June Newsletter: How Your Chiropractor Can Help with Knee Pain

Senior man deals with knee pain.

How Your Chiropractor Can Help with Knee Pain

Wondering what you can do about your knee pain? Whether your symptoms are recent or you're suffering from chronic pain, all-natural chiropractic care can relieve your symptoms and improve your mobility.

Why Visiting the Chiropractor Is a Must if You Have Knee Pain

So many things you do depend on strong, healthy knees. Climbing stairs, bending to pick up a fallen fork, or even sliding behind the driver's seat of your car become painful and difficult when your knees are sore and stiff.

Although knee pain occurs for many reasons, arthritis is a common cause. Knee osteoarthritis cases have doubled since the middle of the last century, according to a 2017 research article in PNAS. The article's authors believe that the increase in knee arthritis could be happening because people today live longer and weigh more.

Other causes of knee pain include:

  • Meniscus Tears
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament
  • Runner's Knee
  • Tendinitis
  • Bursitis
  • Osgood-Schlatter Disease
  • Iliotibial Band Syndrome
  • Flat Feet or Excessive Pronation

Knee pain isn't always due to an injury or arthritis. A subluxation (misalignment of the vertebrae in your spine) could be the reason why your knee hurts. Subluxations in your back can lead to misalignments of the bones and joints in your hip and legs. You might have a subluxation if you have both back and knee pain, or you notice tight hamstring muscles or weak muscles in your hips or thighs. Back pain might also cause you to change the way you walk, which could affect your knees and the muscles that support them.

Your chiropractor offers a variety treatments that may relieve your pain, including:

  • Ice. Inflammation, stiffness, and swelling are common in knee conditions ranging from arthritis to sports injuries to meniscus injuries. Icing your knee offers a simple way to reduce inflammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness. Your chiropractor may apply ice for a few minutes before beginning other treatments.
  • Joint Manipulation. Applying gentle pressure to the knee realigns the joint while reducing pain and improving your ability to move your knee.
  • Massage and Soft Tissue Mobilization. The muscles that support your knee can become tight and painful if you have a knee condition or injury. Massage and soft tissue mobilization loosen and stretch tight muscles, improving mobility and reducing pain. These therapies are also helpful in treating painful muscle spasms in the muscles surrounding your knee and improving blood flow. During soft tissue treatment, your body releases hormones that ease pain and help you feel more relaxed. Massage therapy improved pain and range of motion in people with knee osteoarthritis in a 2012 study published in PLoS One.
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation. Electrodes attached to your knee carry a mild electrical current that strengthens the muscles around the knee, blocks pain signals from reaching your brain, reduces inflammation, and increases the production of endorphins.
  • Spinal Manipulation. Spinal manipulation treatments correct subluxations in your spine. Your chiropractor uses quick thrusts from his or her hands or an activator to restore normal spinal alignment. Once your spine is properly aligned, you may begin to notice less pain in your back and knees. Spinal manipulation also loosens tight muscles and tissues that may pull on your knee.
  • Ultrasound Therapy. Ultrasound waves heat the deep tissues in your knee, reducing inflammation and pain, while speeding healing.
  • Orthotics. Flat feet or excessive pronation, a condition that happens when your feet turn in too much when you walk and stand, could be to blame for your knee pain. Wearing orthotics, shoe inserts designed by your chiropractor, can help. The inserts support your arches and keep the bones in your legs properly aligned.
  • Trigger Point Therapy. This therapy releases tight muscle fibers that cause painful knots in your muscles. Applying pressure to the knots breaks up the fibers in the trigger point. Massage and dry needling are other techniques your chiropractor may use to relieve trigger points. Dry needling involves placing thin needles into the trigger point to release it.
  • Exercises. Your chiropractor may recommend exercises that will help you improve your range of motion and keep the muscles in your legs strong and flexible.

Are you tired of living with knee pain? A visit to the chiropractor could improve your comfort. Give our office a call to schedule your appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

PNAS: Knee osteoarthritis has doubled in prevalence since the mid-20th century, 7/12/2017

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1703856114

PLoS One: Massage Therapy for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: a Randomized Dose-Finding Trial, 2/8/2018

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22347369/

Arthritis Foundation: Chiropractic Care for Arthritis

https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/treatment/complementary-therapies/physical-therapies/chiropractic-care-for-arthritis

Medical News Today: What Causes and Links Lower Back and Knee Pain?, 3/31/2023

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lower-back-and-knee-pain

Arthritis Foundation: Change the Way You Walk to Ease Knee Pain with Osteoarthritis, 1/4/2017

http://blog.arthritis.org/osteoarthritis/knee-pain-oa-walking/

Locations

Find us on the map

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

Closed

Friday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

7:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Emergency Only

Testimonials

Reviews By Our Satisfied Patients

  • "Life would not be the same without Dr. Jayne! In addition to being the loveliest and most caring person, she's an extraordinary chiropractor. She truly has healing hands, an incredible knowledge of the body (MY body!), an uncanny gift for knowing exactly what the issue is right away, and then correcting it effectively. I always know I can rely on her to correct my neck and back issues when they arise, sometimes just after one visit. And Dr. Lou and Jayne's staff are wonderful - kind and patient, and always extremely helpful. I wouldn't go anywhere else."
    Beth B
  • "Dr Jayne and Dr Lou are both amazing! They offer not just great care, but a warm, welcoming atmosphere— truly family friendly! They go above and beyond and truly care about the whole patient, well beyond chiropractic care. Dr Jayne has offered amazing support and solace through my journey as a new mom and I will always be grateful!"
    Katherine G.
  • "Absolutely amazing ! First, the staff was very friendly. I am 8 months pregnant and I've had a lot of back/shoulder pain, and the doctor Jayne was very friendly and professional. You can tell she know what she's doing. She did an amazing job, when I got up from the chair I felt like I was 10 years old again ! My pain was completely gone. I am so happy I have found that place !"
    Manon J S.
  • "I've seen a whole bunch of chiropractors and Lou and Jayne are the best, by far. They're also two of the sweetest people I know."
    Scott C.
  • "I have no words to express my gratitude for Dr. Jayne. I was looking for a Webster Technique chiropractor during my pregnancy and I am so happy I found her. Thanks to her treatments we were able to turn the baby in optimal position and avoid any kind of medical interventions during delivery. But most of all, I valued her precious advice and physical and emotional support during before and after my baby was born. The most beautiful moment of all was giving my son his very first adjustment when he was only couple of days old. I definitely recommend her and her team!"
    Marija R.
  • "Dr Lou and Dr Jayne are fantastic. They've put my spine back in line and are always the nicest people to work with."
    Gerry G
  • "Friendly and welcoming. I enjoy my visits here as they are short and sweet, and really contribute overall health. Twice a week was all I needed and it has changed my world."
    Carlos C
  • "Dr. Lou has taken care of me for close to 20 years. ALWAYS spot on and just an amazing staff. Thank you for all you do."
    Marc W
  • "For two days I have been dealing with that ache in my bicep and having to stretch my hand and it constantly cracking...within minutes of leaving your office from my adjustment my ache is gone and no need to stretch the hand and when I did no cracking. Magic Hands I tell ya!!"
    Janice Bowman
  • "I highly recommend Family Chiropractors for all you health needs ..... From a tune up to a serious issue they will bring you back to the road of recovery ..... They are knowledgable and listen to your needs and concerns ..... I have gone to Dr Lou for over 10 years and I will tell you as a runnner and a yogi you can not find someone better or more caring ... Give them a try ... I believe you will be glad you did and so will your body."
    Thomas Randazzo
  • "It's miraculous how they make me feel better so quickly!"
    Richard Reiter
  • "Drs. Lou and Jayne are the best. Wonderful with even the very youngest children and babies, all the way to folks in later life. Friendly, personable, and strong at what they do -- each with his or her own style. Great to have appointments with both of them! They also have things like a water massage table, which is a wonderfully relaxing mini-escape, and laser treatments for things like carpal tunnel. They are also a gay-friendly business, which encourages me to refer more folks to them."
    Elizabeth Schroeder
  • "Love that place"
    Joe V