Knee Ligament Injuries:
Background:
There are four major ligaments in the knee that provide stability to the motion the knee undergoes. The two interior ligaments are the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament and they prevent the Tibia (the lower leg) from slipping forward and backward on the Femur (the upper leg). The two outside ligaments are the medial collateral ligament and the lateral collateral ligament and they prevent excessive valgus stress (inward force on the knee) and varus stress (outward pressure on the knee). These ligaments are all very strong and take extreme force to damage. High speed running combined with quick lateral or twisting movements are often enough to overcome the normal restraint of the ligaments and can cause strains and in severe cases complete tearing of the ligaments. The most common ligaments to injure are the medial collateral ligament and the anterior cruciate ligament, and they are often injured together. Although the ligaments are most commonly injured in high speed accidents, they can be injured in certain degenerative and arthritic conditions as a result of chronic straining to them.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone who suffers a ligament strain or tear will usually report an incident of high speed running combined with a quick turn or lateral movement that created the initial pain. They will often report a popping sound, although that is not always present, and swelling can range from instantaneous and looking like a balloon to almost none at all. Pain is not always present, especially when the anterior cruciate ligament is the sole ligament injured. After the injury any use of the knee that puts stress on the damaged ligament will create pain and often a loose or slipping feeling.
Treatment:
When there is a suspected ligament injury the severity of the injury needs to be assessed which can be done with a thorough examination and in many cases an MRI will be necessary. Once the severity is determined treatment can be started based on the intended goals of the person who has been injured. Most cases can be handled well with conservative Chiropractic care and in cases where surgery is needed co-management with Chiropractic care will help speed up the recovery process. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from knee pain and dysfunction come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today.
Meniscus Injuries:
Background:
The meniscus are the thick cartilaginous disc shaped cushions that sit between the Femur (upper leg) and the Tibia (the lower leg). There are two meniscuses, a lateral and a medial meniscus, and their primary purpose is to act as shock absorbers for the forces put through the knee. Injury to the meniscus can occur in a number of ways and the most common is by twisting the knee while applying a downward force on the knee. This situation occurs most often in Athletic events that involve high speed running and lateral or rotational movements. The addition of external forces inward or outward on the knee, such as in being tackled in football or soccer, increases the likelihood of injury. The meniscus can also be injured by repetitive motion that puts a lot of strain on the meniscus, specifically when the knee is in extreme flexion for an extended period of time. The other common situation where the meniscuses are damaged is when a degenerative or arthritic condition is found. Meniscal injuries are often associated with injuries to the ligaments of the knee.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from a meniscus injury will often report an offending activity that immediately brought on pain that feels like it is deep within the knee. The meniscus themselves do not create a lot of swelling, but when associated ligaments are injured more significant swelling can be found. After the injury the Knee will often exhibit a decreased range of motion and pain with activities that put pressure on the meniscus. In cases where the meniscus is damaged to the point of being displaced there can be an associated popping or locking with certain movements.
Treatment:
When a meniscus injury is suspected a thorough examination is needed and often advanced imaging such as an MRI will be necessary to determine the severity and the extent of the injury. Once the severity has been determined appropriate treatment can be determined based on the individuals goals. Surgery may be necessary in certain cases. In less severe cases injuries to the meniscus will respond favorably to conservative Chiropractic care, and when surgery is necessary Chiropractic co-management has been shown to help recovery. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering form knee pain due to a meniscus injury come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic today and have Dr. Gerwig develop a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome:
Background:
The Patellofemoral joint is the articulation between the patella (kneecap) and the upper leg. The movement of the Patella is largely determined by the combination of the forces that the Quadriceps muscles exerts on it. If there is any imbalance in the forces the quadriceps exerts on the Patella the kneecap will start to track in an improper manner, usually laterally. This will create excessive pressure under the kneecap and on the femur in the direction of the deviation and this creates the pain and dysfunction associated with Patellofemoral pain syndrome. Dislocation of the kneecap will often be associated with cases of significant tracking problems. Of interest is the fact that any injury that creates greater than 12 cc’s of fluid or swelling in the knee will create a pain inhibition reflex of the Vastus medialis muscle (the inner quadriceps muscle). When the swelling is relieved the VMO muscle does not always return to full strength right away. This is why rehabilitation is so important because after any injury in the knee that has associated swelling, inadequate rehab can often bring on Patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from Patellofemoral pain syndrome will report knee pain that onsets gradually over the course of weeks to months. The pain is of an achy nature and is usually felt on the lateral aspect of the knee. Classically there is not an associated swelling, but if it is brought on by a dislocation, swelling will be present. In chronic cases the pain will usually come on after sitting for a long time and is relieved by moving the knee.
Treatment:
Patellofemoral pain syndrome has been show to respond well to conservative Chiropractic care which can relieve the initial pain and determine what brought it on in the first place. Once the cause is determined Chiropractic care is effective in correcting the offending activity to prevent the problem from becoming chronic. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from knee pain due to Patellofemoral pain syndrome come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig develop a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Knee Arthritis:
Background:
Arthritis, specifically degenerative Arthritis, is a common, progressive condition most commonly seen in the elderly that primarily affects the weight bearing joints of the body. When a joint starts to become Arthritic the normally smooth and soft Cartilage joint surfaces undergo a transformation into a harder and rougher substance and movement over this changed cartilage is what creates the pain. The damage to the cartilage that create the problem can be a traumatic injury, a repetitive stress injury or can often result from the normal wear and tear we put on the body. The important thing to deal with when someone has an Arthritic joint is that once the cartilage undergoes its transformation, the changes cannot be undone, and if not treated will continue to progress. Making this problem more difficult is the fact that the cartilage we have discussed has no direct blood supply to it and the way if “feeds” is by movement of the joint bringing the nutrition to the cartilage. So this creates a situation where after we damage the cartilage of a joint it creates pain and our natural reaction is to reduce the movement and the stress through the joint. This is actually the worse thing you can do because without movement the cartilage cannot heal and will therefore not be able to return to normal healthy cartilage, but will instead go through the changes that are associated with Arthritis.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering from degenerative Arthritis in the knee will report a dull achy pain that usually comes on slowly over a period of weeks to months and has progressed to the point of interfering with their normal activities. Often times there will be a history of a significant injury to the knee in the past. The other common situation bringing on the pain is someone who in the past did a lot of high impact activities through the knee such as running or jumping a lot, and their activity level has dropped off over the last few years. There can be an associated swelling when the pain is significant. Someone suffering from knee Arthritis will usually report intense pain during the first few steps after resting, but once the knee “warms up” the pain decreases.
Treatment:
Treatment of degenerative Arthritis of the knee focuses on preventing progression of the problem which can lead to eventual disability if allowed to progress. Conservative Chiropractic care has been shown to be extremely effective in reducing and possibly eliminating the pain associated with Arthritis, but it is even more effective at preventing the usual progression seen with Arthritis. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from knee pain due to degenerative Arthritis come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig develop a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Knee Tendonitis:
Background:
The tendons are the thick, strong extensions of the muscles that attach the muscles to the bones that they move. When the muscles are overworked or overloaded the tendon can become damaged and when the damage leads to pain and inflammation with movements of the involved muscles around the knee then we have Knee tendonitis. The primary cause of tendonitis is a chronic repetitive motion injury that after the first time it happens it was not properly rehabilitated and the tendon becomes deficient and can’t take the normal strain we put through it. The most common tendonitis around the knee is patellar tendonitis that affects the tendon which attached the lower portion of the kneecap to the Tibia (the lower leg). Other common tendonitis’ around the knee include the tibialis Anterior muscle (Shin Splints), the popliteus (posterior knee) and the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) as it attached at the back of the knee.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering form a tendonitis at the knee will usually report knee pain that has gradually gotten worse over the past few weeks to months. There will occasionally be one incident that initially started the pain and it hasn’t gone away fully since the initial injury. Any use of the affected tendon will re-create the pain and exacerbate the problem. The pain can vary from a dull ache to very sharp and tender. There can occasionally be associated swelling and palpation of the injured tendon is quite tender. Tendonitis’ in the knee are usually seen in people who do repetitive motions to the knee with a lot of stress such as athletes that run and jump a lot, certain types of manual laborers and anyone with faulty biomechanics in the normal walking motion.
Treatment:
Knee tendonitis’ have shown to respond very well to conservative Chiropractic care which can remove the pain, and by determining why the injury occurred in the first place Chiropractic care can be effective in eliminating the offending activity and preventing re-injury. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from knee pain due to a tendonitis come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Iliotibial Band Syndrome:
Background:
The Iliotibial band (ITB) is a long, strong band of dense fibrotic tissue that extends from the hip and attaches into the outside of the lower leg. This band is designed to help increase stability and strength to the outside of the leg and knee and it increases the mechanical advantage of the lateral hip muscles. Normally this band must move back and forth over the lateral prominence of the femur at the knee during our normal walking and running, and this should occur without any issues. When there are faulty gait biomechanics which increase the angle the knee, this will bring the ITB closer to the lateral femoral condyle and this normal movement back and forth from the ITB begins to rub and irritate the band. This is a condition most often seen in runners, specifically any runner that runs on an uneven surface or has faulty gait biomechanics.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone suffering form Iliotibial Band Syndrome will usually report pain located at the lateral aspect of the knee that comes on with running for an extended period of time. The pain can range from intense and stabbing to a dull ache and significant swelling is not usually found. They will usually report just beginning the running routine, or recently changing the route or the intensity of the run. After the first time they feel the pain, rest and relaxation can relieve the condition, but when they resume running the pain returns with an increased intensity.
Treatment:
Iliotibial Band Syndrome has been found to respond well to conservative Chiropractic treatment which can relieve the initial pain and work on finding the exact cause to fix that and prevent re-injury in the future. If you or someone you know is suffering from knee pain due to Iliotibial Band Syndrome, come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig develop a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that will have you on the road to living and running pain free today!
DISCLAIMER: No individuals, including those under our active care, should use the information, resources or tools contained within to self-diagnose or self-treat any health-related condition. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor of chiropractic or other licensed health care professional. |
