Knee pain accounts for 15% of all sports injuries, and also for a fair amount of our patients here at OSR in Kailua. Because of the complex ligaments in the knee, the knee is prone to injury, especially when playing sports. Most people that suffer from knee problems aren’t aware of the preventative measures available to lessen susceptibility to knee problems.
One of the most important things you can do for your knees is to strengthen the muscles surrounding your knee. Giving quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes some well deserved strength training will help keep knee injuries at bay.
Weight management is also key to healthy knees. Being even a few pounds overweight puts a strain on your knees that could easily be avoided with a healthier lifestyle. We offer supervised weight loss methods with personalized one-on-one weekly coaching, support and education.
Stretching and warming up is the best way to prevent injury in ALL of your muscles! When working out or doing sports, stretching is possibly more important than anything. If you go into an activity with cold and stiff muscles, you have a much greater chance of injury. This applies to the legs and knees the most!
A few other best practices are:
- Wear the right shoes
- Rest if you are in pain
- Remain active
- Use ice and heat if your knees are sore
- Use a physical therapist after an injury
Physical Therapy for Chronic Knee Pain
One of the most important steps you can do to take care of your knees is to strengthen and stretch the muscles around your knees. This is crucial if you have suffered from an ACL tear, which are extremely common in athletes – and even more so in women. According to Chantal Donnelly, a faculty member for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Mount Saint Mary’s College, your glute strength is extremely important when it comes to the strength of your knees. When the main butt muscle (gluteus maximus) is weak, it causes the pelvis to drop and the upper thigh bone to fall inward. This add a large amount of stress on the hip, knee and ankle every time you take a step.
Our physical therapists here in Kailua agree, the best idea when trying to ease chronic knee pain is to make sure that your body is strong. Your posture is another aspect that can aid in pain relief. By strengthening your core and working on your posture, you can take major pressure and off balanced weight off of your knees. Just by stretching your body up and straight while you’re sitting and standing can make a huge difference.
According to gaiam.com, being overweight makes men five times more likely (and women four times more likely) to develop knee osteoarthritis. Your health risks increase significantly when you are overweight as your joints, muscles, organs, and heart have to work much harder to do things such as just walking upstairs or light exercise. If you’re trying to reduce stress on your knees while also exercising to lose weight, try cycling or swimming in order to get some low-impact cardio in.
Chiropractic Care for Knee Pain
Our chiropractic care here in Kailua can help you after a knee injury, or if you are experiencing knee pain.
Knee pain generally comes down to joint dysfunction, which can then cause pain. Your knee is a joint that has three compartments and different joint dysfunctions and symptoms can affect different comparments.
- the medial compartment (the inside part of the knee),
- the lateral compartment (the outside part of the knee),
- the patellofemoral compartment (the front of the knee between the kneecap and thighbone).
The knee is surrounded by two types of ligaments that are there to provide strength and stability for the knee so it has a functional range of motion. On the knee, the meniscus is a thick cartilage pad that is located between the two joints that are formed by the femur and tibia. The meniscus is important because it absorbs all of the pressure and weight from the body above the knee while you’re standing. Common injuries with athletes include tearing your meniscus or ACL.
Our chiropractic team here at OSR is able to give you an adjustment if you are feeling as if your knee has shifted or is not in the right place. A chiropractic alignment can be an alternative to pain killers that could’ve been prescribed by your PCP for your knee pain. Because the ligaments in the knee are so vulnerable, chiropractic adjustments to the knee are not forceful or painful. Our chiropractors will listen to your symptoms and our medical team will come up with the best plan of care for your case.
Because Oahu Spine & Rehab is an integrated health center we offer an array of services other than chiropractic care in order to help your knee pain/injury. Combining physical therapy, massage therapy and chiropractic care for your knee will help you be back up on your feet in no time! Call us to make an appointment at 488-5555!