Q: Can a chiropractor help with my knee pain? I really don’t know why it hurts so I would need xrays probably, right?
A: There are many possible causes of knee pain, so I will try to answer your question from multiple aspects. In general, there are a few things that are important to know about chiropractic and knee pain. First, chiropractic alone (a joint mobilization to the knee) is likely not the only treatment that would need to be applied. (on this same topic, if you are told that an adjustment to your neck will fix your knee pain, you need to go somewhere else). Also, physical therapy, or at least some training on stretch and strengthening to the joint is likely critical. As far as Xrays, most chiropractors can easily take care of that along with properly diagnosing the cause of the pain. Finally, if you are not seeing results, the chiropractor should refer you to an orthopedic doctor. If any of these guidelines are not followed, you likely need to find a different chiropractor.
Now without knowing the source of the pain… Your knees may begin to hurt if you spend too much time on your feet or are suffering from arthritis. You are not alone. Chiropractors see many patients who have knee problems from overuse of the knee joints, traumatic injury from events such as sports and falls and pain due to arthritic changes in the joint.
Often the patella or kneecap does not move smoothly enough when bending, causing abnormal stresses upon the tendons, cartilage and ligaments. Chiropractors are ideally trained to provide the proper diagnosis and management of this problem through re-establishing proper muscle balance, restoring movement to the patella, and working with a trained physical therapist or trainer. Strains and sprains often occur during sports that involve running and jumping. Chiropractic care also successfully treats these conditions.
Knee pain might be the result of poor gait function. If poor mechanics or traumatic injuries are not corrected at an early age, the knee joint tissues will eventually begin to erode. As a result, the bones rub upon one another and cause bone spurs. This painful condition is known as degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis, and is often progressive with age. It is critical to get treated by a chiropractor or therapist when injuries occur, so they do not progress over time.
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