy may help people with knee osteoarthritis improve strength, movement, confidence and activity tolerance. The plan is individualised and does not promise that arthritis or every symptom will disappear.
Does knee clicking mean something is torn?
Clicking can occur for several reasons and is not enough to identify a tear. Pain, swelling, locking, giving way, injury mechanism and function are more important parts of an assessment.
Should I avoid squats if my knee hurts?
Not necessarily. Squat depth, load, speed and volume can often be modified when appropriate, but the safe starting point depends on your findings. Locking, major swelling or instability should be assessed before progressing.
Is dry needling routine for patellofemoral pain?
No. It is not a routine treatment for patellofemoral pain. If selected surrounding muscular findings are present, it may be discussed as an optional adjunct after screening and consent, alongside exercise and education.
When should knee swelling be checked urgently?
Rapid swelling after major injury, inability to bear weight, a locked knee, a hot red joint with fever, calf swelling or breathing symptoms need prompt medical assessment.
Related guides
Want to discuss your situation? Contact the clinic or learn about our team.
Sources
- Osteoarthritis in over 16s — NICE guideline NG226
- Patellofemoral pain clinical practice guideline — Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy
Clinical review
Clinically reviewed by Nima Jafarli, Registered Physiotherapist — Certified Mulligan Practitioner, MDT-trained and rostered to perform dry needling.
Last reviewed: August 29, 2026
This guide is for general medical information and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Your physiotherapist will recommend treatment only after assessment, safety screening, discussion of your goals and informed consent. Any dry needling, where considered, is performed only by an appropriately rostered physiotherapist after assessment, contraindication screening and informed consent.
Discuss Your Knee Pain With Our Team
Book an assessment to discuss your symptoms, goals and appropriate next steps with a physiotherapist.
17725 Yonge St #6, Newmarket, ON L3Y 7C1
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