Your Complete Guide to Knee Pain
No matter how many candles there were on your last birthday cake, you may find yourself suffering from a condition that can be difficult to resolve: knee pain. Knee pain can affect people of all ages and in any stage of life. Our knees endure a great deal of stress each and every day. You need them to take on daily activities like walking, lifting, and kneeling. If you are experiencing knee pain, it’s natural that you’d start feeling pretty limited in your life!
To understand what’s behind knee pain, it’s important to grasp the anatomy of the knee. There are five separate components:
- Bone. The tibia (shin bone), femur (thigh bone), and patella (kneecap) form the knee.
- Cartilage. The ends of each bone are covered by cartilage that functions as a protective layer and shock absorber.
- Muscles. Two muscle groups support the knee: the quadriceps at the front of the thigh, and the hamstring, at the back.
- Tendons. Muscles are connected to bones through tendons.
- Ligaments. Ligaments connect bones to one another. They have different functions in the knee, like limiting movement and protecting the joints.
The Most Common Types of Knee Pain
Though common, it’s important to know that knee pain isn’t normal. Any type of knee pain has a specific cause. It may be due to an injury, overuse, or a specific health condition. The causes that strike most often include:
- Injury. These include ACL tears, fractures, torn meniscus, bursitis, and tendinitis.
- Mechanical issues. Iliotibial band syndrome, dislocated kneecap, and pain in the hip or foot can all lead to knee pain.
- Arthritis. There isn’t just one single type of arthritis; instead, there are hundreds. These include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.
The Risk Factors Involved In Knee Pain
Have you ever noticed that some people seem to simply be more susceptible to health challenges than others? You may have more risk factors than others. Those involved with having knee pain include excess weight, lack of strength or flexibility in the muscles, playing sports, working a manual labor job, and having had a previous injury. If you have injured your knee once, you must be extremely careful in the future, as you are more susceptible to have a subsequent injury.
Do not wait to get attention until your knee pain is so bad that you can hardly stand it. Instead, seek help the moment that you noticed the pain isn’t going away. Those some forms of knee pain may go away with simple self-care measures, others will require the attention of a professional. If your knee pain is chronic and accompanied by swelling, redness, tenderness, or fever, be sure to contact us for an assessment.
If you are not in any emergency situation, remember we have the training and expertise to care for your entire body. Chiropactors are well-versed in the anatomy of the knee, and may be able to provide you with the conservative care you need to get relief.
Your Incredible Nervous System
Have you ever stopped to think about how amazing the human body is? Without having to give it any instructions, it knows you need to breathe. That your heart beats. That your legs help you walk without having to give any thought.
Every single one of these functions – and all the rest that happen without you having to help the process along, like digestion, or vision – are all thanks to your nervous system. This complex network of cells and nerves carries messages from the brain out to every part of the body, all the way down to your toes.
If you think it, say it, or feel it, the nervous system is involved. As you can guess, the nervous system affects every aspect of your health. That includes your movement, thoughts, senses, sleep, stress response, and all bodily processes. Your nerves receive information from the world around you. Then, the nerves interpret that information and control your response.
Think of the nervous system like a giant information highway that runs across your entire body.
What Happens When a Nerve Is Injured?
There are thousands of conditions that can affect your nerves, and in turn, your overall health. If a nerve is damaged in some way, it will have trouble functioning as a part of the information highway of the body. A nerve injury can cause symptoms like numbness, pain, or the sensation of pins and needles. You might not even be able to fully move the affected area.
Some common causes of nerve damage are
- Infection, cancer, or autoimmune disease. These conditions cause issues in the nervous system. For example, a diabetic may experience neuropathy, which is tingling or pain in the legs and feet.
- Stroke. If a blood vessel in the brain is blocked or bursts, the part of the brain that isn’t getting blood will die. And then, it won’t be able to send messages to the nerves.
- Accidental injury. A motor vehicle accident can cause a nerve to be crushed, stretched, or even cut, damaging a nerve anywhere in the body.
- Pressure. This is a common form of a nerve issue, occurring when a nerve is pinched or compressed. It may happen from overuse, a structural problem, or something more serious, like a tumor.
- Toxins. Exposure to toxic substances like poison or illegal drugs will cause nerve damage.
- Aging. As you get older, the signaling process of the nervous system may not occur as quickly as it once did. Your reflexes can slow down, or you may feel weaker than you used to.
What’s the Chiropractic Connection?
Anyone with concerns about nerve problems or the health of their nervous system may do well to consult with a Chiropractor. Why?
Chiropractors are experts in the spine, muscles, and the nervous system! If a neuromusculoskeletal condition is present, we can provide an effective treatment that may manage the symptoms you have. We are qualified to treat the joints, muscles, bones, and soft tissues that keep you going every day. The benefits you may be able to look forward to include the alleviation of pain, the promotion of health, and a fantastic improvement to your quality of life!