You don't have to be a world-class athlete to struggle with knee pain. Many normal daily stresses can cause knee discomfort, difficulty walking, and a decrease in your quality of life. This helps to explain why more than half a million Americans undergo knee replacement surgery every year.

The knee is essentially a hinge joint, which means that it only moves in two directions, open and closed (compared to your shoulder, which can move in all directions). However, it is not a simple joint.

The knee joint is made of four bones: the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (shin bone), the patella (kneecap), and the fibula (ankle bump). All four bones are dynamically involved in knee movement and proper function. But since most of these bones are long bones, knee pain is often caused clinically by problems in other joints: the ankle, the hip, and the low back. Dysfunction in those other joints change the way the knee operates, and knee pain can arise.

Suppose you sprain an ankle. You're unable to bear weight on that foot, so you begin to limp, putting your body weight on your other leg. You also lean to the other side, changing the angle of the weight as it presses down on your knee. The knee is unable to adapt so quickly to such a drastic change in stress. Although your limp will become less gradual over the weeks as your ankle sprain heals, your knee has already paid the price.

Knee pain can be caused by a wide variety of muscles, ligaments, menisci, nerves, and bones in the leg. Knee pain can also be caused by nerve problems and disc problems in the lower back. It is important to have your knee examined by a physician, since your knee condition can only be properly treated once it is identified.

How We Can Help Your Knee Pain

The chiropractic adjustment is designed to add motion into joints in order to affect the nervous system. The knee tends to respond in remarkable ways to the chiropractic adjustment. In particular, Activator Methods, the chiropractic technique utilized at Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria, places a special emphasis on the knees and lower extremities.

- Osteoarthritis, a common form of arthritis, is most commonly found in the knee. Chiropractic adjustments have been found effective in reducing symptoms and improving knee function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
- The nerves which supply the muscles around the knee arise in the low back. Chiropractic adjustments to the low back may directly affect the behavior of the thigh muscles, improving recovery times.
- Chiropractic management outlined in the Activator Methods protocol ensures that your knees, ankles, and hips are checked for dysfunction at every visit. This is especially important for athletes such as runners, joggers, and walkers, given the complex relationship between these joints.
- The Activator instrument has proven effective in multiple anecdotal and recorded meniscus tear cases by reducing the stress placed on the meniscus, allowing the meniscus to repair and heal itself.

Dr. Kyle Johnson of Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria will perform a thorough examination of your lower extremity and spine. After an appropriate diagnosis is reached, he may suggest chiropractic adjustments, postural changes, nutritional supplements, footwear alterations, or additional therapies.

Before deciding on knee replacement surgery, consider pursuing a local Peoria, non-invasive, conservative care plan for your knee pain. The decision on treatment is yours, but a consultation at Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria will always be free.

Causes

- altered biomechanics from a limp, ankle pain, hip pain, or low back pain
- broken-down footwear
- subluxation of patella, fibula, tibia, or femur
- referred pain from a disc problem, hip arthritis, or leg clotting
- osteoarthritis of the knee
- inflammatory arthritis of the knee
- tendonitis
- Baker's Cyst
- meniscus tear
- ligament sprain
- muscle strain
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease
- knee bursitis
- chondromalacia patella
- kneecap dislocation
- Osteochondritis Dissecans
- Fibrous Dysplasia
- infection
- tumor
- fracture