You might be surprised to learn that approximately one in four American adults suffers from chronic knee pain. Each day, our knees are made to bear a great portion of our body’s weight, which can take a physical toll over time. No matter how strenuous our daily activities, knee pain can pose a very difficult obstacle, and even one misplaced footstep can create a lasting problem for such an important joint. This is why it’s important to treat knee pain when you feel it and not let it become something more.
If you need treatment for knee pain resulting from an injury or chronic condition, you are by no means alone. Treating knee pain requires knowledge, expediency, and care. This guide will help you through the treatment process.
In order to treat knee pain most effectively, it is important to pinpoint and understand the potential root causes.
Most often, knee pain occurs as a result of specific inciting factors. Certain sports or occupations can demand rigorous, and sometimes complex, knee movements that can cause stress to the knee.
When it comes to sports, knee injuries typically occur when running. Coming to a sudden stop during a run or pivoting in an awkward manner can cause the unnecessary force to be absorbed by your knees, resulting in injury. For similar reasons, jumping and landing can create hazardous stress as well.
Manual labor such as frequent or heavy lifting can also wear down the muscles and ligaments in your knees. Such motions can cause repeated stress to the knee over a long period.
In addition, being overweight can put an additional burden on what your knees are capable of supporting. Lack of exercise and flexibility can also mean that tendons and ligaments of the knee joint are more vulnerable to injury. To make things worse, if you’ve injured the area previously, you may be all the more likely to re-experience knee pain in the future.
A variety of factors can lead to knee pain. Thus, knee pain treatment can, and should, vary depending on whether the pain is due to an affliction of the bones, ligaments, or tendons in the knee.
For example, one of the most common and serious knee injuries is a damaged ACL, where one of the primary ligaments connecting your thigh and shin bones is stretched or torn from stress. Also, your meniscus (the cartilage cushioning your knee joint) can be torn as the result of an awkward twist. Of course, bone fractures can always occur after forceful impact as well.
Other causes of injury can develop more gradually. Inflammation, irritation, and simple degeneration of tendons and cartilage can all lead to knee pain over time.
To accurately diagnose the cause of your pain and determine the correct treatment, it’s important to seek the expertise of a qualified knee pain specialist.
In the short term, there are numerous home treatment options for knee pain that may potentially prove beneficial.
First and foremost, you should refrain from any strenuous activity that could place added stress on your knees. No matter the knee injury, it won’t be able to heal without proper rest.
From there, applying ice to the afflicted knee may help soothe the pain. Just be sure not to use an ice pack on the area for longer than twenty minutes to keep from risking nerve or skin damage.
To fight swelling, it is also recommended that you elevate the injured area. Another measure you can take to promote healing is the application of a warm compress or heating pad.
Of course, not all knee injuries can be solved at home. Not all causes of knee injury are created equal. The more complex the knee injury, the greater the need for more specialized treatment.
In many cases, physical therapy can be of great help in relieving knee pain. Regular therapy sessions and guided movement with a chiropractor can strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint. In turn, movement becomes easier and more comfortable over time. Electrical muscle stimulation can also be a helpful form of muscle therapy.
Our Boulder, CO chiropractors have state of the art shockwave therapy devices that will facilitate healing. Shockwave therapy stimulates healing by regenerating tissue and cellular transformation.
When conservative treatment measures fail, there are alternative options. Regenerative medicine uses biological information such as PRP and stem cells as a next step in a treatment course. Ultimately, surgery may be necessary, but should always be the last resort.
If you find yourself experiencing any kind of severe or persistent knee pain, it is very important not to let the problem go untreated. If you don’t treat knee pain with promptness and attention, you may risk further damage to the joint.
At Boulder Back Pain Clinic, our experienced doctors work to find the exact root of your pain. Using a wide range of muscle therapy options, we are dedicated to easing your pain without surgery or medication.
If you’re curious about what quality chiropractic care can do for you, there’s no easier way to learn more than by visiting our website. Contact us or arrange an appointment today!
I've been seeing Dr. Cahn for over 3 years now and love that he is relaxed, genuine, and personal. He has helped resolve issues with my neck, low back, and hip. I go in for the treatment, but it's probably the great conversations we have that keep me coming back!
Dr. Guzik is awesome. He's knowledgeable, affable, and passionate about wellness. He has a natural, easygoing way with patients that will put you right at ease. I have only great things to say about this practice and Dr. Guzik!
Both Dr. Cahn and Dr. Guzik are highly knowledgeable and skilled in providing excellent care to their patients. They were instrumental in getting me through an injury to be able to compete competitively in triathlon this season. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing high level chiropractic care!
