Knee pain or knee injuries are extremely common, and there are many causes. The knee needs to function properly to provide flexible mobility while bearing considerable weight. Did you know that walking down the street that our knees bear three to five times our body weight? Many jobs, sports and recreation activities, getting older, or having a disease such as osteoporosis or arthritis increase the chances of having a knee problem.
Sudden Acute v Chronic Overuse Pain
Sudden acute injuries may be caused by a direct blow to the knee, from abnormal twisting, over-bending the knee, or falling on the knee. Overuse injuries on the other hand occur when there is repetitive activities of repeated and prolonged pressure on the knee. Activities such as stair climbing, bicycle riding, jogging or jumping, which stress the joint tissues and can lead to irritation and inflammation.
It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your knee pain or injury so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause. The Potter Chiropractic approach of assessing and treating the knee includes the evaluation of the knee itself, and other joints/ muscles relating to the knee. This is for several reasons:
- Firstly, pain can be referred from other structures in the low back, pelvis and hip into the knee, in certain conditions.
- Secondly, if other joints in the lower limb are not working correctly they can put increased stress on the knee joint, resulting in injury over time. Therefore to resolve the knee pain chiropractors may also treat other areas, to maximise long-term improvement.
Your Chiropractor will discuss the injury with you and estimate the time it will take to recover. Chiropractic care for patients with this condition is vital to hasten the healing process, ensure an optimal outcome and reduce the likelihood of injury recurrence.
Aims of chiropractic treatment for knee pain
- Reduce joint inflammation and reduce pain
- Avoidance of aggravating factors, use of a support &/or sports tape
- Ice to reduce inflammation
- Normalize joint function
- Specific chiropractic adjusting techniques to areas of restricted movement in the knee and surrounding joints- to increase movement, improve the function and reduce pain as well as adjustments to the lower back & pelvis
- Massage of hypertonic muscles
- Rehabilitation exercise program
- At the earliest possible stage we introduce exercises to improve strength, endurance and stability. We also work on improving your balance and your sense of joint position. This will help you to return to normal and also prevent new injuries.