Knee Pain

By: Dr. Phil Bechard, DC

Knee pain is a common issue … and one of the most commonly asked questions is “Do you treat knees?” while working on another ailment with someone!  

Knee pain tends to be generated from injury, aging, or overuse. Mild forms of knee pain tend to go away, but severe, limiting, or long-term knee pain should be addressed through the guidance of a professional. 

The most common forms of knee pain that we work on in the office include:

  • Meniscus injuries

  • Osteoarthritis

  • Patellar tendonitis 

In addition to problems directly associated with the tissue of the knee, knee pain can also be caused by other issues! Often knee pain is generated from other places since it is a very stable joint in the body. If it is suffering from wear and tear, likely, the problem is not necessarily the source that needs to be worked on! This is why it is important to be evaluated so a source can be established and appropriate care for your specific problem can be advised. Below is a list of a number of the most common causes for knee pain that isn’t generated from the knee:

  • IT Band syndrome 

  • Lower back dysfunction/referral pain 

  • Hip mobility Issues

  • Ankle mobility issues 

  • Core stability 

If you have knee pain and haven’t quite figured out how to get yourself back to the things you are missing out on because of it, even if it has been years, a chiropractor in our office can help evaluate the source (or sources) of your pain and how to address them. If you feel like you’re miles behind because you can’t move forward with your knees, give us a call in Rochester at 585-445-8584 or in Penfield at 5858-445-8605 or schedule online at www.mthopechiropractic.com 

Waking up in pain: Explained

Good morning! Well, maybe not so good……that depends on how your body feels! You may have noticed recently that in the morning you’re feeling like you just time warped 20 years and your back or neck does not like waking up with you. Neck and lower back pain in the morning are common experiences for some. Fortunately, we have some explanations and ways to help fix them! Morning pain can be attributed to various factors, and understanding these potential causes can help address the issue. 

 

One common reason is related to the body’s overnight recovery process. During sleep, the muscles and ligaments in the back relax and may become stiff, especially if you maintain a certain position for an extended period. The lack of movement can lead to a temporary reduction in blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscles, contributing to stiffness and discomfort upon waking. To help alleviate this problem, a key factor to prevention is finding a consistent movement program during the day that can help make these structures more resilient. 

 

Another factor contributing to morning back pain may be the choice of sleeping posture or mattress. An unsupportive mattress or improper sleeping position can lead to misalignment of the spine, putting strain on the back muscles. Over time, this strain can result in discomfort and pain, particularly upon waking. It’s essential to ensure that your mattress provides adequate support and promotes a neutral spine alignment during sleep. For more advice, the chiropractors at our office can help you navigate strategies that work best for you. 

 

Additionally, underlying medical conditions such as arthritis, herniated discs, or spinal stenosis can cause morning back pain. Inflammatory conditions may worsen during inactivity, leading to increased stiffness and discomfort in the morning. 

If your morning pain persists or worsens, having an evaluation by a chiropractor can aid in solving it! Often, a key factor in helping out our nighttime or morning problems is creating change in the things we do in the hours we are proactive and awake. Changing our daily routine can often lead to better rest, reducing morning pain. The providers in our office can help with therapy to stressed areas of the spine and muscles, target home exercise, and provide insight into creating a better sleep strategy. 

 

Call our office or schedule an appointment online at www.mthopechiropractic.com 

Leg pain?: A Guide to Sciatica

Let’s face it: sciatica is a big pain in the butt.

I’m a newly minted dad and I need to polish up on the elegant art of dad joking!

Leg pain, with or without numbness or tingling, can be a huge limiting experience—not to mention emotionally draining. Many people like to think of it as a major setback, with fears of wondering the source, how long it’s going to last, or for that matter, if it’s ever going to go away.

For those of you who are presently dealing with it, or have dealt with it in the past, there is some good news. This type of problem is a temporary sensitivity our body has developed based usually on our habits, and we are very capable of re-adapting and overcoming it. With a little detective work, we often can find why we are currently dealing with this, and apply a course of correction.

The first big questions you should ask yourself are:

  • Does it feel the same every time I do a certain activity?
  • Has it been moving higher or lower in the leg quickly (within hours or days)?
  • Is there numbness or tingling associated with it?

Like most problems we deal with in the office, we have to reduce the possibilities of what it is to as few decisions as possible. Sciatica, by true definition, is caused by a nerve or group of nerves originating from the lower back that have become less mobile in their path to where they end. Think of it like a hose that’s being pinched or caught somewhere. Evidence shows that this is actually a LESS COMMON problem of the lower back, and your leg pain may be originating from another, more common, spinal issue which we will discuss in another blog.

Sciatica typically presents in the following manner:

  • It feels the same every time you perform a certain activity
  • Progress or improvement of symptoms tends to be slower (weeks or months)
  • Typically accompanied with numbness or tingling

 If this sounds like a problem you are presently dealing with, we can help. We can provide the knowledge to approach the source of your problem, both through in-office management, and advisement on correcting the habits that started the problem in the first place; through self-corrective exercise and appropriate coached movement in your environment. Get informed, and get moving.

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