Hello, my name is Simon. I am a 59-year-old man who lives alone in downtown Perth. I am pleased to say that I have never had to spend a night in a hospital. This is because I know how to take care of myself. When I was growing up my grandpa often used to tell me that if you eat well and exercise, you will live a long life. He died aged 95, so he must have known something. However, it was only when I became friends with a doctor, that I discovered all the other things I could do to stay healthy. I decided to start this blog to encourage others to look after their health.
Did you know that a chiropractor can treat much more than just back pain? Chiropractors also work with the rest of your skeletal system, such as the knees and ankles. If you are experiencing pain in your knee and you wish to avoid pain medication or surgery, visiting a chiropractor could be a great alternative. Below is a brief guide to what a chiropractor can do for a person suffering from knee pain.
Q-Angle Measurements and Tracking
The first thing a chiropractor will do when examining your painful knee, is to take a look at the tracking. Tracking describes the movement of the knee cap as you walk. Your chiropractor will ask you to walk across the room so they can observe the movement of your knee cap.
Your chiropractor will also carry out a Q-angle measurement. To do this, they will ask you to stand, then using a goniometer, they will measure the angle between your quadriceps muscles and patella tendon. This will help them to assess if there is a problem with how the knee joint is aligned with the rest of your body. A misaligned knee cap will be subject to an increased amount of pressure which can lead to pain.
Hyperpronation
If your knee joint is not tracking properly, a likely cause is foot hyperpronation. Hyperpronation occurs when your foot rotates too much while you walk, placing additional strain on your knee joint. Your chiropractor may ask to inspect your shoes. If they do so, they aren't seeing if you are up to date with the latest fashion; they are checking the wear on the sole. If the sole is extensively worn on the outer edge, this is a sign of potential hyperpronation.
Treatment Options for Knee Pain
Once your chiropractor has diagnosed the source of your knee pain, they will create an individual treatment plan. There are a number of treatments they might suggest, such as exercises which will help to strengthen the muscles which surround your knee and manipulation and massage of your hip, knee and ankle joints. To treat hypronation, your chiropractor may suggest that you wear special orthopaedic footwear. They may also recommend that you make lifestyle changes, such as changing your diet as excess weight can place additional strain on your joints and bones.
If you are experiencing problems with knee pain, you should consider contacting a chiropractor for advice and treatment.
Share21 June 2016
