Knees, Knees, Knees — Part 2

Last time, I described the multifaceted approach I employ when treating knee problems. (In fact, I use this same kind of approach when dealing with most conditions, from back pain to digestive problems to fatigue to depression to…well, you name it.) Remember, Total Wellness means holistic health care. Your knees, of course, are no exception.

Often, and surprisingly to most of my patients, pain in the FRONT of the knee joint is actually caused by tightness in the muscles attached in the BACK of the knee. Overstrung hamstrings and a rigid gastrocnemius (the chief flexor muscle in your calf) can cause the quadriceps (the large, four-part extensor muscle in the front of your thigh) to pull antagonistically, causing improper tracking of the patella (kneecap). Result? Ouch!

Hey, remember? “The thigh bone’s connected to the knee bone, the knee bone’s connected to the calf bone…” It’s more than a classic popular ditty. It’s good old-fashioned folk wisdom.

A holistic chiropractic physician (there MAY just be one nearby) can help you figure out most functional abnormalities in your body and offer alternative (in other words, safe and effective; in other other words, non-pharmaceutical and non- surgical) solutions. Of course, there are situations that ultimately require drugs or surgery. But why start with the heavy guns? Let’s put our energy into looking for more peaceful solutions for our bodies — and our world.

Knees, Knees, Knees — Part 1

I’ve been thinking a lot about knees lately. Why? you might ask. Perhaps, like many people, you don’t think of knee problems as “chiropractic” problems. Maybe you think chiropractic physicians are limited to just cracking backs and adjusting necks. Recently, one of my patients told me that, when she told a friend she was seeing her chiropractic physician for her knee problem, the response she got was, “Why, would you go to a chiropractor for your knee?”

Why, indeed? Well, would you be surprised to learn that I treat lots of patients with knee problems? It’s not really surprising when you think about it.

The knee is one of the most troublesome components of the often-troublesome human musculoskeletal system. Our evolution from quadruped to biped took eons, but it happened too fast for the poor old knee joint. It’s just not designed to bear the weight and torque of all this upright posture and walking. To say nothing of gardening, running, rock climbing, and the other assorted stresses we add to its daily burdens.

The truth is that I have a lot of success treating knee problems, assuming that the underlying structure isn’t already damaged beyond repair. I employ a variety of modalities, including electrical stimulation, ultrasound, massage, and suction acupuncture, all mixed with a lot of common sense. By understanding your knee’s normal structure and function, we can usually find a way back to a healthier situation.

More to come...