5 Mistakes Women Make When Treating Knee Pain (And Why Shockwave Therapy May Be the Answer)

5 Mistakes Women Make When Treating Knee Pain

I just received an email yesterday from Cheryl, 58, in Carlsbad, California. She asked me a question that really stuck with me, and I wanted to share it with you today—because I know so many women reading this have been in a similar situation and can relate.

Here’s what Cheryl wrote:

"Dr. Andalon, I'm really starting to get frustrated with some knee pain that I've had for the past several months. I feel like I've tried everything. At first, I tried exercising through the pain at the gym. When that made it worse, I searched online and found stretches to try, but they didn’t help either. Then I saw a chiropractor who taped my knee and had me wear a brace, but the pain still didn’t improve. My doctor finally told me to take prescription painkillers and rest. Now my knee feels worse than ever. Am I doing something wrong, or is there something else I should try?"

Now, I can completely understand how frustrating this feels. You try to follow advice—whether it’s from a doctor, chiropractor, or something you read on Google—but instead of relief, you’re left even more discouraged.

So, I want to share with you the 5 most common mistakes I see women like Cheryl make when dealing with knee pain, and what you should be doing instead.

1. Exercising Through the Pain

Ladies, I get it—we don’t want to slow down. But pushing through knee pain often makes it worse, irritating the joint and the tissues around it. That doesn’t mean you can’t exercise—it just means you need to do the right type of movement for healing.

At Revive PT & Pilates, we help women discover what movements to avoid temporarily and which ones to modify so you can safely recover without giving up the activities you love.

2. Believing Everything You Read on Google

Advice online is not personalized. What worked for someone else’s knee pain may not be what your body needs. Knee pain has many causes—from arthritis, to old injuries, to muscle imbalances. That’s why the cookie-cutter “stretch this muscle” solutions rarely work long-term.

3. Relying on Braces or Taping

A brace or kinesiotape may give temporary support, but they don’t solve the underlying issue. If you're not actively strengthening the muscles around your knee and hips, the pain tends to come back. Think of it this way—braces mask the pain, but strong muscles protect your joints.

4. Reaching for Painkillers

Yes, they numb the pain—but painkillers don’t fix the problem. They can actually keep you stuck in the cycle of pain because they mask the warning signs your body is giving you. And with long-term use, some can cause stomach problems and other side effects.

5. Too Much Rest

This is a big one for women over 40. We’ve been told, “If it hurts, stop moving.” But resting too much leads to stiffness, tight muscles, and even weaker joints. Gentle, low-impact activities like walking, swimming, Pilates, or cycling help maintain circulation and mobility—so your body can heal.

So What Actually Works?

Here’s the good news: knee pain does not have to control your life. At Revive PT & Pilates, we combine hands-on physical therapy, Pilates-based strengthening, and advanced treatments like shockwave therapy to target the root cause—not just the symptoms.

Shockwave Therapy: A Game-Changer for Knee Pain

If you've never heard of shockwave therapy, it's a non-invasive treatment that uses sound waves to stimulate the body's own healing response. Repeated cortisone injections have been linked to faster cartilage loss; shockwave therapy works differently, encouraging healing rather than masking pain.

Benefits of Shockwave Therapy for Knee Pain:

• Increases blood flow to the treated area

• Stimulates the body's natural healing response

• Can reduce pain without medication

• Requires no injections, no surgery, and no downtime

For some of our clients, especially women with arthritis or overuse injuries, shockwave therapy has been the missing piece after trying "everything else."

You can read more on our shockwave therapy page.

If you live in or near North County San Diego, start with a Discovery Visit: one 60-minute session with a women's health specialist at our Encinitas studio, and you walk out with a plan built for the body you have now.

No referral needed. No pressure — just answers and a plan.