Do Chiropractors Help with Knee Pain?
Sacramento CA Chiropractor Helps With Knee Pain
A common question we get at Barhan Chiropractic is whether we can help with knees. Patients usually know we can help with several back conditions but the knee is a joint and we can actually help it a lot.
Dr. Barham Sr. actually experienced a pretty serious knee injury and used chiropractic care as part of his recovery plan.
Ask him about it during your next visit.
He actually became quite the expert on knees (frankly, he needed to for his own health)!
Knees are so important for activities of daily living!
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.
Without healthy knees, everyday life can become very difficult.
Thankfully, there is a non-invasive option to help relieve your pain: a 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)
At our Sacramento CA Chiropractor Office, we have had many patients that have been injured in one or all of these parts of the knee.
Very often, a significant injury (like a car accident or fall) causes the knee joint to be out of place.
The unfortunate part is that on top of dealing with the initial injury, patients have to also deal with the knee not healing well because it is out of place. (This is where we help)
But how do you know if it is time to come in and get care?
Three Signs That It May be Time to Seek Treatment
Persistent Knee Pain: If you are experiencing persistent knee pain that doesn't seem to improve with rest, ice, compression, and elevation, it may be time to seek chiropractic treatment. This could be a sign of an underlying issue that requires professional attention.
Limited Range of Motion: If you find that you are having difficulty moving your knee joint or are experiencing limited range of motion, it may be time to seek chiropractic treatment. This could be a sign of a joint or muscle problem that requires targeted therapy to improve your mobility.
Difficulty Performing Daily Activities: If your knee pain is making it difficult for you to perform daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or getting up from a chair, it may be time to seek chiropractic treatment. These activities should not be causing you pain or discomfort, and if they are, it could be a sign of an underlying issue that needs to be addressed by a healthcare professional.
If you experience these three symptoms it may be time to visit a Sacramento CA chiropractor.
An experienced doctor, such as our chiropractors at Barham Chiropractic Clinic, will address the issues in and around the knee. They will also examine you to see if alignment issues in other areas of the body could be the root cause of the knee pain or be a contributing factor.
With the right chiropractic care, issues such as these can be corrected so you can live pain-free.
The 5 Types of Knee Pain
Below are some of the most common causes of knee pain:
Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation, pain, and stiffness in one or more joints in the body. It is typically caused by wear and tear on the joints over time, but can also be caused by autoimmune disorders or infections.
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 is when pain is felt in a different part of the body than where the problem actually is.
It 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 seems to be coming from the knee, all the parts of the body need to be checked out. This includes the low back, pelvis, hip, ankle, and foot, all of which have direct effects on the knee and must be looked at.
At our Sacramento CA Chiropractor Office, We get a full medical history and do a thorough physical and biomechanical tests to make a correct diagnosis and come up with a treatment plan.
Our patients usually experience the following improvements after a few visits:
Top 3 Benefits of chiropractic for your knee
Reduce joint inflammation and reduce pain
Chiropractic care alone can definitely reduce joint inflammation, but sometimes we may recommend ice to reduce inflammation, muscle spasms and pain. If you want to learn more about how chiropractic care reduces inflammation, click the link to check out our article on joint inflammation.
2. Normalize joint function
Chiropractic manipulation and mobilization methods can be used to normalize joint function in places with limited movement, like the knee and any other affected joints nearby. This makes it easier to move, improves efficiency, and reduces pain. Also, we might suggest deep muscle massages, trigger point therapy, and cross-friction.
3. Rehabilitation through an exercise program
Depending on the severity of your condition and how you progress, we may recommend different exercises to speed up your recovery. We have had patients improve with just chiropractic care, but we found that doing rehabilitative exercises to improve balance and range of motion decreases the likelihood of the knee getting injured again.
If you are ready to live pain-free through chiropractic treatment for knee pain, then reach out to our Sacramento Chiropractor Office via phone call at (916) 542-6273 during office hours.
Clinically reviewed by Steven Barham, D.C.
— Updated on March 22, 2023
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