Causes of Knee Pain

The knee is one of the largest joints in the body and is extremely complex. The thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and calf bone (fibula) join at the knee, and the kneecap (patella) also makes up the knee joint. The knee joint is designed to keep these bones in place and provide stability for your legs and the lower half of your body. This joint is known as a hinge joint because it primarily allows for flexion and extension with minimal medial and lateral rotation. This means that you are primarily able to bend and straighten the knee, but the knee does not have as much mobility in moving to either side. Degeneration or injury to any one of the bones that make up the knee joint or the soft tissues that support the joint can lead to knee pain.

One of the most common causes of knee pain is osteoarthritis. As joints begin to deteriorate with time, they start to experience general wear and tear. This can cause pain and inflammation in the joints known as osteoarthritis. This joint disease affects the protective cartilage that prevents bones in your knee from rubbing against one another. As this cartilage starts to break down, bone-on-bone friction will lead to significant knee pain. You can also develop inflammation in the soft tissues that support the knee joint, which can cause knee pain. Two examples of inflammation in these areas include tendinitis, or inflammation of tendons in the knee, and bursitis, which is inflammation of small fluid-filled sacs that help reduce friction in the knee joint.

Other common causes of knee pain include car accident injuries like strains, tears, fractures, or dislocations of the knee. Poor muscle tone from an inactive lifestyle can make you more susceptible to potential injury of the knee because of general weakness in the area. Participating in sports or other activities without warming up or stretching your muscles can also put you at greater risk for a knee injury. Sports injuries like jumper’s knee and torn ligaments can cause pain and other symptoms. Car accident victims can also suffer a range of knee injuries, especially if the knee collides with part of the vehicle during the crash. Blunt force trauma to the knee can lead to dislocation, fracture, or another serious injury that results in knee pain. If left untreated, knee pain can become chronic and negatively impact your way of life.

Chiropractic for Knee Pain

If you are struggling with knee pain that has reduced your mobility and caused stiffness and other uncomfortable symptoms, chiropractic care can offer a variety of wellness benefits.

Pain Reduction

Misalignments in the joints can put excess pressure on nearby nerves and lead to sensations of pain in the body. Chiropractic care can help bring the knee joint back into its proper position, which can relieve pressure on nearby nerves and soft tissues. This can help to significantly reduce and even eliminate knee pain. Chiropractic care can also help reduce your knee pain by addressing inflammation in your knee joint with a hands-on treatment approach that does not require any pain medications. Instead, chiropractic care we will restore healthy functioning to the joint and promote the body’s natural healing abilities.

Mobility Improvement

Knee pain can lead to restricted movements, and you may avoid certain activities because of the discomfort. When you avoid using the knee, the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues can become stiff, tight, and weakened. Chiropractic care for knee pain can help improve mobility in the knee joint so you can return to healthy patterns of mobility that support your overall well-being. Aligning the knee joint will help alleviate pressure and strain on nearby soft tissues so they can function optimally. This will also help restore healthy blood flow and bring oxygen and nutrients to the area to allow for healing.

Enhanced Physical Performance

Chiropractic can help enhance your physical performance as you experience lasting pain relief from your knee injury or condition. By addressing the root cause of your knee pain, your chiropractor can work with you to improve your strength, mobility, and biomechanics of the knee joint. When your knee joint is in proper alignment, your hips, legs, and feet can more effectively distribute your weight and allow for effective movements and physical activity.

Knee Pain Treatment

Electrical Cell Signaling

This non-surgical, safe, FDA cleared solution utilizes electric-cell signaling technology to heal damaged nerves and the pain once and for all.

TRT SoftWave

Softwaves elicit a strong cellular response. The sudden change in pressure caused by the softwaves triggers the cell to respond as it would to trauma, initiating a biologic healing response.

• Increases blood supply
• Modulates inflammation
• Stimulates and activates stem cells
• Repairs and regenerates tissue
• Reduces acute and chronic pain
• FDA cleared

Knee Decompression

Knee decompression therapy is a therapeutic approach that promotes healing in the knee, improves knee function and reduces pain in the knee by separating the two principle bones in the knee with the help of a special, patented system.

Metabolic / Nutrition

Consuming the right kinds of food can help reduce inflammation, promote joint health and increase lubrication in the affected area.

Class IV Laser

Laser therapy is a medical treatment that uses focused light to stimulate a process called photobiomodulation (PBM). During PBM, photons enter the tissue and interact with the cytochrome c complex within mitochondria. This interaction triggers a biological cascade of events that leads to an increase in cellular metabolism, which can decrease pain as well as accelerate the healing process.

Orthopedic Services for Knee Pain

At Fox Integrated Healthcare, we offer innovative orthopedic services to address knee pain. During your consultation, you will discuss your medical history and current health concerns with a chiropractor and undergo a comprehensive physical exam. In addition to chiropractic care, your chiropractor may recommend some of the following orthopedic services for your individualized treatment protocol.

Soft Tissue Mobilization

The Graston Technique promotes soft tissue mobilization and recovery with manual, instrument-assisted therapy. As part of our integrated health services, we may recommend the Graston Technique to release soft tissue adhesions, improve muscle functioning, and promote pain relief in your knee. This treatment technique offers healing benefits, including breaking down accumulated scar tissue and accelerated injury recovery.

Kinesio Taping

Kinesio Taping provides support and stability to joints and muscles in the body like your knees. This rehabilitative technique facilitates the body’s natural healing processes without limiting your normal range of motion. At Fox Integrated Healthcare, we may recommend Kinesio Taping to encourage healing and rehabilitation in conjunction with other therapeutic treatments for knee pain. Kinesio Taping can also help enhance physical performance and offer preventative care for activity-related knee injuries.

Dry Needling

Dry needling involves extremely thin needles that target trigger points and adhesions in the musculoskeletal system. These trigger points, commonly known as muscular knots, can become tender to the touch and restrict healthy functioning. Dry needling can help treat musculoskeletal dysfunction and pain in the knee joints and is part of our integrated health approach at Fox Integrated Healthcare.

Knee Pain: Frequently Asked Questions