University of Canberra physiotherapists say there is a more effective treatment than the one traditionally used and are starting a study in the hope of changing treatment norms.

They have been using four-dimensional imaging technology to gain a better understanding of how the human knee works and develop more effective therapy techniques.

Each year, more than 40,000 Australians undergo knee replacement surgery to fix osteoarthritis – a condition which causes people pain and limits their range of motion.

Physiotherapy student Yi-Ying Zeng, who is conducting the research as part of her honours, said she is using her new-found knowledge of the joint to compare traditional therapy methods with new and potentially more effective techniques.

“We’ve done quite a bit of research into knee kinematics, looking at how the knee works, and the four-dimensional imaging has changed our thinking around the way the knee moves,” Ms Zeng explained.

“For this study, we are comparing the manual therapy technique which has been used for years with a new technique that we have developed using this technology.

“Using this technique, we’ll try to move the knee in the way it’s actually supposed to move, to see if it improves the knee-bend movement more than the current therapy does.”

Ms Zeng’s interest in knee osteoarthritis extends beyond a clinical capacity. Her grandfather suffered from the condition and endured years of discomfort. She hopes her research will help others avoid a similar fate.

“It’s so debilitating, but we can do something about it as well,” she said. “It will certainly improve people’s ability to get out of chairs and get up and down stairs and just improve their quality of life.”

Professor Jennie Scaarvell said some physiotherapists were sceptical about the new method so they were determined to build a strong body of evidence to make their case.

"In its simplest form it is simply a push vs pull study," she said.

"One of them we think is correct based on the imaging but one of them we've been doing for the last 60 years.

"But it's really hard changing practice, it's hard challenging people on what they've been doing for a long time.

"Some are tremendously excited and have already started changing their practice, and going 'wow, this makes such a difference'.

"Others are quite resistant, saying you're misunderstanding things."

For the next stage of the project, Ms Zeng is looking for people suffering knee stiffness to complete questionnaires about their condition and undergo manual therapy.

Participants will receive four free physiotherapy sessions over two weeks at either the University of Canberra or at Southside Physiotherapy in Woden.

Participants should be over 18 years, have less than 120-degree knee flexion range and have not undergone a knee reconstruction, replacement or ligament rupture on their problem knee.

If interested, potential participants can contact Jennie Scarvell via Jennie.Scarvell@canberra.edu.au or call 6201 2796.