Healthy News October 2024 Chiropractic Care Options for Knee Pain

Knee pain is all too common. While McHenry knee replacement surgery can offer relief, it is not without risks. According to a study by Iordache et al., predictive factors such as severe pain and limited mobility must be weighed against potential problems like infection, device failure, and the need for revision surgery. More specifically, the characteristics of a patient who will likely need a total knee arthroplasty due to knee osteoarthritis are being a female over 65 years of age who has high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hypertension, and fibrinogen value (a blood-clotting protein made in the liver in response to injury, infection, and inflammation) linked to low overall KSS (knee society score) and specific KSS function values averaging 56.70. (1). Good to know! For those wanting non-surgical options, innovative treatments like those based on the Cox® Flexion Distraction Decompression technique are promising. A retrospective case series by Albano (2) highlights its potential in easing knee discomfort by gently decompressing the knee joint, offering a less invasive option for those aiming to improve joint function and decrease pain. Albano treated 25 patients with knee pain. Their mean VAS (visual analog score) numbers that reflect their view of pain decreased from 7.7 to 1.8. The mean number of treatments was 5.3 over an average of 3 weeks. Acute pain patient scores went down from 8.1 to 1.1 in 4.8 treatments in 2.4 weeks while chronic knee pain patient scores decreased from 7.5 to 2.2 in 5.4 treatments in 3.3 weeks. And the best part: no unpleasant reactions! (2) Distraction of the knee follows the same principles of Cox® Technic spinal manipulation. In simplistic terms, open the joints by stretching to reduce pain! We’re ready to talk about any knee pain you may be suffering when we next see you at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Luigi Albano on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson  about the use of distraction principles based on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to reduce knee pain.

TIP OF THE MONTH: Supplement with Chondroitin Sulfate and Curcumin

You can see in the paragraph above on McHenry knee pain that an elevated ESR (sed rate) – a sign of inflammation - is a risk factor for knee replacement. Chondroitin sulfate and curcumin are two influential partners in the battle against inflammation, particularly for those suffering from conditions like knee osteoarthritis. Chondroitin sulfate has been shown to deactivate the NLRP3 inflammasome, which plays a crucial role in the inflammatory process, thereby possibly decreasing joint pain and stiffness as evidenced by the study conducted by Chang and colleagues. (3) Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is another potent anti-inflammatory agent that helps ease osteoarthritis symptoms by controlling the p38MAPK pathway, according to research by Wang et al. (4) These two have hope for many knee pain patients looking for relief from joint discomfort, helping enhance mobility and quality of life. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is ready to talk about the appropriateness of these natural compounds for you at your next visit!

Bring your knee pain (and send that of your friends and family!) to OrthoIllinois Chiropractic! We are here to help.

Schedule your McHenry chiropractic appointment now!

Thank you! Have a great October!

References for HEALTHY NEWS – October 2024