KNEE INJURIES

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. While walking down the street, 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) injuries may be caused by a direct blow to the knee or from abnormal twisting, bending the knee or falling on the knee. Overuse injuries occur with repetitive activities or repeated or prolonged pressure on the knee. Activities such as stair climbing, bicycle riding, jogging, or jumping stress joints and other 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. Our approach of assessing and treating the knee includes the evaluation of the other joints and 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 (click here) 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.

 

Chiropractic treatment of knee pain

We would normally modify the treatment to suit each patient and their specific conditions. So the type of treatment that is most appropriate for one person is not necessarily right for another.

 

• Reduce joint inflammation and reduce pain

• Avoidance of aggravating factors, use of a support, sports tape
• Ice to reduce inflammation, muscle spasm and pain
• Soft tissue healing: laser & other therapies
• Normalise 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
• Deep soft tissue massage, trigger-point therapy and cross-friction
• Rehabilitation exercise program
• When appropriate we introduce exercises to improve strength, endurance and stability. We also work on improving your balance and your sense of joint position (proprioception). This will help you to return to normal and also prevent new injuries.