Have you ever had someone tell you that their knees are "bone-on-bone?" While this is a common phrase used to describe knee issues, this isn't actually possible to not have ANY joint space left in the knee while still being able to physically walk. However, loss of joint space or inflammation of the knee joint is a very common issue. It is estimated that over 14 million people in the US have arthritis of the knee. It appears that the age range most effected by painful knee arthritis is between 45 and 64 years of age. Patients tend to lose their mobility and range of motion quickly during the different stages of osteoarthritis of the knees. Did you know that when there is no direct injury to the knee, a common place to look for the cause of knee pain and inflammation is the spine? Our spine is tied to every function of the body by creating our structural foundation. Our posture, our mobility (range of motion), and our overall bodily functions from our spinal cord all are housed in our spines. The health and care of our spine directly impacts the health and function of our entire bodies. When subluxations (or interference) are found in the cervical neck and spine, it can lead to disorders of the knee. When misalignment of the spine is left untreated, structural problems will follow, therefore leading to dysfunction of the knee. For one thing, the nerves that detect sensations in the knee are all
linked to the lower spine. That’s why sciatica pain can extend down the
leg and even cause knee pain. Pain often radiates from the lower back
when this is the case, but pain can also occur in the knee without pain
in the lower back area. A study conducted over 22 years followed patients and found that there was a direct correlation to knee arthritis to misalignment's of the spine! The study also found that the worse the patients spine was, the higher level of arthritis in the knees. While they may not have always had back pain, there was degeneration of the knees due to improper balance of the spine. Seeking chiropractic care to determine the cause of the knee pain instead of chasing symptoms of knee pain may help to correct the knee pain by correcting issues of the spine!
Yours in health,
Shimizu, M., Kobayashi, T., Chiba, H., Senoo, I., Abe, S., Matsukura, K., & Ito, H. (2020). Examination of the changes in lower extremities related to progression of adult spinal deformity: A longitudinal study of over 22 years. Scientific Reports, 10(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-020-68573-3.
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