This document provides guidance on assessing knee pain through taking a patient history and physical observation. It outlines key areas to address in the pain assessment including location, type, aggravating/relieving factors, and severity. Past injury history should also be obtained. The objectives are for students to learn how to take a relevant knee pain history and observe a patient with knee problems.

1. Saurab Sharma, MPT
Knee joint assessment
Pain Assessment
Past history
Observation

2. Objectives of session
At the end of the class, students will be able to:
 Take relevant pain history for knee problems
 Observe a patient with knee problem
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3. HOPI: Pain Assessment
 Site of the Pain
 Side of pain
 Type of pain
 Depth
 Constancy
 Relation of pain/ Clearing area
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Body Chart
SINs

4. HOPI: Body Chart
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5. HOPI: Body Chart
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6. HOPI: Pain Assessment
 Site of the Pain? Retropatellar?
 Type of pain?
 Aching pain= Degenerative changes
 Sharp Catching pain= mechanical problem
 Arthritic pain= associated with stiffness and
eases with movement
 Pain at rest= is not mechanical pain
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7. HOPI: Pain Assessment
 Pain during activity= subluxation, patellar
tracking disorder
 Pain after activity= synovitis, tendinitis
 Constant pain irrespective of activity= Tumor
 Pain around knee= contusion, tear of ligament or
muscle
 Ask if patient has pain during any activity or
position or movement
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8. HOPI: Pain Assessment
 What activity and position aggravates pain?
 What activity and position relieves pain?
 SIN
 Severity of pain:
 Visual analogue scale (VAS)
 Numerical pain rating scale
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9. Past History
 Any previous injury indicates recurrent injuries
around knee.
 Was the pain at the same site?
 Similar nature?
 What was the treatment given during that
time?
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10. Summary:
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11. Plan for next class
 Observation of knee
 Prerequisites:
 David J Magee’s book
 Stanley Hoppenfield’s book on Physical examination
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