Knee pain is defined as pain in and around the knee. Knee pain is a common condition, affecting 1 in 4 adults, and the prevalence of knee pain is also on the rise, increasing by 65% over the last 20 years. Knee pain is not just a temporary inconvenience but often a leading cause of disability, limiting mobility and overall quality of life. Pain in and around the knee, swelling, stiffness, tenderness, instability, and popping sounds while walking are some of the symptoms accompanying knee pain.
There are several causes of knee pain, with the three main ones being arthritis, injury, and overuse of the knee. Arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, involves a breakdown of the joint tissues over time and is more common in adults. Knee injuries, whether from impact or direct hits while playing sports, in accidents, or during physical activities, can also lead to acute or chronic pain, depending on the severity of the damage. Overuse injuries often result from repetitive stress on the knee and are more common in younger, more active individuals.
Conventional treatment options generally focus on medications to manage pain and inflammation, but these approaches come with the risk of side effects, particularly when used long-term. Alternative therapies like chiropractic care have gained popularity in response to these challenges. Chiropractic treatment, rooted in the principles of functional medicine, aims to address the underlying causes of knee pain rather than just masking the symptoms.
Chiropractic helps improve joint mobility, circulation, and range of motion through manual manipulation techniques, spinal adjustments, joint mobilization techniques, soft tissue therapies, and targeted chiropractic exercises. Patients also experience both immediate relief and long-term improvements in knee function.
This article will consider the causes of knee pain and highlight the relationship between knee pain and chiropractic care.
What Is Knee Pain?
Knee pain is pain experienced in and around the knee joint. Anyone can have knee pain, although factors like age, excess weight, previous knee injuries, and intense physical activity can increase the risk of knee pain.
The knee joint has five major structural components – bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. The tibia (shin bone), femur (thigh bone), and patella (knee cap) form the bony component of the knee.
Muscles help to stabilize joints and produce movement, and the two muscle groups involved in the knee are the quadriceps and the hamstrings. The quadriceps (or quads) are on the front of the thigh, while the hamstring muscles are at the back of the thigh. The quadriceps and the hamstrings have opposing roles in the knee, as the quadriceps help in extending the knee, while the hamstrings help in bending the knee.
Tendons are strong fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones. The quadriceps tendon in the knee connects the quads to the kneecap, the hamstring tendon connects the hamstrings to the knee, and the patellar tendon (largest in the knee) connects the knee to the shin bone.
Ligaments are also fibrous tissues, but they connect bones to bones. The knee ligaments connect the thigh bone to the shin bone, and they are the anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, and lateral collateral ligament. Cartilages are tough fibrous tissues on the ends of bones that serve as a cushion for protecting the bones.
A problem with the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage of the knee can cause knee pain. The extent and severity of the knee pain are often influenced by the exact knee structure affected and the type of injury.
What Are the Symptoms of Knee Pain?
The symptoms of knee pain include pain in and around the knee, swelling, stiffness, tenderness, and instability of the knee. The extent and severity of knee pain symptoms depend on the cause of the knee pain and the knee structures affected.
Some of the signs and symptoms that accompany pain in and around the knee include:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Redness
- Stiffness
- Instability
- Difficulty straightening the knee
- Popping sounds when walking
What Are the Causes of Knee Pain?
Arthritis, injury, and overuse of the knee are the three most typical causes of knee pain, among several possible causes. Age, occupation, and health status are some factors that can contribute to these causes and the subsequent development of knee pain.
We consider the causes of knee pain in more detail below.
Arthritis
Arthritis simply refers to the inflammation of the joint (where two bones meet). There are several types of arthritis, with osteoarthritis being the most common and also the one primarily associated with knee pain. Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the tissues in the joint break down over time.
One of the key features of osteoarthritis is that it is degenerative, which means it worsens over time. Osteoarthritis is also an age-related disease, which means the chances of getting it increases drastically with age. In fact, in the United States, more than 80% of the population above the age of 65 shows radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis. However, you do not need to be that old to start having symptoms of knee pain, which usually starts around 50.
Injury
An injury to your knee joint, like a direct hit while playing sports or the impact of a fall, will cause knee pain. The pain level you experience will, of course, depend on the type and severity of the injury. Usually, these injuries occur when performing physical activity, like playing sports, exercising, or sudden direction changes.
Injury is perhaps the most obvious of the three main causes of knee pain. Some common injuries associated with knee pain are sprains and strains, tearing of the meniscus (view them as the shock absorbers of the knee), tearing of the ligament (tissues that connect bones to bones), fractures, and dislocations.
Overuse
An overuse injury is one that results from placing too much stress on the knee over an extended period. Using your knee normally for your regular activities will likely not cause an overuse injury, but consistently doing intense physical activities or placing a lot of load on it can cause an overuse injury.
The risk of something getting damaged is higher if you overuse it – this applies to your devices, your car, and, without any doubt, your knee. Note the use of the term “overuse.” While knee pain is generally associated with aging, overuse injuries are majorly responsible for knee pain in younger individuals.
One of the common overuse knee injuries is patellofemoral pain, also known as runner’s knee. Other examples are Osgood-Schlatter disease, Sinding-Larsen-Johanssen syndrome, and tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons, which are cords that connect muscles to bones). Also, the threshold for what constitutes overuse greatly reduces if you have injured your knee before. Therefore, if you have injured your knee before, you will find that it becomes more common to have overuse injuries.
Conventional Treatment of Knee Pain
The conventional treatment of knee pain revolves around medication use. This treatment option is consistent with the standard conventional option nowadays for most health conditions. Even when these medications stop working as well as they used to, the solution is simply more medications.
Eventually, the side effects of these medications start to creep in, and even then, some health providers just recommend more medications to address these side effects. Considering the risk of side effects and health problems associated with medications, the use of alternative treatment plans has increased. One such alternative treatment is chiropractic.
Chiropractic Treatment for Knee Pain
The chiropractic treatment of knee pain starts with finding the root cause of the pain, such as arthritis, injury, or overuse, and then using manual manipulation techniques to improve pain symptoms. These manipulation techniques also improve knee mobility, circulation, and range of motion. Chiropractors may also recommend exercises and home treatments like RICE therapy to aid the body’s natural healing process.
Chiropractic is a branch of functional medicine concerned with preventing, diagnosing, and treating neuromuscular conditions. Functional medicine is a patient-centered approach to managing different health conditions, especially chronic ones and ones with the potential to become chronic.
Functional medicine focuses heavily on identifying the condition’s root cause and directly addressing it, leaving much of the actual healing process to the body. Chiropractic borrows the principles of functional medicine, and chiropractors rely on different strategies and techniques to ensure effective condition management. Here are these strategies and techniques.
Chiropractic Strategies for Knee Pain Treatment
The strategies for chiropractic knee pain treatment involve finding the root cause of the condition, addressing it, using the right chiropractic techniques, and considering relevant home advice that aids the healing process.
Chiropractic care deals heavily with the spine and conditions that affect it. The logic behind this is that the spine is a major part of the central nervous system, which controls the rest of the body. Problems with the musculoskeletal system of the body (basically the system in charge of your muscles and bones) can very often be traced to a spine problem, which very much applies to knee pain, too.
Studies in the National Library of Medicine have found that chiropractic can be useful in treating knee pain. Chiropractic ensures not just relief from the pain but also increased functionality of the affected knee. This section explains how chiropractic does this.
Finding the Root Cause
The root cause of a condition is the exact reason the condition is occurring in the first place. Functional medicine and, by extension, chiropractic strongly emphasize the importance of finding the root cause of any condition before attempting to treat it.
The three main culprits for knee pain are arthritis, injury, and overuse. Many chiropractors can gain a broad sense of the cause by properly examining lifestyle, diet, environment, and the knee.
However, chiropractors employ different tests for more accurate insight. These tests may be done on the knee to assess the presence and extent of structural damage. Chiropractors may also order tests that monitor inflammation markers since knee pain can also be caused by inflammation (as in arthritis),
Chiropractic Techniques for Knee Pain
Chiropractic techniques are procedures or adjustments that typically involve applying force to specific areas of the body to improve chiropractic healing. Chiropractic treatment is holistic and personalized, so the treatment plan devised for individuals may differ depending on the particular case. Chiropractors almost always turn to chiropractic adjustment for knee pain despite a treatment plan having different components.
Choosing the right technique is often the next step for chiropractors after they have detected the root cause of the pain. The most typical techniques for treating knee pain are manual manipulation techniques. Manual manipulation techniques focus on increasing joint mobility, improving circulation, and improving the range of motion of the joint.
There are many manual manipulation techniques, and they include joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, and massage. Depending on the causes of the pain, chiropractors may also employ spinal manipulation. These manual manipulation techniques can improve both pain and function for knee pain patients.
Home Treatment
Home treatment strategies are activities, exercises, and changes that patients can do at home to bolster the healing process. Chiropractors often suggest different home treatment options to help the patient recover from knee pain.
A chiropractic treatment plan typically has different components, which is another difference between chiropractic care and many conventional medicine options. The solution to health problems in conventional medicine often revolves around medications. Chiropractic exercises for knee pain are some of the most common home treatment options to assist the body’s natural healing process.
The Shenyang Sport University, Shenyang, China well documents the use of exercise for preventing and treating pain, particularly due to arthritis. However, the choice and intensity of exercise are not as clear. A chiropractor’s knowledge and experience are critical in choosing the right exercise and at the right intensity.
You can get this level of experience from Dr. Tony Salameh, the lead chiropractor at the Bay Clinic of Chiropractic. Dr. Tony has experience with different musculoskeletal conditions, like knee pain, back pain, whiplash, and TMJ, and he has proper expertise in a range of chiropractic techniques that can help patients. You can contact The Bay Clinic of Chiropractic at (850) 785-9372 or through our email info@thebaydoctor.com.
There are also simple home treatment strategies for reducing and preventing pain aside from chiropractic exercise. One of the well-known strategies is the RICE therapy.
R stands for rest, as in resting the knee and not putting too much strain on it. I stands for ice, as in to use an ice pack, usually to prevent swelling and pain. C stands for compression, normally with an elastic band, also to prevent swelling. E stands for elevation, which means raising the affected area above heart level to prevent the accumulation of fluids and swelling.
The RICE therapy, as with any other home treatment option, requires careful expert opinion and guidelines for the best effect. Your chiropractor can give you the right advice on the home treatment option that best fits your needs.
What Are the Benefits of Chiropractic Knee Pain Treatment?
The benefits of chiropractic knee pain management include long-term pain relief, increased safety due to reduced side effects, and improved knee function and performance. The quality and experience of the chiropractor also influence the benefits of the treatment.
These benefits are listed below.
Long-term Treatment
Long-term treatment of pain means getting relief from that pain without it coming back in the future. One of the benefits of using a treatment that treats conditions from their root cause is long-term healing, especially when the cause of the condition is a chronic one, like arthritis. Studies by the Center for Functional Medicine, Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH, United States of America, also support functional medicine techniques, including chiropractic, for treating arthritis and other painful conditions in the short- and long-term.
Low Risk
Low-risk treatment options do not have many side effects and are generally safe for the patient. We can very much argue that this is one of the most significant benefits when managing knee pain. One of the major problems with the use of medications for chronic knee pain is the side effects and health risks that may follow. The risks of adverse effects are generally mild as chiropractic is a natural treatment option, and the incidence of adverse events is mostly theoretical and rarely happens.
Improved Performance
Improved performance of the knee is observed in terms of the knee’s mobility, function, and range of motion. Chiropractic treatment of the knee improves its performance. So, not only does it relieve pain, but your knee can also work better while recovering, with evidence from the National Library of Medicine showing an increase in the range of motion during and after treatment.
Can Chiropractic Prevent Knee Pain?
Chiropractic can help prevent knee pain by identifying the possible causes and advising patients on how to manage these causes. However, despite chiropractors’ benefits in preventing knee pain, it is impossible to totally prevent it, especially since knee pain can be caused by impact injuries.
Considering that inflammation is one of the causes of knee pain, chiropractors can apply the principles of functional medicine to prevent knee pain from occurring. Therefore, adopting the right diet and lifestyle changes can help prevent inflammation.
So, you should avoid pro-inflammatory foods, like ultra-processed foods and red meat, in favor of anti-inflammatory diets, like whole grains and green leafy vegetables, as anti-inflammatory foods have long been linked with the development of chronic pain.
The right lifestyle changes, like limiting alcohol intake and quitting smoking, can also help prevent inflammation. Increasing physical activity can further strengthen the knee and prevent injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Knee Pain Go Away on Its Own?
Whether or not knee pain goes away on its own depends on the cause of the pain in the first place. If the pain is due to a direct injury to the knee, like a sprain, the pain may disappear when the sprained knee heals. However, if chronic or degenerative conditions like arthritis cause the pain, the pain may only worsen if not properly managed. Unfortunately, most knee pain cases are caused by the latter (osteoarthritis).
Do You Need Surgery for Knee Pain?
No, you do not need surgery for most cases of knee pain. The main causes of knee pain are arthritis, overuse, and injury. Usually, these causes can be addressed with non-invasive treatments, like chiropractic care. Still, surgery may be indicated in severe cases with serious deformities and damage to the knee.
Can Food Worsen Knee Pain?
Yes, foods that promote inflammation can worsen knee pain. Examples include red meat, processed meat, deep-fried foods, refined carbs, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcohol. In the same vein, however, anti-inflammatory foods can help relieve knee pain.
How Do Chiropractors Help Treat Knee Pain?
Chiropractors treat knee pain by identifying the root cause, using the right chiropractic techniques, and recommending appropriate home treatment strategies. Manual manipulation techniques like joint mobilization and soft tissue mobilization can improve mobility, circulation, and range of motion. Chiropractic exercises and home treatments like RICE therapy also aid recovery.
Are Medications Safe for Treating Knee Pain?
Medications can pose several safety risks when used for extended periods to treat knee pain due to the various side effects that are associated with these medications. However, medications can provide short-term relief, and you should not stop taking them if your healthcare provider recommends them. Chiropractic care offers a safer, non-invasive alternative that minimizes the risks associated with medications.
Conclusion
Chiropractic knee pain management offers a holistic approach that targets underlying issues while promoting long-term relief. Chiropractic management not only relieves pain but also increases performance after treatment, using techniques designed to enhance mobility and reduce discomfort. Another added benefit of chiropractic is its low-risk approach, making it suitable for long-term use.
However, the prospect of a natural, sustainable treatment option like chiropractic care should not replace your healthcare provider’s opinions, especially if you have underlying medical conditions.
The Bay Clinic of Chiropractic is just the place for you if you live in or around Panama City and need a chiropractor to check out your knee. We offer a variety of services, ensuring you get holistic and long-term relief from your knee pain. You can contact The Bay Clinic of Chiropractic at (850) 785-9372 or through our email info@thebaydoctor.com.
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