What's going on
Knee assessments at PhysioOnClick happen by video, or as a home visit in the Glasgow area, and the reasoning below is exactly what a physiotherapist looks for in either setting. Knee symptoms usually trace back to one of three patterns: a specific traumatic injury (ligament, meniscus or patellar), an overuse presentation from a sudden change in load (runner's knee, patellar tendinopathy), or degenerative change where cartilage and joint surfaces have gradually lost tolerance to load. Each responds to a different rehab emphasis, which is why a generic 'knee exercise' plan often underperforms.
Swelling, locking, giving way and a clear mechanism of injury point toward a structural cause worth imaging; a gradual ache that builds with specific activities and settles with rest points more toward a load-tolerance problem that usually responds to a structured strengthening programme rather than scans.
Practical guidance on return to running
The most common mistake in returning to running after injury or a break is increasing distance, pace and frequency all at once. A more reliable approach increases only one variable at a time, typically starting with a run-walk pattern and progressing total time before adding pace or hills.
A useful rule of thumb is the 'no more than mild and settling' guide: some discomfort during or shortly after a run is often acceptable if it settles within twenty-four hours and doesn't worsen session to session; pain that lingers, worsens, or appears earlier in each run signals the progression is too fast.
What physiotherapy assessment looks at
Assessment looks at how the knee was injured (or whether it built up gradually), joint line tenderness, ligament stability tests, quadriceps and hip strength, and functional tasks like a single-leg squat or step-down to see how the whole limb shares load, not just the joint itself.
Where return to running is the main day-to-day problem, assessment also looks specifically at how that symptom behaves — what makes it better or worse, and how it's changed since it started — since that shapes which part of the rehab plan gets priority first.
A practical starting point
Keep a simple training log of distance, pace and next-day symptoms for each run, and only increase one variable (usually total time first) at a time — resist adding speed work until pain-free running at an easy pace is consistent for at least two weeks.
This guide is part of PhysioOnClick's patient education library and is intended to support informed decisions, not replace an individual assessment. If symptoms are worsening, unclear, or affecting your confidence with movement, a full physiotherapy assessment is the safest next step.
When to seek extra help
A knee that is hot, red and swollen with a fever needs A&E now, or a call to NHS 111 straight away if you are not sure where to go, to rule out a joint infection. A knee that is significantly swollen within hours of injury, locked in a fixed position, or unable to bear any weight at all needs same-day medical assessment (NHS 111 or an urgent treatment centre) to rule out a fracture or complete ligament rupture before starting rehabilitation.