Physical therapy interventions for combined low back and posterior knee pain after motor vehicle accident: a case report

Background and Purpose: Low back pain and knee pain are two of the most common problems encountered in physical therapy. This case presents a patient suffering from both issues that was able to have good outcomes from her physical therapy treatments. Case Description: A 63-year-old patient presented to physical therapy with low back pain and knee pain after a motor vehicle accident. Adverse sciatic neural tension and positional dysfunctions in her pelvis contributed to pain and limited mobility. She was treated with a mixture of manual therapy and progressive loading exercises. Outcomes: She was able to achieve significant improvements in her Numeric Pain Rating Scale, McGill Short Form Pain Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Index, Knee Outcome Score, and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Additionally, she discharged from physical therapy after 12 visits very satisfied with her care. Discussion: Improvements in outcomes demonstrated significant and relevant improvements from the patient. Evidence-based measures and interventions were utilized to guide this case and contributed to the strengths of this case, along with early intervention for acute, first-time injuries.