Knee pain is hard to diagnose and predict. Maybe you just noticed a little twinge of pain while walking to your car, but it hasn’t returned. Maybe you only feel it when you bend down. Or maybe it’s only a problem in the morning, but subsides as the day goes on.
No matter what the severity of your pain is, you shouldn’t wait to visit a knee specialist near Iowa City.
At Family & Sport Chiropractic, we improve knee pain through physical therapy, chiropractic services, and even sports massages. To accelerate healing, we also utilize regenerative medicine to mend your knee, replacing damaged cells and tissue with new ones through the activation of your body’s own repair processes.
The sooner we can address this pain, the sooner you will feel better—all hours of the day.
The Consultation
It all starts with a conversation. We’ll inquire about when your knee pain began and its intensity. Next, we try to determine where you are feeling the pain in the knee. This could include:
- Close to the surface of your knee
- Deep inside your knee
- In various parts of your knee or leg
What Causes Knee Pain?
You use your knees every day, so pain can have many causes, sometimes multiple at once. Some common contributing factors include:
- Overuse – Overuse leads to repetitive strain injuries, which form if you do the same motion too often or for too long.
- Sprains – Sprains are injuries that can cause your knee joint to stretch too far or tear. This leads to reduced range of motion, swelling, and instability.
- Hyperextended knee – This injury gets caused by an external force pushing the knee too far back.
- Bursitis – Between your bones and other tissues are fluid-filled sacs called bursa. When these “cushion” spaces become irritated from too much pressure, it causes swelling and pain.
Knee pain has many causes, so it’s best to see a chiropractor—or knee specialist—near Iowa City to diagnose and treat your knee pain.
Another Common Cause: Arthritis in Your Knee
Among the most common causes of knee pain is arthritis—a chronic condition that causes inflammation, swelling, and stiffness in your joints.
Over 100 different types of arthritis can affect your knees, but we usually see patients for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is known as the “wear-and-tear” form of arthritis. Cartilage in your joints breaks down over time, which causes your bones to rub together.
This is a progressive disease, so it worsens with age. Patients with osteoarthritis experience the following symptoms:
- Swollen or puffy knees
- Cracking or grinding noises when you move your knee
- Instability, or the feeling that your knee will “give out”
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system attacks your body rather than defending it. The inflammation this disease causes can damage your cartilage and eventually deform your joints.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis experience:
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Reduced mobility and range of motion
The Treatment
Treatments are always personalized to your individual and unique needs. During the consultation, we plan a series of sessions that will include a range of our services to get you back on your feet. This plan is subject to change and adaptable depending on your progress.
For your knee pain, you can expect a plan that incorporates some or all of the following:
- Chiropractic adjustments to alleviate built-up pressure on your joints.
- Knee on Trac, a physical therapy treatment to stretch and decompress knee joints.
- Sports massage techniques to improve blood flow in the treatment area and reduce swelling.
- Targeted exercises to build strength and improve mobility.
Treatments for Injury
For your knee pain, you can expect a plan that incorporates some or all of the following:
- Chiropractic adjustments to alleviate built-up pressure on your joints.
- Knee on Trac, a physical therapy treatment to stretch and decompress knee joints.
- Sports massage techniques to improve blood flow in the treatment area and reduce swelling.
- Targeted exercises to build strength and improve mobility.
Treatments for Arthritis
Because there is no cure for arthritis, we focus on pain management and teach you how to reduce inflammation in the body.
We may also employ our regenerative medicine treatments, including:
And much more!
The Results
Results vary from person to person. We will set realistic expectations with you during your consultation and as you continue your treatment. Our team will teach you posture, stretches, and exercises to keep your knee pain-free.
Schedule Your Consultation
If you’re reading this while sitting with ice on your leg or having just taken painkillers, now’s the time to schedule a consultation with a knee specialist near Iowa City. Not only can we help reduce pain, but we can also prevent further damage from happening.
To get started, request a consultation. These typically take 1 hour, which gives us ample time to properly identify the source of your pain.
You can also streamline the process and try our treatment planning tool. Once we receive your submission, a member of our team will reach out to you with available appointment times.
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