Knee Pain in Madison, OH

Chiropractic treatment for knee pain improves mobility, strengthens muscles and aids in soft tissue healing. Residents in Painesville, Mentor and surrounding towns in Ohio rely on the expertise of French Chiropractic and Wellness Center for treatment of knee pain.

What is Knee Pain?

People of all ages and walks of life can suffer from knee pain. It can be caused by injuries such as torn cartilage or ligaments, as well as health problems such as gout, joint infections and arthritis.

Most cases of mild knee pain can be treated at home with rest. The use of knee braces and conservative care may also help people to overcome knee pain. Unfortunately, if damage to the knee is severe, surgery may be required.

Common Causes of Knee Pain

Arthritis

Arthritis is a major cause of knee joint issues, but it can also impact the ligaments, muscles and tendons surrounding the knee joints. The most common kind of arthritis, called osteoarthritis, is due to excessive wear and eventual degradation of the cartilage between joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, causes the body attack the joints, leading to inflammation and damage to the local tissues. Deformities of the knees can also cause knee pain, as well as being overweight, engaging in repetitive movements, sports injuries and job-related injuries. The usual symptoms involve stiffness and swelling, pain, redness and having the affected joints lock up upon use.

Cartilage Injuries

Softening of the cartilage of the knee cap is known as chondromalacia patella. It most frequently affects skiers, joggers, runners, bicyclists and soccer athletes.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Inflammation of this tendon can create friction against the exterior knee bone. It is typically caused by periods of prolonged overuse, such as when training for sports. Signs of Iliotibial Band Syndrome include burning sensations and aching along the sides of the knees, which may sometimes travel up the outsides of the thighs as well.

Ligament Injuries

When the posterior and anterior cruciate ligaments (PCL and ACL) become injured, severe pain can result. These injuries are most often known as “sprains”. Direct or sudden impacts to the ACL, such as car accidents or being hit with a ball, can cause it to be torn or hyper-extended. The medial collateral ligaments can be injured by impacts to the outer edge of the knee that cause those on the inner edge to tear and become overstretched. These are common injuries in people who play hockey or football. When the injury occurs, it most often makes a loud popping sound just before the knee buckles to the side.

Meniscus Injuries

Rapidly twisting or turning the knee or upper leg can cause tears in the meniscus if the leg is bearing weight.

Osgood-Schlatter Disease

Osgood-Schlatter Disease is due to tension or repeated strain on the upper part of the tibia (lower leg bone), causing the patellar (kneecap) tendon and nearby tissues to grow inflamed. This is often seen in pre-pubescent boys who play sports that involve a lot of jumping or running.

Tendon Injuries

Injuries to the tendons in the knee may be triggered by conditions ranging from tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) to a tear. Overusing tendons can make them stretch out like rubber bands, leading to inflammation and discomfort.

Referred Pain

Referred pain is pain that originates in one location but is felt in another. Referred pain can occur in the knees as a result of vertebral misalignments, injured knee muscles, pinched nerves, biomechanical disorders of the leg and hip joints and problems in the sacroiliac joints.

When Should I Get Chiropractic Treatment?

• When knee pain interferes with your everyday activities
• When you’ve taken painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs and tried resting, but still struggle with knee pain
• You’ve been diagnosed with arthritis, and there are no other options to treat your pain
• You simply experience knee pain or have trouble using your knees
• You want to avoid more invasive approaches to your knee pain

If one or more of these situations applies to you, chiropractic treatment may help you achieve a more pain-free life.

Your knees are complicated structures that depend on supporting muscles, tendons and ligaments for stability and motion. When you experience pain in your knees, it’s important to investigate the area’s anatomy. Other areas should also be investigated, such as the hips, feet, ankles and back, to find out if they could be influencing or causing your knee pain or the other way around.

Our method of analyzing your knees and treating the problem involves an appraisal of all other muscles and joints that could affect the knee. This is done for a variety of reasons.

• Pain may originate in other areas, such as the lower back or the hips, and travel to the knee (referred pain)
• If other joints found in the lower extremities aren’t functioning properly, they may increase strain on the knees, causing injuries with time. In order to relieve your pain, we may also treat these areas to provide optimal improvement.

What Kind Of Treatment Can I Expect?

Each of our patients is provided with an individualized treatment plan for their particular condition.

However, normal treatments can involve:

1. Reduce joint inflammation and reduce pain

• Prevent aggravation to the area
• Use supportive devices, such as knee braces
• Use ice packs to control swelling, pain and muscle spasms
• Interferential therapy to help heal soft tissues

2. Normalize joint function

• Certain manipulation techniques used by chiropractors are used to free up restricted motion in the knees and nearby joints, improve range of motion, enhance function and minimize pain.

3. Rehabilitation program

• Our chiropractor may suggest exercises to increase stability, endurance and strength to help you avoid additional injuries.

Isn’t it time you tried chiropractic care for you and your family? If you are experiencing any of the common symptoms of knee pain, please contact our office now to schedule an appointment.