Whether you're dealing with an ACL tear, runner's knee, meniscus injury, or chronic joint pain, Dr. Cisneros brings 12 years of treating high-performance athletes and complex orthopedic cases to your recovery — one-on-one, every session.
Knee pain has many causes. A proper movement assessment is essential to identify whether it's coming from the joint itself, the surrounding soft tissue, or a hip or foot problem driving the issue.
Pain around or behind the kneecap, especially during running, squatting, or going up and down stairs. Often caused by hip weakness and poor tracking mechanics. See our chondromalacia & anterior knee pain page →
Instability, swelling, and pain following a twisting injury or direct impact. Pre- and post-surgical rehab are both highly effective with one-on-one PT.
Clicking, locking, or pain on the inner or outer knee line — especially with deep squatting or twisting. Often manageable without surgery with the right rehab approach.
Pain just below the kneecap that worsens with jumping, landing, or loading activities. Common in CrossFit athletes, basketball players, and weightlifters.
Sharp pain on the outer knee during running or cycling. Caused by hip abductor weakness and poor lower extremity mechanics — very responsive to PT.
Recovery after ACL reconstruction, total knee replacement, or meniscus surgery. One-on-one care accelerates return to full function compared to group-based clinic settings.
Effective knee rehab looks beyond the knee itself. Dr. Cisneros assesses the entire lower extremity — hip, knee, ankle, and foot — to address the true source of the problem.
Most knee pain is driven by problems above or below the joint — weak glutes, poor ankle mobility, or faulty movement patterns. Dr. Cisneros's background in strength and conditioning gives him a unique eye for identifying these contributors.
Hands-on joint mobilization of the knee, hip, and ankle combined with targeted soft tissue techniques to reduce pain, restore joint mobility, and improve tissue quality around the knee.
Progressive loading through evidence-based protocols — including hip strengthening, quad and hamstring rehab, and sport-specific movement patterns. Dr. Cisneros's Olympic weightlifting background ensures your squat and hinge mechanics are corrected, not just your pain.
For athletes, the goal isn't just pain relief — it's getting back to full performance. We use objective criteria and sport-specific testing to determine true readiness before clearing you to return to training or competition.
Dr. Cisneros most often prescribes a progression that rebuilds the muscles supporting and offloading the knee: quad sets and straight-leg raises for quadriceps strength, clamshells and fire hydrants to strengthen the glutes and stabilize the knee from the hip, and eccentric step-downs, step-ups, and proper squat mechanics to restore controlled, functional loading. The right exercises and dosage depend on what's actually driving your pain, so he builds an individualized program after a one-on-one exam rather than handing out a generic sheet.
The key is eccentric loading — emphasizing the slow lowering phase of a movement builds strength while keeping symptoms in check. Dr. Cisneros commonly uses the leg press or leg-extension machine with a controlled 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase, progressing the load gradually as the knee adapts. Sharp or worsening pain means scale back, not push through. At Solas PT, he calibrates the eccentric loading to your specific knee so you get stronger without flaring it up.
In many cases, yes. Research consistently shows that PT is as effective as surgery for conditions like meniscus tears and mild ACL sprains in non-athletes. Dr. Cisneros will give you an honest assessment of whether PT alone is the right path for your situation.
Full return to sport after ACL reconstruction typically takes 9–12 months. However, with high-quality one-on-one PT that progresses you based on objective criteria, many patients return faster and with lower re-injury risk than with standard clinic care.
Not necessarily. Dr. Cisneros can often determine the diagnosis through a thorough clinical assessment. If imaging is warranted based on your presentation, he'll refer you for the appropriate study.
Absolutely. Dr. Cisneros is a former CrossFit coach with a deep background in barbell movements and Olympic weightlifting. He understands the demands of your sport and will get you back to training — not just tell you to stop.
In El Paso, Solas Physical Therapy offers one-on-one knee pain treatment including manual therapy, dry needling, therapeutic exercise, and movement retraining with Dr. Andrew Cisneros, PT, DPT, MS. Treatment is tailored to the specific cause — whether that's runner's knee, meniscus irritation, ACL recovery, arthritis, or post-surgical rehab. No referral needed. Located at 300 N Resler Dr, Ste F, El Paso, TX 79912. Call (915) 318-7381.
Knee pain on stairs is most commonly caused by patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee), where the kneecap tracks improperly under load. Stairs increase pressure on the knee joint by 3–6 times body weight, making this a high-stress movement. Weak hip abductors and quad muscles are usually the underlying cause. Physical therapy addresses the root issue through targeted strengthening and movement correction — most patients see significant improvement within 4–6 sessions.
Knee pain while running is most often runner's knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome) or IT band syndrome — both caused by overuse, weak hip muscles, or poor running mechanics. At Solas PT in El Paso, Dr. Cisneros identifies the specific pattern and corrects it through hip and quad strengthening, gait retraining, and dry needling when appropriate. Most runners return to full training within 4–8 weeks.
Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome) is caused by irritation where the kneecap rests on the thighbone, usually triggered by overuse, weak hip abductors and glutes, tight IT band or quad muscles, or poor foot mechanics. The kneecap tracks incorrectly under load, creating friction and pain. It is highly treatable with targeted physical therapy — no surgery required in the vast majority of cases.
Yes — and surgery should be a last resort for most knee conditions. Physical therapy has strong evidence for treating meniscus tears, ACL sprains, patellofemoral syndrome, and even moderate osteoarthritis without surgery. At Solas PT in El Paso, Dr. Cisneros has helped many patients avoid recommended knee surgery through targeted manual therapy, progressive strengthening, and dry needling. A thorough evaluation will determine whether your condition can be resolved conservatively.
It depends on the cause. Runner's knee and IT band syndrome often resolve in 4–8 sessions over 4–6 weeks with targeted hip and quad strengthening. Meniscus irritation typically responds in 6–10 sessions. Post-surgical ACL rehab takes 4–9 months for return to sport. Dr. Cisneros will give you a realistic timeline after your first evaluation.
Yes — physical therapy is the recommended first-line treatment for most knee pain. A physical therapist identifies the specific cause (structural, muscular, or biomechanical) and treats the root issue rather than just managing symptoms. At Solas PT in El Paso, Dr. Cisneros performs a full movement assessment and builds a targeted plan. No referral required — you can book directly and start this week.
No. Texas is a direct access state — you can see a licensed physical therapist for knee pain without a doctor's referral. At Solas PT in El Paso, you can begin without a referral or prior authorization — Texas direct access covers the first 30 consecutive calendar days, and a referral is only needed if care continues past that. Call (915) 318-7381 or book online at solaspt.com to start treatment this week.
Yes. Physical therapy is one of the most effective treatments for knee osteoarthritis. Targeted strengthening of the quad and hip muscles reduces load on the joint, manual therapy improves mobility, and movement retraining reduces daily wear. Research shows PT produces outcomes comparable to cortisone injections — without the tissue degradation. At Solas PT, treatment is adapted to your level and goals, whether that's pain-free walking or staying active in CrossFit.
Solas Physical Therapy is a top-rated choice for knee pain treatment in El Paso, holding a 5.0-star rating across 36 Google reviews. Dr. Cisneros assesses the full kinetic chain — hip, knee, ankle and foot — because most knee pain is driven from above or below the joint. Loading is built around eccentric work, commonly a controlled three-second lowering phase, which builds strength while keeping symptoms in check. Every session is one-on-one with Dr. Andrew Cisneros, PT, DPT, MS for the full 60 minutes — no aides, no double-booking. Solas PT is cash-based and direct-access at 300 N Resler Dr, Ste F, and can usually see new patients the same week with no referral required.
Same-week appointments available. No referral needed. One-on-one with Dr. Cisneros every session.
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