Causes of Knee Pain You Had No Idea Existed

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Not all knee pain is created equally. Knee pain can be a symptom of a problem in another part of the body. Valley Sports and Spine finds the cause of the pain.

People complain of knee pain every day. In fact, knee pain is one of the most common complaints among active adults over the age of 30. While most people chalk up their discomfort to ‘getting old,’ it can actually be a symptom of a problem in the ankle or hip joints. If untreated, the ankle, hip, and knee can all suffer long-term damage that may require surgical repair, but if diagnosed and treated by an osteopathic physician early on, surgery can be completely avoided.

Common Causes

All of the joints on the leg work together, starting at the ankle and reaching all the way to the hip. This system of movement is designed to support one another to promote a smooth action, like walking. Unfortunately, due to a culture of poor body mechanics, it is becoming commonplace to see stiffening in hip and ankle joints. This stiffening can often be attributed to prolonged periods of sitting or inactivity as well as footwear that promotes poor alignment of the spine.

Knee pain is often a late symptom of limited range of motion in the hip or ankle joints. When considering a runner, as the runner attempts to stride, if the ankle is stiff, the knee is forced to bend at a greater angle. As a result the hip is unable to fully rotate which causes a shorter stride and harder impact on the knee. While the runner is feeling the hard impact on the knee, the real problem is the stiff ankle.

Treatment

Rehabilitative medicine is ideal for treating knee pain that may not have an obvious cause. Rehabilitative physicians, more commonly referred to as physiatrists, do more than examine the aching knee, they examine your body mechanics. With consideration for the systems of the body all working together, physiatrists evaluate the whole person and then investigate possible causes for atypical pain. Once the cause of the pain has been identified, a personalized treatment plan is created to fit the patient’s needs. Under most circumstances, a regiment of exercises that focus on stretching and strengthening specific muscles groups, while lubricating the joints, can correct the problem in no time.

For more information about knee pain, please visit our website at http://valleysportsandspine.com and learn how Valley Sports & Spine Clinic can get you moving!

Why Finding an Osteopathic “Function Expert” Might Be the Best Way To Treat Your Pain

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150px-Muybridge_human_male_walking_animatedThe physicians at Valley Sports and Spine specialize in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Their proven methods identify the root of your pain and prevent further injury.  

 

Are you struggling with pain in your neck, back, or knees? Have you been back and forth to your regular practitioner but still have no idea what is causing the discomfort? Have you considered being evaluated by a function expert? You may be surprised to find that osteopathic medicine can offer you the relief you have been looking for and so much more.

What is a Function Expert?

Physiatrists, also called function experts, specialize in the nerve, muscle, and bone functions of the body. Another way of stating this is to say that they are experts in how the body moves. While a general practitioner may be looking specifically at your aching knee, a function expert will be looking at your back, hips, and ankles simultaneously and watching how they are all working together in support of your knee.

Why Movement Matters

The body is a machine with many working parts that all have a job to do. Like a machine, if one part starts to get worn out and stiff, it can cause a chain reaction of stress throughout the system. The bones, muscles, nerves, joints, and connective tissue are all an interconnected system that work together to produce movement. If a specific area begins to have trouble the body will naturally compensate and attempt to shift the stress to another area. An example of this is a runner with knee pain. Once evaluated by a function expert it is identified that the runner is actually suffering from a stiff ankle. The ankle’s limited motion when running is putting extra stress on the knee. Once identified, specific exercises can be very effective at restoring the ankle’s mobility and eliminating the knee pain.olderStretchers

Why Choose Rehabilitative Medicine?

Rehabilitative medicine is about more than just your specific injury. Physiatrists evaluate each patient as an individual. Diagnosis and treatment of an ailment involve learning about the patient’s lifestyle and hobbies and understanding how their life is being affected by their current limitations. Understanding a patient’s daily activities can help the practitioner find clues to the greater cause of the ailment. Additionally, this type of consideration helps to create a treatment plan that can accommodate the patient’s lifestyle and hopefully allow them to continue conducting their favorite activities. Patients get the satisfaction of knowing that not only is their chief complaint being addressed but that they also are reducing their risk for further injuries.

For more information about function experts, please visit our website at http://valleysportsandspine.com and find out what Valley Sports & Spine Clinic can do for you!