Knee Pain : Your Top Questions Answered - Coquitlam Physio and Health

Knee pain is rarely just a knee problem. It is often a symptom of dysfunction in the hip, ankle, or overall movement mechanics. At Coquitlam Physio & Health, our physiotherapy team — Jayten Patel, Charles To, and Edmund Gu — utilizes a comprehensive assessment to identify if your pain is caused by structural wear, muscular imbalances, or poor joint tracking. By combining manual therapy with advanced loading protocols, we help you resolve pain and avoid unnecessary surgical interventions.

TL;DR: The Knee Recovery Snapshot

The Goal: Restore full joint mobility and bulletproof the surrounding musculature
The Team: Integrated care from Jayten Patel, Charles To, and Edmund Gu
The Tech: Shockwave for tendons, GLA:D protocols for arthritis, PNOE for metabolic support
The Result: Return to pain-free walking, running, and daily activity

Meet Your Knee Specialist Team

Knee pain is complex — and at Coquitlam Physio & Health, it’s assessed through three distinct clinical lenses to ensure nothing is missed. The same Triple-Threat approach also resolves chronic ankle instability and lower back pain — often caused by the same upstream chain of dysfunction.

Jayten Patel, MPT, CSCS

Expert in high-intensity functional restoration and building the internal neuromuscular bracing that makes external supports unnecessary.

Charles To, MScPT

Specialist in gait analysis and sport-related knee injuries — bringing elite biomechanics experience from the Vancouver Whitecaps to every assessment.

Edmund Gu, PT

Senior lead for surgical recovery and chronic arthritis management — specializing in evidence-based loading programs that delay or eliminate the need for joint replacement.

Your Top Knee Questions Answered

1. Why does my knee hurt when I go down stairs?

This is a classic sign of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) — commonly called Runner’s Knee. It happens when the kneecap doesn’t track smoothly in its groove during movement. Our team analyzes your glute strength and ankle mobility to determine if your knee is collapsing inward, which places excessive pressure on the joint during eccentric movements like descending stairs or squatting. Poor ankle mechanics are frequently the hidden cause — read our ankle rehab case study to understand the full chain.

The Symptom	The Likely Cause	The Clinical Fix
Pain going downstairs	Kneecap maltracking — weak glutes or tight IT band	Glute activation, VMO strengthening, and Kinesio-taping
Aching after sitting	Patellofemoral compression from hip flexor tightness	Hip flexor release, quad eccentric loading, posture correction
Pain during running	Knee valgus collapse from weak hip abductors	Gait retraining with Charles To + lateral hip strengthening program

2. Can physiotherapy help with “bone-on-bone” arthritis?

Absolutely. While we cannot regrow cartilage, we can significantly reduce the pain associated with Osteoarthritis (OA). Edmund Gu specializes in orthopedic longevity and utilizes evidence-based loading programs similar to GLA:D protocols — strengthening the muscles around the knee to take the pressure off the bone. Many of our patients are able to delay or completely avoid knee replacement surgery through this integrated approach.

“Bone-on-bone does not mean surgery is inevitable. With the right loading program, we can strengthen the tissue around the joint enough that many patients live completely pain-free — without ever going under the knife.”

— Edmund Gu, PT, Orthopedic Lead

3. When should I choose Shockwave Therapy for my knee?

If your pain is located specifically in the Patellar Tendon (just below the kneecap) and has lasted longer than three months, it may be a tendinopathy. Our physio team uses Shockwave Therapy to break down chronic scar tissue and stimulate blood flow to the tendon — restarting the healing process where rest and stretching have failed. Clinically proven at 70-80% success rate for chronic patellar tendon issues.

4. How does Charles To’s sports background help my knee rehab?

Charles To brings his elite sports experience to every knee case through Gait Analysis — a detailed assessment of how you walk and run to spot the power leaks that cause knee strain. If you are a runner or athlete, Charles ensures your return-to-sport roadmap includes the specific plyometric and agility drills needed to prevent re-injury at full speed and load.

5. Do I need a brace for my knee pain?

Bracing can be a helpful crutch — but it isn’t a cure. Jayten Patel focuses on building internal bracing — developing the neuromuscular control and strength required for your muscles to stabilize the joint naturally. Tape or bracing is used as a temporary tool to get you moving, but the ultimate goal is complete independence from external support.

The Integrated Advantage: From Pain Relief to Performance

At Coquitlam Physio & Health, we don’t treat your knee in a vacuum. Our Integrated Clinical Blueprint ensures a seamless hand-off from clinical pain relief to high-performance conditioning. If your knee pain followed a motor vehicle accident, you may qualify for $0 ICBC-funded care.

Phase	Lead	Focus	Outcome
Phase 01	Jayten / Charles To / Edmund	Assessment, manual therapy, Shockwave, and pain resolution	Pain-free range of motion restored
Phase 02	Cole Iantorno	Progressive strength loading — quad, glute, and hamstring integration	Knee can tolerate daily load without pain or swelling
Phase 03	Tristan Dy Tang	Sport-specific plyometrics, gait retraining, and metabolic conditioning	Full return to sport or work with zero compensation patterns

Is Knee Pain Stopping You From Staying Active?

Whether you have Runner’s Knee, a tendon injury, or bone-on-bone arthritis — our integrated physio team will identify the root cause and build your roadmap back to full, pain-free activity. No guessing, no cookie-cutter programs.

BOOK YOUR KNEE ASSESSMENT