I have recently started having pain in my knee when I am running and when I go upstairs. Is this something that you can help with?
There is a good chance that chiropractic can help with your knee problem.
Most people think chiropractic only helps with the back and neck, but chiropractors work with all joints in the body. Our specialty is the spine, helping the nervous system work at it fullest potential, but any joint can be checked and adjusted.
Several factors may influence your knee, resulting in stiffness or pain. In addition to checking the knee itself, I would take a close look at your pelvis or hips. This area acts as the foundation to the rest of your spine. If your pelvis isn’t balanced and moving correctly then your knees and feet have to compensate and work extra hard when you walk and run. This extra work tires your muscles and stresses your ligaments, setting you up for injury.
Your feet may be a part of the problem as well. As you walk and run, your feet should move with the ground and have a nice fluid motion from the point of first impact to your toe pushing off. When that fluid motion is lost, because the joints in your foot aren’t moving like they should, the force from the ground to the rest of your body increases. The longer your body has to compensate for that loss of motion, the more problems you may have in the rest of your body. For most people, the pain starts in the knees and then goes up into the hips, pelvis and lower back.
One of the best ways to protect your feet is to get a quality pair of running or walking shoes that support your feet as well as your body. High heels can be especially hard on the entire body. Any heel higher than two inches completely changes the way you walk. High heels should never be worn in pregnancy.
With knee pain, the last thing I would check is the muscles of your upper leg and the knee joint itself. At Yost Family Chiropractic, we see a variety of athletes. It’s the runners that often have an imbalance of the muscles in their legs, which causes pain or sets them up for injury. This imbalance tends to make you walk with your toes pointing out instead of straight ahead and puts stress on the ligaments of your knees.
There are many possibilities that may be contributing to your knee pain. I don’t know if Chiropractic is the right answer for you, but I do know that you’re entitled to a check-up to find out. If you’re interested in our clinic, I would like to invite you in for a check-up. If you need a better location, based on where you live or work, we would be happy to give you a referral. Either way, give us a call. We’re here to help. 278-YOST.