Knee pain doesn’t always come from a single injury, and it rarely fixes itself by accident
Knee pain can show up during squats, running, stairs, jumping, or even just sitting for too long. It might feel sharp, achy, unstable, or tight, and it often builds gradually, without a clear moment where something “went wrong.” At Petroski Physio, you don’t need a diagnosis to start addressing knee pain. Our focus is understanding how your knee is being loaded, what movements provoke symptoms, and what needs to change so you can move without hesitation again.
Nick Petroski, DPT
Petroski Physio
The Real First Step: Identifying the Stress
Most non-surgical knee pain isn’t caused by a single structure failing, it’s caused by how stress is applied to the joint over time.
Before we talk about strengthening, we look at:
When your knee pain shows up
Which movements increase or relieve symptoms
How your hip, ankle, and trunk influence knee load
This helps us identify whether your knee needs better control, more capacity, improved mobility, or a combination of all three.
Common Pitfall #1
Avoiding movement altogether. Rest alone may reduce pain temporarily, but without restoring strength and tolerance, symptoms often return.
Common Pitfall #2
Strengthening without addressing mechanics. Building strength without improving how your knee moves can continue to overload irritated tissue.
Our Approach
Non-surgical knee rehab is about restoring trust in your knee while gradually increasing what it can tolerate.
Phase 1: Reduce irritation and restore control
We focus on calming symptoms while improving knee alignment, movement quality, and confidence during everyday tasks.
Phase 2: Build strength and load tolerance
Strength is progressed through the knee, hips, and surrounding structures. Exercises are selected based on how your knee responds, not generic protocols.
Phase 3: Return to activity and sport
Running, jumping, squatting, and sport-specific movements are reintroduced intentionally. Progress is guided by symptom response, movement quality, and confidence, not arbitrary rules.
"As a former college athlete and current high school football coach, i have been dealing with injuries including low back pain and knee pain my whole life. I was recommended to Petroski Physio and cannot say enough good things about these guys. They are the best sports physical therapy and performance clinic around. Jared, Nick, Eric, and Sean provide a great environment and individualized my rehab program to get me feeling great again."
FAQs
Rehab, different.
Not a clinic. Not a gym.
A place built for progress.
A team built for performance.
A culture built for you.
Recovery Stories
Chronic Patellar Tendinopathy: Restoring NBA-Level Knee Capacity
Rebuilding tendon capacity to restore performance from chronic knee pain.
Patellar Tendinopathy: Returning for a Critical Senior Season
Stronger for recruitment after overcoming patellar tendon pain.
