Can a Chiropractor Help With Knee Pain? Here's What You Need to Know
When your knee starts to hurt, you may wonder, "is chiropractic good for knee arthritis?" What about other issues? It's important to know, "can a chiropractor help with knee pain?"
A chiropractor can help with knee pain, though not the same way as another doctor. Be sure to consider the pain and cause to determine if a chiropractor is the best professional to consult to help manage symptoms.
Chiropractor vs. Physiotherapist
When you have knee pain, a chiropractor or physiotherapist are both worth considering. While both professionals may help you with your knee problems, one may be a better fit for you than the other.
A chiropractor focuses on pain relief for specific body parts, such as your knees. On the other hand, a physiotherapist focuses on moving without experiencing pain, and they focus on the entire body.
If you see a chiropractor, they can help your knee pain using manipulations and adjustments. But a difference between a chiropractor or physiotherapist is that the physiotherapist uses exercises and stretches.
You should consider your particular situation. Then, you can determine if a chiropractor or physiotherapist will be the better professional to help you.
Comprehensive Exam
Your goals can help answer your question, "should I see a chiropractor or physio for knee pain?" If you decide that a chiropractor suits your needs, you can schedule a consultation or exam.
When you first visit someone, be sure to ask, "in your office, do chiropractors work on knee problems?"
The chiropractor will ask about your pain symptoms and the rest of your medical history. Do your best to answer those questions so that your provider has more information to help treat you.
Even if a chiropractor has experience treating knee problems, every person is different. Knowing your medical and pain history can make a huge difference when developing a treatment plan.
Custom Treatment
After you meet with a chiropractor, they can help you treat your knee problem. So can a chiropractor help with knee pain? If they know how to determine the cause, the treatment they suggest can be more successful.
For example, perhaps you have an underlying condition that is causing your knee pain. You may need to see a doctor who can prescribe a medication or otherwise treat that problem.
On the other hand, a chiropractor may be able to focus on treating the pain. They may have you use ice packs or hot packs, and you may need to visit them for knee adjustments.
Either way, the plan should focus on your specific case. That way, you'll be able to treat the pain and manage it after you get it under control.
Ways a Chiropractor Can Help
You may also wonder, how can a chiropractor help with knee pain? A chiropractor can help in a few ways, so it's important to talk to them about what you need to reduce your pain.
As you go through treatment, you can reduce the effects that your knee pain has on your life. You may be able to exercise more and spend more time with the people you love.
Consider some specific ways that a chiropractor can help you and your knee problems.
Increase Movement
A chiropractor can help you increase movement in your knees. They may use manipulation or adjustments to help your knees function better and make them easier to move.
If your pain comes from trying to move your knee too much, this can be a useful solution. Your chiropractor may also use trigger point therapy, cross-friction, or deep massages of your soft tissues.
That way, you can increase your range of motion without invasive treatment options. If you don't want to get injections or have a ton of surgery, chiropractic care may be perfect for you.
Reduce Pain and Inflammation
You may also wonder, 'how is chiropractic good for knee pain?" Fortunately, a chiropractor can help you reduce your pain, such as with the use of ice packs and other cold treatments.
The ice can help with your pain but also inflammation or even muscle spasms. If your muscles tend to have spasms, you may not need medication to treat the problem.
When ice doesn't work, your chiropractor may recommend using a laser or ultrasound therapy. That way, they can target the root of the problem.
Develop an Exercise Program
While chiropractors don't focus on exercise as much as physiotherapists, some may still create an exercise program. They can give you stretches to do that will help with your strength and stability.
A good program can help you reduce your knee pain and other problems. It's also a good idea to use an exercise program to help avoid a knee injury in the future.
If you know how to walk and otherwise move your knees, you may not have to worry about hurting them. And you may have a lower risk of having knee pain later on.
Conditions a Chiropractor Can Help With
You may also wonder about the types of knee pain a chiropractor can help with. Whether you have a common issue, such as knee arthritis or something rare, you want to know that a professional can help you.
The good news is that chiropractors can help with a lot of different things. Of course, you should have an initial exam so that they can make sure they'll be able to help you.
However, you shouldn't have to search a ton to find help. You may benefit from visiting a chiropractor if you have any of the following conditions.
Arthritis
Arthritis can affect any joint, and there are multiple types of arthritis, from osteoarthritis to rheumatoid arthritis. Depending on the cause of your knee arthritis, a chiropractor may be able to help reduce your pain and inflammation.
For example, chiropractic care may help you learn how to deal with the loss of cartilage if you have osteoarthritis. Your chiropractor can ask about your specific condition and when your symptoms started.
Even if you can't cure the condition, you may be able to treat it to help manage symptoms. In some cases, you might not need to use as much medication if the treatment your chiropractor offers helps enough.
Some types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, may require more treatment. But visiting a chiropractor for those conditions may be a great way to supplement your medications.
Meniscus Injuries
You can injure your meniscus (your knee joint's cushion) in a few ways. If you rotate or twist your knee quickly, your meniscus may not keep up, so you could tear it.
Rotating your meniscus multiple times while bearing weight on that knee can also lead to an injury. So you don't need to play sports or do a ton of exercise to experience this problem.
Luckily, a chiropractor can help you recover from the injury. They can make sure the meniscus is the problem and develop a course of action to treat it.
Once you do recover, your chiropractor can teach you how to move to avoid injuring the meniscus again in the future. That way, you'll know how to move and rotate your knee safely.
ACL or MCL Tears
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) both help support your knee. Tearing these ligaments is super common, especially for athletes and people who do similar activities.
No matter which of the two ligaments you tear, you may want to visit a professional. Like with a meniscus tear, you can learn how to move your knee to reduce your risk of tearing your ACL or MCL in the future.
Right after the injury, your chiropractor can help you determine how to best manage the pain. Then, you'll be able to get back to your daily routine and keep from hurting your knee in the same way.
Even if you aren't an athlete, you should get some sort of care for an ACL or MCL tear. The same is true if the pain or tear is minor because you don't want it to get worse.
Referred Pain
In some cases, you may experience referred pain in your knees. When that happens, the knees aren't the source of the issue, so you may have a problem elsewhere in your body.
A common example of this is if you have a hip problem. You may not notice any pain in your hip, but your knee could bear some of the weight of that issue.
Similarly, you may have referred pain if your feet have an issue. Feet problems can affect how you walk, which can then affect how your knees feel.
In either case, you should visit a chiropractor who can examine your entire body. Then, they can determine what's causing the pain, and they can treat the source, whether that's the knee or something else.
Runner's Knee
Runner's knee, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome, can result in dull pain. For better or worse, you don't have to be a runner to experience this type of pain.
You may develop the problem if you have a structural issue in your knee. Tight hamstrings or weak thigh muscles can also cause runner's knee.
Some treatments for runner's knee are similar to treatments chiropractors use for other conditions. For example, they may have you use an ice pack.
Doing stretching and strengthening exercises can help you support your knee as well. Then, you may be able to reduce your risk of getting runner's knee in the future.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Another knee problem that can warrant chiropractic care is iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS). The condition involves inflammation of the iliotibial band, which goes from the outer side of your hip down to your knee.
It can be easy to confuse this condition with runner's knee because the symptoms are very similar. However, you most likely have ITBS if your pain is primarily on the outside of your knee.
You'll also tend to feel the pain more significantly during movement or exercises. Fortunately, you can treat it similarly to how you would treat runner's knee.
A chiropractor can go over your condition and symptoms to help develop a unique treatment plan. Then, you can manage your symptoms and be able to live your life.
Osgood-Schlatter Disease
If your pain is on the lower part of your knee, you may have Osgood-Schlatter Disease. The condition can result in swelling and pain just below your knee, and it's common in kids as they grow.
Athletes who need to jump a lot can also develop the disease. Resting is one of the best ways to treat the condition, but visiting a chiropractor is great if you plan to continue the same sport or activity.
Your chiropractor can work with you to develop a treatment plan to manage the pain. They may also suggest a knee brace or knee pad to use while playing to protect your joint.
Then, you'll be able to play the sport you enjoy, but you can minimize your risk of having pain.
Other Knee Injuries
Some chiropractors may be able to help with other knee problems. You may wonder, can a chiropractor help with knee pain from:
- A torn tendon
- A fractured patella
- A patellar dislocation
Seeing another doctor can help diagnose the problem and get you any pain medication you may need. But as you recover from a knee injury, you may want to visit a chiropractor.
That way, they can adjust or manipulate your knee to further help with the pain. Your chiropractor can also work with you to develop a maintenance plan to help with pain you may experience in the future.
And if your visit came from a fall, you can ask the chiropractor to help you work on your balance. Then, you'll be able to lower your risk of experiencing a similar injury in the future.
Can a Chiropractor Help With Knee Pain You're Experiencing?
Whether you have a torn ligament or a dull pain, you may wonder, "can a chiropractor help with knee pain?" A good chiropractor may be able to help you reduce pain and inflammation from your condition.
They can also help develop a plan to get back into your best shape. That way, you'll be able to do what you love and reduce your risk of experiencing pain or an injury in the future.
Do you need something to help your knee pain now? View our knee pads and braces.