Knee Pain and Knee Injuries

Maintaining activity is one of the best things you can do for your joints and the rest of your body. But injuries can happen, and they often involve the knees. As one of the body parts that takes the most wear and tear, you must address knee injuries quickly to avoid future pain and debility.

Knee pain is commonly caused by repeated stress to the knee, aging, and injury. The most common reasons for knee pain are arthritis, strains, cartilage tears., sprained ligaments, meniscus tears, tendinitis, and runner’s knee.

If you suffer from knee pain or have a knee injury, call the caring professionals at East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C. today at (516) 679-2225 to schedule an appointment.

Common Knee Injuries and Conditions

Sprains and Strains

Sprained or strained knee ligaments and/or muscles are usually caused by an injury to the knee or a sudden twist. Symptoms often include pain, swelling, and difficulty in walking.

Sprains and Strains: What’s the Difference?

Torn Cartilage

Torn cartilage occurs when trauma to the knee tears the menisci, which are pads of connective tissue that act as shock absorbers and enhance stability. Cartilage tears can often occur with sprains. In extreme circumstances, the knee may require surgery to repair the tear.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is an injury or inflammation of the tendon, tough fibers that connect muscles to bone. Tendonitis can cause joint pain, stiffness, and affect how a tendon moves.

The Most Common Types of Tendonitis

• Patellar tendinitis. This is an inflammation in the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone. When you overdo exercise, tendons can become inflamed and sore. You may also hear it called “jumper’s knee” because repetitive jumping is the most common cause.
• Popliteus Tendinitis or popliteal tendinopathy causes pain the back of the knee. It involves damage to the popliteus tendon and/or popliteus muscle, which is a small muscle behind the knee.
• IT (iliotibial) band syndrome. The iliotibial (IT) band is a piece of tough tissue that runs from your hip down to the outer part of your knee. When you overdo activity, it can become inflamed over time. That causes pain on the outer side of the knee. It’s common among runners when going downhill, thus the common name for it is “runner’s knee.”

The professionals at East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C. can treat your knee’s tendonitis and torn cartilage. Call our office at (516) 679-2225 to schedule an appointment.

Arthritis / Osteoarthritis

Arthritis is a general term for the pain, stiffness, and debility that millions endure every day as they experience joint pain and stiffness. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. Some people call it a degenerative joint disease or “wear and tear” arthritis.  With OA, the cartilage within a joint breaks down and the underlying bone changes. These changes usually develop slowly and get worse over time. OA can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling.

If you suspect arthritis, three vital warning signs should prompt you to talk to us.

3 Common Signs of Arthritis

• Pain. Arthritis pain can be constant or transient and may occur when at rest or while moving.
• Swelling. Some types of arthritis cause the skin over the affected joint to become red and swollen, feeling warm to the touch.
• Stiffness. Considered the classic arthritis symptom, this often occurs in the morning upon waking or after sitting at a desk or riding in a car for a long time. Stiffness that lasts longer than an hour is a good reason to suspect arthritis.

Your experience with these symptoms will help us identify the type and extent of arthritis. Before your appointment, keep track of your symptoms for a few weeks, noting what is swollen and stiff, when, for how long, and what helps ease the symptoms. Be sure to record other symptoms, even if they seem unrelated, such as fatigue or rash. 

At this time, there is no cure for arthritis. Still, we can help you manage the symptoms and potentially slow the progression by implementing a plan that incorporates a combination of chiropractic treatment options such as:

• Spinal adjustments
• Graston Technique® therapy
• Massage therapy
• Hot and cold therapy

When to See a Doctor for Knee Pain

You should see a doctor if you’ve had minor knee pain for some time, if pain worsens over time to the point that it interferes with your usual activities or sleep, if a particularly forceful impact caused your knee pain, or if it’s accompanied by:

• Significant swelling
• Redness
• Tenderness and warmth around the joint
• Significant pain
• Fever

Ask someone to drive you to urgent care or the emergency room if your knee pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by:

• A joint that appears deformed
• A popping noise at the time your knee was injured
• Inability to bear weight
• Intense pain
• Sudden swelling

Get Treatment for Knee Pain, Injuries, and Conditions at East Bay

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C. specializes in using Graston Technique® therapy. The technique uses specialized stainless-steel tools and assists your clinician in identifying injured tissue, then manipulating the affected areas, breaking down scar tissue, and addressing inflammation areas.

Dr. Marmorale treats knee pain and injuries with various therapies and exercises and is one of Long Island’s only certified Graston Technique® Specialists (GTS). Schedule an appointment with us by calling (516) 679-2225 and start down the road to recovery.