Knee Pain

Chronic Knee pain can be very scary. You want to walk, run or hike and you’re body is telling you it’s not o.k. to do that. You might be suffering from knee stiffness or pain which makes it harder to move around.
One of the main causes of knee pain is stiffness and lack of motion. In order to correct knee problems first I check the flexibility or range of motion of the bones of the knee, then I check the the movement of the patella or kneecap and lastly I check the soft tissue around the knee. The bones of the knee make four different motions-rotation, side bending, flexion and extension.
treatment of knee pain: If any of those motions are restricted I do a chiropractic adjustment to correct them. The kneecap moves inferior to superior, laterally and rotates. In order to improve the motion of the patella, I use a British osteopathic technique called Orthobionomy. For example, if there is a lack of motion inferior to superior and there is greater motion superior to inferior I will push the patella superior to inferior and hold it there for 10-30 seconds until it releases. Then I recheck the motion inferior to superior and it’s usually normal after that.
The feet can frequently cause knee problems. If you wear heels that are greater than 1/2 “ high or use rigid orthotics, you may be suffering from knee pain. Rigid orthotics are usually prescribed by podiatrists. The molds are taken in a seated, non-weight bearing position. Because they are rigid, they don’t allow for the normal movement of the feet. Wearing high heels or using rigid orthotics causes the navicular bone in the arch of the foot to go out of alignment. This then causes the medial menicus of the knee to become swollen and painful. The sacrum (tailbone) and atlas (upper neck) also go out of alignment. To correct this problem I adjust the navicular, the medial meniscus, the sacrum and the atlas (upper neck) very gently with an activator. If you need support for your feet, I can set a cast for flexible orthotics which will help your feet without hurting your knees or back.
There are three types of soft tissue that surround the knee-muscle, fascia and trigger points. I do sports massage on all soft tissue problems. First I check the motion of the area of the muscle that’s tight. Then I gently thrust the muscle in the direction that’s restricted until it’s freed up. Next, I check the fascia which is the covering of the muscle. The fascia moves in various directions. I stretch the fascia in the direction that’s restricted. Lastly, I check for trigger points. These are knots in the muscle. If you have a pain underneath your kneecap it’s usually due to a trigger point above the kneecap. I discovered this on my own body after feeling tightness in my upper leg after running. After adjusting the bones of the knee and freeing up the soft tissue, I teach my patients how to stretch the leg muscles surrounding the knee. This gives them a tool for self-healing. All of this helps to speed up the healing of the knee, so you can walk, run and hike again pain-free.
You might ask "When should I opt for drugs or surgery and when should I try chiropractic?"  When it comes to health problems there are always two options drugs and surgery (the allopathic medical model) or chiropractic, massage or nutrition -the holistic natural model. Common sense would tell you to try the least invasive, safest procedure first and the riskiest, more possible side effects option second. 
If you are suffering from knee pain, please call me for a free consultation at 510-558-0164 or e-mail me at drrettner@sbcglobal.net I would love a chance to relieve your symptoms and help you to achieve a happier, healthier life style. Thank you.
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