Knee Healing Program
Including Full ACL Tear
A Knee Joint is a non-load bearing joint. Any knee injury or pain is a result of 2 contributing factors:
1. Patella misalignment (causing Iliotibial band syndrome, Patellofemoral pain syndrome, peripatellar or retro patellar pain)
2. Increased Force/Friction of femur (thigh bone) against the tibia (shin bone) - relates to all types of meniscus injuries, MCL, ACL, PCL, LCL, Osteoarthritis, Baker's cysts, Intermittent hydrarthrosis(Intensive knee swelling) and others
As our knee joint is subject to frictional forces and rotational moments, excessive force can result in "slide" or "topple"
Identifying the Point Of Action and the Force on shin bone (in particular lateral condyle of tibia), allows to assess the influence of multiple forces on the knee joint. We look at anchor points, vectors and the levers. Our body can use a COMPOUND lever -which in reality can make the movement of the leg effortless and removing all unnecessary friction from the knee joint.
Commonly used in traditional physiotherapy approach by anchoring femur movement to the ilium bone and stabilising via glutes is not the most efficient way to move our legs as it puts excessive strain on the hip joint and most often lower back. Utilising lats together with serratus and external obliques provides more than adequate lever to move the leg while glutes, iliacus and VMO stabilise the fulcrum.
This approach has delivered incredible results in restoring knee function by our clients and is applicable to almost all knee injuries including full ACL tear. The case studies and detailed biomechanics principles have been published in our paper ACL Natural Healing - Biomechanics Principles for Knee Injuries. Our program is being currently implemented by a number of physiotherapists across Australia
As movement specialist, we do not diagnose or provide treatment. We do however see the forces applied to affected area and understand where they are coming from. We see postural imbalances and most effective ways to facilitate change.
If you’re a healthcare professional and would like to find our more, participate in clinical trials, or attend our training courses, please contact us at studio@backtobalancepilates.com
or register for our workshops HERE
WATCH: Knee Injury
Overcompensation Patterns
What Our Clients Are Saying
Anya Piotrowski
Grade 3 cartilage degeneration in all three knee joint compartments. Macerated, degenerated, extruded medial and lateral menisci.
“I highly recommend Marta from Back To Balance pilates who has been amazing in helping me regain the functionality of my knees. A number of injuries to my knees had been impacting my balance and basic daily functions: for example I could not kneel, squat, walk downstairs and suffered from chronic knee pain. I tried various Physio therapists, strengthening program at Kieser, which helped, but not until I started training with Marta in June 2022, experiencing amazing results within the first six weeks of training. I am now pain free, regained knee functionality, improved my balance to the extent that I can enjoy skiing, dancing and walk normally without limping. For the first time in 10 years I stopped wearing knee brace when skiing and do not take pain killers anymore. The results are absolutely amazing. Highly recommend Back to Balance Pilates. Marta is amazing
Phil Duggan, Sydney
"Knee surgery, 5 years ago, didn't really help and I was struggling to get through my working day as a tradesman and was unable to cycle or play sport. My wife had been suggesting I go to pilates for years and eventually, 18 months ago, I started classes twice a week with Marta and Elif. I'm amazed at how much stronger my core is and how my body is so much better aligned - lifting heavy items and being on my feet all day is much easier and I'm even cycling and playing touch footy. Thanks so much, Phil"
JOANNE'S STORY -MS, left knee dislocation with tears on both sides of cartilage and ruptured bursa Before starting at Back to Balance Pilates with Marta & her team, I had suffered decades of chronic knee pain and swelling from numerous falls as a result of my Multiple Sclerosis since 1991, from which I have had 32 debilitating relapses, which was re-diagnosed to Secondary Progressive in 2016 My knee issues included a left knee dislocation with tears on both sides of my cartilage and ruptured bursa in the right knee, as well as damage to other joints. This led to arthritis in both knees, ankles, shoulders and hands and poor mobility and inability to kneel. I had been put in many exercise and rehabilitation programmes, but all led to more damage, swelling, chronic pain and days or weeks of recovery, which also added to my chronic fatigue. I strongly believe in exercise as a tool for MS wellness, but it was exhausting and didn’t leave much room for anything else. I have attended Back to Balance Pilates since 2020. In the first few weeks, I experienced not only a decrease in knee pain, but joint pain in general and gradually have regained increased mobility, strength and confidence in my body’s ability. Since then I have been able to stand longer and walk more with increased mobility, stability and strength, but most of all my knees have been fairly pain free and as well as the rest of my body and I feel stronger, more aligned and an added benefit of reducing stress.
DIANA’S STORY - Intermittent hydrarthrosis Intensive Knee Swelling My issues started in 2018 when I had accumulated a huge amount of fluid in my right knee. GP recommended a shot of antibiotics and cortisone. After the first episode I began to get this effusion every 6 months, which after a few years turned in to a monthly attack. I have had 5 MRI scans and several blood tests with no results. My knee effusion became more frequent and were now in both knees. I was referred to a rheumatologist who was unable to diagnose me with any rheumatological disease, but I was seeing him for my aspiration and cortisone injections. I was also seeing a chiro who was no help, yet gave advice that was extremely damaging to my situation. n 2021 I consulted a knee surgeon who after requesting an MRI and looking at my EOS scan suggested he has to “go in to have a look” and I underwent an arthroscopy and Synovectomy. After my operation, I got another effusion which lasted 4 weeks, he said he is not sure what the problem was but that I will have to undergo knee replacement in the near future. This was when my life turned for the worst -I started noticing that my body was holding on to fluid. My knees kept getting worse, to the point where I was unable to use stairs. I had given up, so I wasn’t going to do anything to help myself but go and drain the fluid and top up on cortisone every time I had an effusion. Around April 2023 I had severe shoulder pain and went to a chiro who after seeing my knee recommended Marta from Back To Balance Pilates studio. I booked an appointment immediately. The minute I walked through the door for an assessment Marta could see the areas causing my issue, and immediately began to explain, despite many false hope situations I believed in what she was saying, as it made sense. Initially I was hoping for classes to strengthen my muscles and help with atrophy, but what happened next was a huge blessing in my life. Marta set out a plan for my exercises and taught how the body works . Marta focuses on each one of us and our issues, and when I have complained about my knee, she showed me which muscles impacted the alignment. She restored my hope in life, she is so passionate about helping people, it’s part of her nature. I can now take the stairs, run, and I’m back to walking again with no issues, I haven’t had an effusion since that day that I walked in to my initial assessment. Despite seeing many specialists and spending huge amounts of money, no one was able to help me. I also noticed I was being treated for a disease called Intermittent Hydrarthrosis although none of my results were showing this to be a confirmed diagnosis. Marta, I’m truly thankful for the day that I met you, my life has changed for the better and your help and support this year has turned my life around. Kind regards, Diana.
Kerrie's Story
Meniscus Tear and Bakers Cyst
'I suffered a partial tear of my right meniscus in a skiing fall in the 1990s. I then developed a Bakers cyst behind the knee. Since commencing Reformer Pilates at Back to Balance I have less pain, more strength and more stability in my body, particularly in my injured knee. I feel that the Bakers cyst has reduced in size as well'
ACL Tear Healing
It is widely believed amongst healthcare professionals and the public, that due to limited blood supply to the joint, the ACL cannot heal naturally and surgery is usually recommended as a primary treatment. There is a limited research to date explaining the role of synovial fluid in the process of healing any synovial joint.
Fully torn ACLs can heal – by restoring correct biomechanics at the hip and knee joint, we can create an optimal environment for healing and offer an alternative pathway to commonly recommended surgical procedures with highly predictable and successful outcomes.
The process is less invasive, quicker and in rare case of reoccurrence, allows the body to heal again.
The same program can be applied for any knee related injury as it significantly accelerates rehabilitation process, helps to maintain the ongoing health at the knee joint and prevents age related ‘wear and tear’
It’s important to mention that the traditional rehab exercises applied widely in mainstream physiotherapy, especially in the initial stage of quad activation, actually make the healing of ACL impossible. The attempt to fully extend the knee before ACL is healed would ultimately hinder the process - hence limited evidence has been presented to date.