The knee joint is the largest joint in the body. As a result, it is common for many athletes to experience pain or injury to their knees. This article discusses some of the knee injuries we regularly see in our Sports Chiropractic practice.
Knee injuries can be traumatic in nature such as when caused by an impact or twisting; or they can be cumulative where small repetitive stresses lead to an overuse injury. Although cumulative injuries can happen in all sports, we commonly see these in swimmers, cyclists, and runners due to the repetitive nature of these activities. Whatever the sport or the cause of your pain, these injuries can be debilitating and prevent you from both participating in your sport as well as having difficulty in your daily activities.One of the most common injuries of the knee is Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB). The iliotibial band is a series of connective tissue that extends from the hip down to the knee. When people have this condition, they will experience pain on the outer part of their knee when they are weight bearing on that leg while running. The pain is usually worse while running downhill and eases up when you stop running. While pain is felt on the outside part of the knee with this injury, the cause is often due to weak core stabilizing muscles and poor foot biomechanics. Treatment for ITB syndrome involves soft tissue release around the hip and the outside of the thigh, manipulation to restore proper motion to the pelvis, and strengthening exercises of the core to stabilize and retrain the proper movement patterns. Footwear of the athlete must also be considered to make sure your running shoes are giving you proper stability for your running style. Ask your doctor which type of running shoe is best for you!
Another common injury at the knee is tendinosis (previously called tendonitis). This injury can occur above the knee called Quadriceps Tendinosis, or below the knee called Patellar Tendinosis. The mechanism of these two injures are similar where excessive torque causes irritation to the tendons around the kneecap. These injuries are commonly seen in sports that involve running and/or jumping. We also see this frequently in cyclists who are positioned with their saddle too low and/or too far forward. These injuries around the kneecap are treated with similar protocols as ITB Syndrome that involves soft tissue release, manipulation of the knee, hips, and pelvis, along with stabilization exercises. In the case of knee pain in a cyclist, proper positioning must also be evaluated.
Two common traumatic injuries at the knee include Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear and Meniscal tear. The ACL is one of the main ligaments that holds the knee together and it is deep inside the joint. It will commonly tear when the knee is twisted while there is weight on that leg. Patients will often hear a loud “pop” when this happens while also experiencing immediate pain and swelling of the knee. The meniscus is a crescent shaped cartilage that gives shock absorption to the knee. Each knee has two menisci – one inner and one outer. A meniscus can also become injured with a twisting motion of the knee and they can degenerate over time. Patients with meniscal injuries will experience pain in the knee along the joint line and may experience “locking” of the knee. Meniscal injuries will be painful right away but swelling is not usually noticed for several hours after the injury. Both of these injuries require rehabilitation and many will also require surgery.
At Chiro-Medical Group, we are dedicated to treating your knee injuries and helping you heal as quickly as possible. Ask your doctor today what we can do to make your knees stronger!
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