Dr. Troy Dreiling provides gentle chiropractic care for your knee and ankle pain. Located near Andresen and Fourth Plain Blvds in Vancouver, Wa, Dr. Troy offers a free consultation to discuss your pain. Most insurance accepted.
Video Transcription
Dr. Troy here, the Vancouver chiropractor.
Ankle and knee pain are very common in our society. There are over a million knee replacements done a year, over two million hip replacements done a year. We know that if your knee is hurting you or your ankle is hurting you something is causing it.
It is very common to see inflammation in the joints which we know triggers pain, and if you don’t address the cause of it sooner than later it can actually turn into a big mess. We know if the pelvis or the spine get out of alignment, your pelvis rotates it will twerk your knee and it’s going to go all the way down to the ankle.
I have had so many patients come in with knee problems, we never touch their knees, we readjust the spine. It takes the torque and the tension out of the lower extremity joints and they feel and function better.
There could be some degeneration in there. I have met patients who have bone on bone knee issues but they have no knee pain. They did when they started because of the misalignment, extra inflammation and pressure that is being put on the joint.
We could get joints moving again through the adjustment process and through some of the techniques that we use in the office. Some techniques include the wobble chair, spinal molding blocks to help bring about stability. We put the spiine over the blocks to help open up the nerve roots which improves communication and adaptability of your body.
Come in, get checked and see if your hip, knee, ankle pain could be related to a joint misalignment. We’ve also found that quads could be tight, the hamstrings or calves. A lot of time we recommend foam rolling for people. Even adrenal fatigue can cause knee pain.
There are a lot of different causes and we want to figure out what causing your knee pain. So come in to get a consultation with us to determine if chiropractic can help you.
This is Dr. Troy on the corner of Andresen and Fourth Plain in Vancouver, WA.
More Information
Knee pain is a common ailment seen amongst doctors as the knee is a major joint in the body that takes a lot of wear and tear. In fact, 33% of standard doctor’s appointments in the United States are due to pain in this area of the body. Knee issues can occur quickly, such as in a sudden accident or over time, from repetitive use of the knee or from a degenerative disease, such as arthritis. The knee is an important joint in the body – if it is not working right, your entire body can suffer. Knee pain is not just a nuisance; it is a life altering injury/pain which can make daily activity very difficult and can even cause wear and tear on the rest of your body.
Types of Knee Pain
There are several types of knee pain that can occur, some of which are not related to your knee. The nerves that affect your knee are connected to other areas of your body, including your lower back, hips, and legs. This results in what is called referred pain – pain that comes from another part of the body. There are also direct knee injuries that can occur including:
- ACL – The anterior cruciate ligament controls the front and back motions your knee makes. It is one of the most common knee injuries and can occur during a sporting accident or other physical injury that causes the knee to twist suddenly.
- PCL – The posterior cruciate ligament also controls the front and back motions your knee makes and is located in the back of the joint. This ligament can also be torn, but this injury typically occurs after a violent accident, such as occurs in car accidents. Something strong must strike the knee for this ligament to tear.
- Ruptured or inflamed tendons – The knee is comprised of the quadriceps tendon and the patellar tendon. Each of these tendons can be ruptured or become inflamed. Quadricep tendon ruptures are typically found in older patients (over 40) and patellar tendon ruptures in younger patients or those with chronic knee problems.
- Disc injuries – Sudden accidents and overuse can cause damage to the meniscus (discs) in the knee, causing a piece to float into the joint.
- Arthritis – The most common type of arthritis in the knee is osteoarthritis. This ailment causes the cartilage in the knee to wear down, allowing the bone to be exposed, sometimes rubbing bone to bone.
Diagnosing Knee Pain and Treatment
To determine the cause of your knee pain, the doctor will put you through a variety of tests. The physical exam will include an inspection of your knee, looking directly for issues such as swelling, bruising, limited flexibility, and the condition of the joints. If upon physical examination, the doctor decides further testing is needed, you may undergo an x-ray, CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound, depending on whether he feels your injury is related to the bones or soft tissues within the knee. In some cases, blood tests may also be necessary, if the doctor suspects that an infection, such as gout, is the reason for your knee pain.
Depending on the results of your tests, there are a variety of ways that your knee pain can be fixed. Doctors typically start with mild treatments, including lifestyle changes at home, including rest, ice, elevation and compression. They may also accompany treatment with physical therapy to help strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee to help minimize the pain. If physical therapy is not enough or you are in too much pain to endure it, other options include pain medications, the injection of a corticosteroid drug, or surgery, if it is very severe.
Chiropractic Care for Knee Pain
Chiropractic treatment is a successful way to treat knee pain, as chiropractors treat the whole body, determining the underlying cause for the pain and helping to correct it naturally.
The first focus is to determine the cause for the pain – if there is swelling or pain, chiropractors help you to minimize it on a daily basis by providing support through the use of sports tape; the use of lasers in the office to minimize swelling; and ice to decrease the muscle spasms that occur.
Chiropractic care also involves the manipulation/adjustment of the area and any surrounding areas (lower back, hip, or legs) that may be causing the problem. The goal is to make the area more mobile and give you full function back in your knee. The adjustments are gentle enough to not aggravate the area, but to restore full function of the joint.
If soft tissue damage in the knee or surrounding areas is the cause, chiropractors can utilize a technique called Myofascial Release, which relaxes the soft tissues to help them support the joint better.
Once the swelling and pain are under control, chiropractors then focus on proper lifestyle choices, exercises, and strength building to prevent future knee pain issues.
Knee Pain FAQ
Are there any ways to prevent knee pain?
A few lifestyle changes are all that it takes to help ward off knee pain in the future:
- Stay within your recommended weight for your height and build
- Continually stretch and strengthen before beginning a new sport or activity
- Exercise at least 3 times a week, paying close attention to the quadriceps and hamstrings to keep the knee strong
- Don’t overdo any exercises or activities that put stress on your knee joint
Summary
Chiropractic treatment can be a great addition to your medical treatment for knee pain. Whether you have to undergo surgery or are trying to manage the pain at home, chiropractic treatment can help facilitate your goals, enabling you to have a stronger, more flexible knee joint.
If you are suffering from knee pain and wish to learn how to manage it at home as well as receive natural treatment for the pain, call us at (phone number). We offer a free consultation for new patients and will help you see how chiropractic treatment can be beneficial in your case.
Call us today or fill out our online form to set up your appointment!
