Knee pain
What is Knee Pain?
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints from those who lead an active lifestyle. Often caused by sudden injury, knee pain can leave you unable to enjoy life in the way you want to. It’s important to get an accurate diagnosis of the source of your pain so that you can treat it properly and find relief.
Most knee pain will disappear with correct therapy to soothe the affected area. Increasing joint strength and resistance can help you get back into good shape, regain mobility and prevent injuries from reoccurring.
The Cause of Knee Pain
Injury and over-exertion are extremely common causes of knee pain that affect many who play sport and keep active in their day-to-day life. When the joint experiences enough excessive motion, suffers from a shock during a fall or is forced without proper stretching, ligaments in the knee can tear and cause serious pain.
An MCL tear occurs when the medial collateral ligament, one of the four ligaments in the knee that are integral to the stability of the joint, is forced to widen. When the knee buckles after experiencing sufficient force, the medial collateral ligament can stretch, often resulting in this particular type of tear. Swelling and pain are common symptoms and the tear is graded from 1 – 3 depending on severity.
Cartilage in your knee works to support weight distribution to prevent uneven force on the joint, this cartilage is called the meniscus and each knee has two providing support – one on the inside of the joint and one on the outside. With both age and injury, the meniscus can weaken and tear, leaving your knee susceptible to poor weight distribution and further complications. Knee pain, inhibited movement and swelling are all common symptoms of a meniscus tear.
With age, arthritis becomes one of the most common culprits of joint pain. Arthritis describes the gradual deterioration of the joints and the cartilage that protects them. As we grow older, more and more bare bone is exposed within the joint, causing pain as the joints try to do their job. Sufferers commonly experience knee pain trying to maintain an active and mobile lifestyle.
Knee Pain Relief
Like a sprain or break, the most important thing needed for the healing process with any knee injury is time and appropriate treatment. Strengthening, chiropractic care, physiotherapy and therapeutic massage is an effective way to speed up the process, relieve pain, regain mobility and prevent injuries from occurring again. Arthritis sufferers have also reported the benefits of both chiropractic and massage to soothe joint pain in its many forms, allowing added mobility and a new lease on life.
Velca offers a range of chiropractic and physiotherapy services to those suffering from knee pain. We can help diagnose the cause of your pain and, if necessary, recommend another health specialist for further examination to check for ligament or cartilage tears. As knee injuries are best treated through manual therapy and exercise, the Velca Health Centre in Howick, East Auckland, is the ideal place to find relief and break free from the pain, leaving you fit and healthy to take on life’s challenges as soon as possible.
If you’re suffering from knee pain then let our experienced practitioners help you get better.
