Think about how much you use your knees during all the daily activities from bending down to pick up the grocery bags, climbing the stairs, walking from your car to the office, or just getting out of bed. Perhaps you play a sport such as racquetball or tennis, or you enjoy hiking with your family. All these normal activities can feel so difficult when you are experiencing knee pain. Knee pain has a negative effect on your ability to function, let alone thrive. Thankfully, there’s a non-invasive option to help relieve your pain: chiropractic treatment for knee pain.

The Knee Joint

The knee is a complex joint that relies heavily on ligaments and muscles for stability. The knee is a major weight bearing joint and consists of:

  • the tibia-femoral joint (between the thigh and lower leg)
  • the patella-femoral joint (between the kneecap and the thigh),
  • muscles and ligaments, which gives active and passive stability to the knee.
  • two ring shaped cartilage discs in the knee, called the menisci (one meniscus)

You do not have to decide to live with the pain or stop enjoying exercise and family time. Nor should you have to decide that pain medication is now just “part of life”. Consider the option of chiropractic treatment. Yes, oftentimes, an accredited chiropractor can start to treat and care for the underlying issues that are likely causing knee pain. Discomfort is not something you need to accept as “the norm” or “part of aging”.

Contemporary chiropractic treatment includes more than 150 techniques that chiropractors use to manually adjust the spine, joints and muscles with varying degrees of force. Chiropractors focus on the relationships between structure and function. This is essential in finding the root causes of knee pain. In the past, chiropractic care got mixed reviews from other doctors. However, in early 2017, The American College of Physicians released new guidelines. It now supports the use of nonpharmacologic therapies, such as chiropractic and acupuncture, as first-line treatments for some types of pain, before using medication. A chiropractor is a holistic way to treat pain.

Three Signs That It May be Time to Seek Treatment

One significant reason is if the knee pain is severe enough to limit your ability to accomplish normal daily life activities in daily life.  Also, if you have tried to limit your activity levels for short periods of time and your knees are still painful or if you have taken pain medication and the knee pain remains troublesome, it is time to visit a chiropractor.

An experienced doctor, such as our chiropractors at Family Chiropractic Clinic, will address the issues in and around the knee from the pain. They will also examine you to see if alignment issues in other areas of the body could be the true cause of the knee pain, or at least be a contributing factor. For example, limited range of motion in the hips or tightness in the lower back can place excessive strain on the knees which can be painful. With the right chiropractic care, issues such as these can be corrected so you can live pain-free.

Types of Knee Pain

Here are some of the common causes of knee pain:

Arthritis

What causes arthritis? A deformity can lead to arthritis in the knee, obesity, or repetitive stress injuries from sports are the culprits. Symptoms include stiffness or locking joints.

Arthritis often triggers problems with the knee joint, but can affect other structures like muscles, tendons and ligaments. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis in the knee, is caused by the steady degradation of the cartilage in the joint. Rheumatoid arthritis causes the joint to become inflamed and can often cause destruction of the surrounding cartilage.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS or IT band syndrome)

Inflammation of a tendon and its subsequent rubbing over the outer knee bone is most often caused by the stress of long-term overuse, such as sports training.

Meniscus Injuries

The meniscus, the cushion of your joint, is susceptible to injuries from sudden twists or quick rotations of the upper leg. It can also be caused by repetitive rotations of the knee while bearing weight.

Osgood-Schlatter Disease

This condition is the result of recurring stress or tension on the upper tibia. The patellar tendon and surrounding soft tissues at the point where the tendon attaches to the tibia can become inflamed. Pre-adolescent boys involved in sports that include frequent running or jumping are particularly prone to this condition.

Referred Pain

Referred pain often results from Sacroiliac joints, low back facet joints, hip joints, and muscles surrounding the knee. It can also be a result of nerve compression in the lower back, pelvis, and thigh, or even a dysfunction of surrounding joints in the feet, hips, and pelvis.

What to Expect When You See a Chiropractor

When pain feels like it’s coming from the knee, all the anatomical parts need to be examined. This includes the low back, pelvis, hip, ankle and foot need to be assessed because of the direct influence they have on the knee, and vice versa. As chiropractor, we take a comprehensive medical history and perform a thorough physical and biomechanical examination in order to make an accurate diagnosis and create a treatment plan. Each patient will be given a personalized care plan. However, in our experience, many people experiencing knee pain benefit from some or all of the following chiropractic treatment for knee pain:

Reduce joint inflammation and reduce pain

We may recommend ice to reduce inflammation, muscle spasms and pain. Also, to expedite and promote soft tissue healing, we may use a laser, ultrasound, and interferential therapy.

Normalize joint function

This can be accomplished by using chiropractic manipulation and mobilization techniques in areas with limited movement, such as the knee and any affected surrounding joints. This helps increase movement as well as improve the function and reduce pain. Also, we may recommend Deep soft tissue massages, trigger point therapy and cross-friction.

Rehabilitation through an exercise program

When fitting, we use exercises to help you improve stability, strength, and endurance. We also work on improving your balance. This will help you to return to normal and prevent injuries.

There are many potential options for chiropractic treatment for knee pain. Call to speak with an experienced chiropractor today to learn how a chiropractor can help you manage your pain.

If you are ready to live pain free through chiropractic treatment for knee pain, then give us a call and let us treat your pain today A Family Chiropractic Clinic (940) 566-0000