Knee rehabilitation · Geneva

The knee holds,
until the day
it doesn't.

You heard the snap on the descent. Or the pain came on gradually, session after session, until the knee simply stopped cooperating. Either way, what matters now is understanding what happened, and not getting the rehabilitation wrong.

Conditions treated

Knee injuries and pain I treat in Geneva.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture

Conservative management or full post-operative rehabilitation, with objective criteria for return to sport. A rigorous protocol that does not cut corners on timing.

Meniscal injury

Tear, fissure, or partial meniscectomy. Stabilisation, strengthening and progressive return to activity, whether the approach is surgical or conservative.

Patellofemoral syndrome

Pain under or around the kneecap, aggravated by stairs, running or prolonged sitting. Common in both active people and those with a sedentary lifestyle.

Patellar tendinopathy

Pain at the patellar tendon, especially in runners, basketball or volleyball players. Often becomes chronic when not properly managed from the start.

Knee osteoarthritis

Pain on weight-bearing, morning stiffness, gradual loss of range of motion. Physiotherapy remains one of the best-evidenced treatments for knee osteoarthritis.

Post-operative rehabilitation

After ACL reconstruction, meniscectomy, osteotomy or total knee replacement. Protocol adapted to your surgeon's guidelines and your activity level.

How I work

Knee rehabilitation in four phases.

Progression is not guided by a fixed calendar, but by what you are actually able to do at each stage. Pushing a phase too early means risking having to start over.

Initial assessment

Full evaluation: range of motion, strength, stability, pain, proprioception, goals. We establish a precise baseline to measure progress against.

Pain control and recovery

Reducing inflammation, restoring range of motion, gentle muscle activation. The goal is to recover a normal gait and prepare the joint for loading.

Progressive strengthening

Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, stabilisers. Work in closed kinetic chain and proprioception. Load increases according to your responses.

Return to activity

Sport-specific movements, jumping, direction changes, neuromuscular work. Return to sport is based on objective criteria, not a date on the calendar.

Worth knowing

After ACL reconstruction, the risk of re-rupture is 4 to 6 times higher in athletes who return to sport before 9 months compared to those who meet objective return-to-sport criteria. The rehabilitation timeline is not an arbitrary constraint. It corresponds to the time the graft needs to remodel.

For patients with osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis does not improve with rest.

The first instinct is often to walk less, avoid stairs, protect the knee. The problem is that cartilage is nourished by movement. The less it moves, the faster it deteriorates.

What physiotherapy offers for knee osteoarthritis is progressive muscle strengthening that reduces joint stress, proprioceptive training, and a rebuilt confidence in the knee. Not a cure, but a meaningful improvement in daily life.

Physiotherapy remains one of the best-evidenced treatments for knee osteoarthritis, before considering injections or surgery.

What I work on concretely

  • Quadriceps and hamstring strengthening
  • Proprioceptive work to stabilise weight-bearing
  • Gentle mobilisation to reduce morning stiffness
  • Advice on adapting daily activities
  • Home exercise programme between sessions

Typical profile

Pain going down stairs, discomfort after a long walk, stiffness getting up in the morning. You are not an athlete and you are not planning to run a marathon. You just want to walk without pain.

Frequently asked questions

What patients ask about knee rehabilitation.

Between 6 and 9 months as a general rule, with return to pivot or contact sports around 9 months once objective criteria are met. The number of physiotherapy sessions ranges from 40 to 60, at a frequency of 1 to 2 sessions per week depending on the phase. Returning early multiplies the risk of re-rupture by 4 to 6.
Yes, in many cases. Degenerative lesions or small tears in the vascularised zone respond well to physiotherapy alone: stabilisation, quadriceps and hamstring strengthening, load management. The surgical decision belongs to the surgeon, but physiotherapy is often the first treatment indicated, and sometimes the only one needed.
Patellofemoral syndrome responds well to physiotherapy: quadriceps and gluteus medius strengthening, ankle mobility work, taping, biomechanical correction for running. Treatment generally takes 8 to 16 weeks. The important thing is not to stop all activity, but to adapt it progressively.
No. You can consult directly without a prescription. Without a medical prescription, sessions are not reimbursed by basic insurance (LAMal) but may be covered by your supplementary insurance depending on your contract. More details: physiotherapy without a prescription in Geneva.
It depends on the procedure. After a partial meniscectomy, return to sport is generally possible in 6 to 12 weeks. After ACL reconstruction, return to pivot or contact sports should not happen before 6 to 9 months. The condition is not a date on the calendar, but objective benchmarks: strength, stability, proprioception, confidence. Premature return significantly increases the risk of re-rupture.
Book an appointment

Your knee deserves
a proper assessment.

Practice at Rue du Vidollet 9bis, Geneva · Consultations in French and English.