Arie Michaeli MSc shares his experience having treated 7000 knee patients between 1995 – 2013

Knee Pain - How to avoid surgery

While exercise is known to be vital for general health, many physically active people develop conditions which make it impossible for them to continue with their chosen form of activity.

Anterior knee pain – known as "runner's knees" among road runners and "cyclists knees" in the cycling fraternity - is one of the most common and disabling conditions affecting physically active people of all ages.

The symptoms are pain behind or around the kneecap, and/or "creaking" when bending and straightening the knee and when running, riding or exercising. Various activities aggravate the pain, especially running downhill, squatting, going up and down stairs and sitting with the knee in a bent position for a prolonged period ("the movie goer's knee").

The success rate of most treatment regimens for this condition has been very poor with frequent recurrences. Until recently, individuals with knee pain had two choices: surgery or curtailing of physical activity.

Today's Alternative

Jenny McConnell, an internationally renowned physiotherapist, recognised that knee pain is often the result of a misalignment of the kneecap. She developed a unique method of taping the knee to realign the kneecap, and keep it in its correct position in the centre of the thighbone. This reduces pain almost immediately. It is an easy, painless, safe and inexpensive treatment for painful knees – and is incredibly effective.

Once you are pain free, your physiotherapist sets out a specific exercise programme for you. This will probably include stretching the quadriceps and Illio Tibial Band as well as correction of the foot position.

More than 5 000 patients have been treated successfully with the McConnell Method over the past 10 years. Their ages ranged from 8 to over 60. Their activities vary from long distance running to cycling; tennis to dancing; soccer to karate; swimming to squash – to simply sitting for long periods in front of a computer.

Research has shown that the McConnell Method significantly reduces the pain experienced by over 90 percent of patients, enabling them to continue their activities without discomfort.

For most knee sufferers, the improvement is achieved in an average of only six treatments.