Knee Pain - Back to Health Chiropractors

Chiropractic treatment of Knee Pain

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Chiropractic treatment of knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common kind of arthritis and generally affects people as they get older. Some consider it simply "wear and tear" however it usually only affects certain specific joints. Often this is a long term response to poor joint function and misalignment. There are different types of joints in the body such as cartilaginous joints and synovial joints. A normal healthy cartilagenous joints contains cartilage which acts like a cushion between the bones and facilitates one to glide over the other and absorbing stress from the movement.

In Knee Arthritis, the cartilage breaks down and wears away leaving the bones rub together causing pain, swelling, and stiffness and limiting the range of motion in affected joints. Most often, Knee Arthritis develops in the most distal joints in the hands, knees, hips, and the lower back and neck regions of the spine.

Knee Arthritis shows no sexual predilection affecting men and women equally. It is the most common form of arthritis and usually begins insidiously often with no early symptoms. Symptoms may begin once the Knee Arthritis is more developed and as you get older often starting between the age 50-60. If there is a significant trauma or an injury to a joint or overuse (such as some athletes might experience) symptoms of Knee Arthritis can begin at an earlier age.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Knee Arthritis

Early signs and symptoms may be absent.
As the disease process affects more of the joint the patient may experience Reduced or limited range of motion of the affected joint,
Aching Joint pain exacerbated by movement and relieved by rest ,
Stiffness in the morning or after sitting or lying down for more than 15 minutes,
Swollen joints,
Inflamed hot joints,
Weak muscles and muscle atrophy
Bony Growths around joints (such as Heberdeen and Bouchard nodes in the joints at the end of the fingers)

Causes of Knee Arthritis

Joint misalignment or postural imbalances are common causes of Knee Arthritis,
Trauma,
Repetitive strain or overuse injuries,
Abnormal Gait patterns resulting from excessive pronation or supination of the feet.

Risk factors for Knee Arthritis include:

Bad posture
Ageing
Family history
Excess weight
Injury or damage to a joint
History of rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory joint diseases ( such as gout)
Hormonal or metabolic disorders (such as acromegaly or hemochromotosis)
Congenital abnormalities of Bone and or joints
Repetitive stressful joint use (such as computer users or manual labourers workers might experience)
Gout which results in Deposits of uric acid crystals in joints

Examination / Assessment of Knee Arthritis

Your Back to Health chiropractor will conduct a thorough history of what exactly has caused the injury This will include questions on:

The exact location of the pain,
Exacerbating and relieving factors,
Causes,
Types of pain,
Referral of pain,
Family history etc.

You will then be offered an in depth physical examination which will look at:

General posture and flexibility,
Palpation may reveal muscle tenderness and tightness in the shoulder region and rotator cuff muscles
There may be reduced active and passive range of motion,
Orthopedic tests may be positive including Painful arc test,
Muscle tests to determine the extent of weakness,
Neurological assessment if required,
X-rays Of the shoulder and spine may be conducted depending on the extent of your problems and the examination findings.

Your Back to Health chiropractor will discuss with you exactly what examinations will be appropriate and will require your consent before undertaking an examination. Once a diagnosis has been confirmed then specific treatment options can be discussed.

Chiropractic Treatment of Knee Arthritis

If the joint is acutely swollen then the first treatment goal will be to reduce the inflammation. This may involve the use of ice and relative rest

Relative rest. it is important in the initial phase of treatment to reduce exercise and movements that aggravate the problem to minimum and reduce inflammation, whilst at the same time continuing with other activities that do not affect the condition such as swimmming and other low impact aerobic activities. this is a concept often termed relative rest.
Ice. it is important in the initial phase of treatment to reduce exercise and movements that aggravate the problem to minimum and to reduce the inflammation. this can be a frozen gel pack or simply a home made ice pack. It is recommended to use the ice for no longer than 10 minutes and to wrap it in a towel so as the ice is not directly in contact with the skin.
Clinical studies indicate that chiropractic adjustments involving manipulation and joint mobilisation in combination with exercise is effective in the treatment of Knee Arthritis. The goal of your treatment at Back to Health is to help you with the following: Increase range of motion, Reduce pain.
Podiatry: One of the most successful way of addressing this issue is to refer these patients to our in-house podiatrist Rob Hill who provides a functional gait assessment at the back to health practices. Rob creates custom built arch supports or orthotics to provide support to the medial arch and improve tracking in the patellofemoral mechanism. The patient would also be given stretching and strengthening exercises to rebalance e quadriceps muscles. It is important to also assess the global posture of a patient and address any underlying problems that have contributed to the condition in the first place. Massage, stretching and strengthening exercises for patellofemoral pain are based on the specific muscles that are involved including the following:
- Quadriceps
- Hip
- Hamstring
- Calf muscles
- Iliotibial band

Preventive Care of Knee Arthritis

You may reduce the risk of developing Arthritis by:

Improving your posture to take stress off affected areas,
Protecting an injured joint from further damage,
Exercising,
Losing weight and maintaining a proper weight,
Avoiding repetitive motions.

Lifestyle changes may also help you Manage Knee Arthritis

Losing weight Reducing weight helps relieve the pressure on your joints in general and may help slow down the loss of cartilage as well as relieve pain. If you have been diagnosed with Knee Arthritis and and it is complicated by being overweight, losing weight is one of the best things you can do to help your condition.

Exercise When you are in pain often it is difficult to think about exercising appropriately however regular exercise is definitely beneficial when you have Knee Arthritis. Exercise strengthens the muscles in general so that they better support your joints. Several clinical studies support the value of exercise for people with Knee Arthritis. Clinical studies also suggest that in addition to reduction of pain and disability, exercise improves strength, range of motion, balance and coordination, endurance, and posture. Walking is a great exercise, or, if walking is too painful, try warm-water exercise. Water supports your joints and the warmth is soothing. Also, gentle range of motion exercises can increase your flexibility and decrease pain in affected joints.

If you suffer with Knee pain and would like to find out how a chiropractic can help you then call 0800 876 0981 to make an appointment now.

Runners Knee Pain / Chiropractic Care

Pain in and around the knee the knee can come from a number of sources but by far and away the most common is the result of what is known as patellofemoral syndrome which is also known as runners knee, jumpers knee, infrapatellar tendonitis or anterior knee pain.

Causes of Runners Knee Pain

The kneecap (known as the patella) is designed to glide up and down a special groove called the patellofemoral groove in the femur ( thighbone) during straightening and bending of the knee. This motion is controlled by the quadriceps muscles (Thigh muscles). There are four muscles that make up the quadriceps group of muscles. The Vastus Medialis muscle is on the inside of the thigh, Vastus lateralis is on the outside of the thigh. Rectus Femoris and Vastus Intermedius muscles are in the middle of the thigh.

All four quadriceps muscles must function in harmony in order for the patella to glide up and down the patellofemoral groove. When the quadriceps muscles are out of balance then the patella is pulled to one side during flexion and extension of the knee. This is called patellofemoral maltracking and as a result it produces abnormal stresses on the under-surface of the patella that can cause knee cap. No single biomechanical factor has been identified as a primary cause of patellofemoral pain although many have been hypothesized. Some of the more popular theories are discussed in the following sections.

Excessive pronation also known as Pes Planus or flat foot. The terms "flat feet" and "foot pronation" are often used interchangeably. In patients who do not have a strong medial arch it will often result in a compensatory internal rotation of the femur and or tibia. This results in a dysfunctional patellofemoral mechanism and can cause anterior knee pain. The most successful way of addressing this issue is to refer these patients to our in-house podiatrist who provides a functional gait assessment at the back to health practices.

Our Podiatrist creates custom built arch supports or orthotics to provide support to the medial arch and improve tracking in the patellofemoral mechanism. The patient would also be given stretching and strengthening exercises by their Back to Health Chiropractor to rebalance e quadriceps muscles. It is important to also assess the global posture of a patient and address any underlying problems that have contributed to the condition in the first place.
High arches or Pes Cavus (High-Arched Foot, Supination). The medial arch provides a cushioning mechanism to help absorb shock and stress during the gait cycle. In patients who have a very high arch there is less of a cushioning effect when the foot strikes the ground. This can result in additional stress on the patelofeomoral mechanism and result in anterior knee pain. High impact activities such as running and aerobics will often result in additional stress to the inflamed area and may exacerbate the pain.

The most successful way of addressing this issue is to refer these patients to our in-house podiatrist Rob Hill who provides a functional gait assessment at the back to health practices. rob creates custom built arch supports or orthotics to provide support to the medial arch whilst reducing the degree of supination of the foot and improve tracking in the patellofemoral mechanism. The patient would also be given stretching and strengthening exercises to rebalance e quadriceps muscles. It is important to also assess the global posture of a patient and address any underlying problems that have contributed to the condition in the first place.

Assessment Runners Knee Pain / Chiropractic Care

Your Back to Health chiropractor will conduct a thorough history of what exactly has caused the injury. this will include questions on the

The exact location of the pain,
Exacerbating and relieving factors,
auses,
Types of pain,
Referral of pain,
Family history etc.

You will then be offered an in depth physical examination which will look at all of the following factors:

General posture and flexibility,

Specific orthopaedic tests to the knee and the leg,

Muscle tests to determine the extent of weakness,

Neurological assessment if required,

Xrays Of the knee and or spine may be conducted depending on the extent of your problems and the examination findings.

Your chiropractor will discuss with you exactly what examinations will be appropriate and will require your consent before undertaking an examination. sOnce a diagnosis has been confirmed then specific treatment options can be discussed.

Treatment Runners Knee Pain

Chiropractic care is a useful way of treating anterior knee pain or patellofemoral dysfunction. there are a number of different treatment modalities that might be considered.

The main treatment a chiropractor would provide would be manipulation and mobilization of the knee with specific massage to the muscles surrounding the knee that are involved in the process.
Massage, stretching and strengthening exercises for patellofemoral pain are based on the specific muscles that are involved including the following: Quadriceps, Hip, Hamstring, Calf muscles, Iliotibial band.
Relative rest. it is important in the initial phase of treatment to reduce exercise and movements that aggravate the problem to minimum and reduce inflammation, whilst at the same time continuing with other activities that do not affect the condition such as swimmming and other low impact aerobic activities. this is a concept often termed relative rest.
ice can be applied to the affected knee to reduce the inflammation. this can be a frozen gel pack or simply a home made ice pack. It is recommended to use the ice for no longer than 10 minutes and to wrap it in a towel so as the ice is not directly in contact with the skin.
Podiatry: One of the most successful way of addressing this issue is to refer these patients to our in-house podiatrist who provides a functional gait assessment at the back to health practices. rob creates custom built arch supports or orthotics to provide support to the medial arch and improve tracking in the patellofemoral mechanism. the patient would also be given stretching and strengthening exercises to rebalance e quadriceps muscles. It is important to also assess the global posture of a patient and address any underlying problems that have contributed to the condition in the first place.
Taping the Knee Taping the patella into a certain position to reduce friction may be helpful, when performed correctly in selected patients, taping may offer short-term pain relief. back to health chiropractors are trained in taping and can teach patients to tape themselves.

If you suffer with knee pain and would like to find out how a chiropractic can help you then call 0800 876 0981 to make an appointment now.