Injury of the week...

Knee Synovitis
 

Knee synovitis occurs when the synovial membrane, which lines and lubricates the knee joint, becomes inflamed, which you can see in the picture below.

The cause of this diagnosis is usually secondary and will result from another condition, such as arthritis and joint replacement surgery. Some common symptoms of this are swelling of the knee, pain, stiffness and possible warmth to touch.

Treatment for knee synovitis could include rest and physical therapy. Physical therapy will introduce modalities such as ice, heat, and exercises to decrease pain and increase range of motion.

One helpful exercise for this condition would be TKE (terminal knee extension). This is an essential exercise for strengthening the quadriceps. As seen below, with a resistance band wrapped behind the knee, bend knee forward slightly, then extend back, holding the quads tight for about 5 seconds.