The knee is one of the most common sites of pain for millions of Americans. There are plenty of reasons why you could be suffering from knee pain. Chiropractic care is an excellent option for those seeking knee pain treatment. To understand what kind of treatment you need, your chiropractor will look for the causes of your pain before starting your treatment.
You are not alone if you are affected by pain in and around your knee. An estimated one-in-three Americans are affected by chronic pain in the knee joint. The knee joint is a common location for pain, with more than 900,000 knee replacement surgeries taking place in 2017. The widespread issue of pain in the knee has led to an industry growing around the sale of knee braces and pain relievers. Treatment from a chiropractor can relieve the symptoms of knee pain without resorting to surgery and the consistent use of medications.
Why Do We Suffer From Knee Pain?
We believe you should understand the problems you face when you are affected by pain in the knee. Your knee is the site of lots of stress and strains can be felt. The joint is moveable. Your knee acts like a hinge between your femur and tibia. A group of muscles and tendons stabilize your knee and keep you balanced. Any changes to your general health and well-being can cause problems leading to a painful knee joint.
Sports fans will recognize the anterior cruciate ligament, ACL an often-heard injury for professional athletes. The ACL is just one of many tendons passing through the knee joint that can cause pain. The patellar tendon is the cause of several painful injuries, including tendonitis known as jumper’s knee.
Lifestyle & A Painful Knee
Our patients often associate injuries to the knee with sports and fitness. However, your knee is designed to be used regularly. When you choose a sedentary lifestyle, you can cause more harm to your knees than working out consistently. The switch to remote working and time tied to mobile devices has changed the way we live our lives. Failing to exercise regularly can lead to aches and pains in your knee when you do decide to exercise. Inactivity can lead to general pains in your knee when you remain in a seated position for too long.
Our knees are designed to carry the optimum weight for our height and age. Adding a few pounds can lead to pain as your muscles adapt to the change in your body shape and size. To understand why you have knee pain after gaining weight, you should think about your knees as shock absorbers. Every time you take a step, the cartilage between your knee and thigh bone absorbs the weight of your upper body. The obesity epidemic in the U.S. is leading to a secondary epidemic of pain in and around the knee.
Women are more likely to suffer from joint pain as they age. A British study showed overweight women released more of a damaging hormone. The hormone, Leptin, is thought to play a role in the development of osteoarthritis. Obesity is known to increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis which causes severe pain. Chiropractic care and a weight loss program are good ways of limiting the effects of pain in the knee.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
There are several factors to consider when looking for the causes of pain in the knee. You can be affected by:
- Injuries
- Mechanical problems
- Arthritis
- Other risk factors
Certain sports and activities can lead to pain in the knee joint. ACL injuries and recovery from these injuries can take several months. Chiropractic care can help you to rehabilitate your knee faster than periods of rest. Common injuries associated with exercise include fractures and tendonitis.
Mechanical issues can cause knee pain and pain in other areas of your body. When painful knees are affecting your gait, hip and foot problems can become the norm. We believe chiropractic care can help limit the long-term effects of painful knee joints on your body.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Knee Pain
Chiropractic care is based on the idea that knee joints need to move to heal. Immobilization is needed for some injuries but a lack of movement tends to leave most knee issues feeling worse. Chiropractic care realigns the body to help you feel better within yourself. Our brains are hardwired to identify when a joint is out of alignment. A misaligned knee will be read as painful by the brain. We believe a chiropractor will realign your knee joint and limit the negative impulses sent to your brain.
Treating Knee Pain
How do we start a chiropractic care program for knee pain? The first step is for us to undertake a thorough exam of your knee. Our chiropractors will listen to your story and learn about the factors associated with your knee pain. Traumas and injuries from the past will be taken into account, along with any lifestyle factors. Your knee will be tested for a range of movements by our chiropractors to determine the best plan of action for your knee pain.
Our chiropractors will examine your spine and central nervous system to determine if you have any misalignments adding to your pain. Our chiropractors will use all the tools needed to handle your pain issues, including x-rays to look for further issues.
Specific Chiropractic Care
As we mentioned earlier, your knee and other joints heal with movement. Any pain in the knee will lead to you choosing to limit its movement. Specific chiropractic care will help you to regain pain-free movement in your knee. The blockage of nerve impulses from the brain to your extremities will lead to pain and immobility in your knees. The realignment of your spine can unblock the passageways for electrical impulses moving from your brain to the rest of your body.
Specific chiropractic care will target the knee that is causing the most pain. Our experienced team of chiropractors will look to move your knees and retrain the muscles around them to return to a higher range of movements. Some conditions respond better to increased movement than they do to immobilization.
Massage for Knee Pain
Blockages in the central nervous system can limit the passage of blood circulating to some areas of your body. Knee pain can be worsened by the soft tissues not being worked in the correct ways. Massage has become linked to chiropractic care because of the benefits both treatments provide. Massage goes hand-in-hand with chiropractic care to stimulate your circulation to limit knee pain. The soft tissues around your knee will be stimulated through deep tissue massage that encourages the flow of blood to your joints. The exam from our chiropractor will help a massage therapist target the correct areas of soft tissues to improve your circulation and limit pain.
Knee-on-Trac
Invasive knee surgery should always be the final option for you. Exhausting all other options should be par for the course when looking for medical assistance. Knee-on-trac treatments are non-invasive ways of stretching and decompressing the knee joint. When your joints are compressed, you will struggle to reduce inflammation around the joint. The passage of blood through your joint on the way around your body will change when it is decompressed.
Knee-on-trac is a treatment that gently stretches the knee joint over time. When you are struggling to overcome your knee pain, stretching the joint is a good non-invasive option. The reduction of inflammation and increased flexibility. A more flexible knee joint will allow you to exercise fully without pain limitations.
Technology Options
We like to explore all options for treating knee pain. One of the options for short-term pain relief and long-term healing is a deep-tissue laser treatment. These low-level lasers project a beam of light into your knee joint for 30-second intervals. The laser light projects deep into the tissues to promote the healing of damaged cells and tissues. The light will be absorbed as cell energy to promote healing and new cell generation. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recommends laser treatments to improve functionality and pain management.
Common Symptoms of Knee Pain
The location and severity of knee pain are a guide for us as we look for the reasons for your discomfort. Among the common symptoms is swelling and stiffness of the knee. A person suffering from pain in the knee joint often explains the joint is red and hot to the touch. Pain in and around the knee can be accompanied by popping and crunching sounds that provide clues to the reasons for the chronic pain. Your knee can feel weak and unstable, with some individuals unable to straighten their painful knees fully.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
ACL Injury
There is a range of injuries and medical conditions contributing to the most common causes of painful knee joints. Among the causes of painful knees is an injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. The ACL is often mentioned as an injury sustained by professional sportspeople. This is one of the four tendons connecting your shin to your thigh. We see damage to the ACL in people who take part in sports requiring fast changes of direction, such as soccer and basketball.
Torn Meniscus
Twisting and direction changes can cause problems with the tendons and cartilage. Your meniscus can be a problem area for you if you take part in fast-moving sports. This is the cartilage acting as the shock absorber between your shin and thigh bones. A torn meniscus usually occurs when you twist with weight on your knee joint.
Inflammation
Inflammation is a common cause of pain in the knee joint. Knee bursitis is inflammation of the sacs of fluid around your knee. The movement of your tendons is limited and painful when these sacs are swollen and inflamed. Another form of inflammation is patellar tendonitis, which is caused by swollen tendons attaching muscles to bones.
Runner’s Knee
You can be affected by several medical conditions leading to painful knees. Runner’s knee is soreness and pain in the kneecap caused by one of several problems. This condition can be caused by the high position of the kneecap or poor foot support. Injuries and inflammation to the hamstrings and Achilles tendons can cause a runner’s knee.
Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome
If you run long distances or cycle often, you could be at risk for Iliotibial band syndrome. This condition is caused by the fibers stretching from the hip to the knee tightening to cause pain and discomfort. Arthritis and its associated conditions are a common cause of painful knees. We can assist with treatments to ease the pain caused by arthritis in your knees.
FAQs
Is a chiropractor any good for Knee pain?
Chiropractors have the skills to help limit the issues associated with painful knees. The range of treatments has a positive effect on the level of pain in most patients.
How can I relieve knee pain naturally?
We use natural resources to help your painful knee joints. Chiropractic care uses non-invasive treatments that promote cell growth and blood flow to reduce inflammation. Chiropractic care limits the use of pain relievers and invasive surgical treatments.
When should you see a chiropractor for knee pain?
As soon as you feel pain in your knee, a chiropractor can usually help. A chiropractic adjustment combined with ice/heat and massage treatments can limit the effects of any pain in your joints.
Is walking good for knee pain?
Pain and inflammation are limitations to your movement. By promoting movement, your circulation will be improved and pain limited. The human body heals effectively when movement is promoted.
What should I eat if I have arthritis in my knee?
Osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis can be helped by a healthy and balanced diet. Lifestyle and dietary changes can be made to limit inflammation and reduce pain in the knees. Oily fish is a good option for limiting cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight. Dark leafy greens, such as spinach and kale promote vitamin D production. Vitamin D promotes calcium production and has anti-inflammatory properties. Garlic should be added to your diet to promote protection against the enzymes damaging your knee cartilage.
