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Book NowKnee problems are very common; it is estimated that frequent knee pain affects about 25% of all adults. It may be caused by arthritis, an injury that hasn’t healed properly, overuse, or sometimes there is no obvious cause for the pain. For information on knee pain caused by arthritis, please click here.
Knee problems often take a long time to heal, and it is not uncommon for someone to experience some degree of pain and stiffness the rest of their life. The main reasons for this slow healing or lack of healing are
Muscles have a very good blood supply, and generally heal quickly. Bones also heal fairly quickly (usually around 6 weeks). However connective tissues such as tendons, ligaments and cartilage have a much more limited and indirect blood supply, meaning they are relatively poor in blood vessels compared to muscles. (Tendons get their blood from the connected muscles, attached bones, and outer tissue layers, while ligaments get their blood mainly from surrounding joint membranes and outer covers.) This low blood supply makes them heal very slowly after an injury. Apart from the bones, knees are mostly made up of these connective tissues.
So if a footballer injures a muscle or bone, they will be back on the field in a month or two, whereas if they have a significant tendon or ligament injury they may be out for the rest of the year.
In some ways the knee is a very simple joint, as it only moves the lower leg backward and forward in one direction. (On the other hand, the shoulder joint allows the arm to be moved in almost any direction.) The knee is actually very strong while it is moving backwards and forwards, but will start to play up if it is bent or twisted out of alignment. It is a little like having bad alignment on one of the wheels of your car- after a while your tyre will wear out or get damaged.
The main causes of misalignment of the knee are the joints above and below it, i.e. the hip and the ankle. Try standing up and turning your hips to one side; it is likely you will feel a strain in your knees. So if your hips are rotated or one hip is sitting higher than the other, this will often result in knee problems, especially on the inside of the knee.
Ankle issues that affect the knee are often due to an old ankle sprain that hasn’t healed completely. The ankle may feel completely fine with normal use, but if it is pressed carefully where the original injury occurred there will still be a tender spot there. On a subconscious level the mind recognises there is still an problem with that ankle, and will favour it a little when you walk. This will cause an increased pressure plus a more uneven pressure on the opposite knee, eventually causing damage. (So in most cases, the pain is in the opposite knee to the old ankle injury.)
Sometimes the ankle itself is fine, but if there is a misalignment of the foot with the lower leg bones it can have a similar effect.
If the alignment issues are not properly addressed, the knee will continue to be a problem, or any improvement will only be temporary.
This often involves a number of steps.
There are a large number of acupuncture points that can be used, depending on exactly what is happening with the knee. A few examples include
Tendons and ligaments are notoriously slow to heal, and in many cases they are never as good as they used to be. Sometimes there may be ongoing pain or discomfort, or the area gets sore with use, is easily damaged again, or the injury starts to play up again as the person ages. This poor healing is often due to the poor blood flow to these tissues.
However, having high doses of the right nutrients needed to repair tendons and ligaments can make a major difference to how quickly and well the damage heals. (As an example, a lady who had an old ankle injury which still caused her pain years later. She tried every therapy she could for her ankle, but none of them helped. But when she started taking the right nutrients, her ankle finally came good.)
An experienced naturopath will be able to determine the correct nutrients and dosage to help repair the damage. These nutrients will often be ‘practitioner-prescribed only’ products, which will have a stronger effect than over-the-counter products, and can only be prescribed by a therapist trained in their use. The naturopath may also prescribe natural anti-inflammatories if inflammation is an issue.
Acupuncture can also help by increasing the blood flow (and nutrients) to the area.
To properly address knee problems it is important to address all of the factors involved. We find that a combination of acupuncture and naturopathy normally produces the best results.
(Disclaimer – Please be aware that each person’s body is different, so individual results may vary. If you have an appointment at our clinic, your therapist will conduct a detailed assessment of your condition, and they will be able to advise you on how successful your treatments are likely to be. A result is not promised and/or guaranteed from the act of receiving a treatment.)
We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
The Assessment helps to identify:
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and have a great life!
(Illustration 289 above is from 'Kiiko Matsumoto's Clinical Strategies Vol. 1.)
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All this will be fully explained to you, and you can ask as many questions as you like. That way we can be sure to give you all of the right information, understanding and advice you need. Terms and conditions: This is a free, no obligation offer.