Knee Pain Specialist

What causes knee pain?

Knee pain often develops because of osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that encases the joint bones erodes over the years. 

As this erosion occurs, the bones come closer and closer to each other until they’re rubbing together and causing severe pain. Bone-on-bone connections in your knee joints can lead to bone spurs, tiny pointed growths of extra bone that can increase your pain further. 

Osteoarthritis mainly appears after the age of 50, but can also appear much earlier in life. For example, young athletes are prone to osteoarthritis because they consistently place considerable stress and pressure on their hips, which can speed cartilage breakdown.

Other causes of knee pain can include strains, sprains, inflammation, and tears within the soft tissues — ligaments, tendons, and muscles — around your knee joints.

When should I see a doctor about knee pain?

Knee pain is often highly disruptive, so it’s generally better to see Dr. Foreit for help sooner rather than later. If your knee pain affects the way you walk, stand, climb, or if you’re scared to depend upon your knees to support you, it’s time to get help.

How is knee pain treated?

As an osteopathic physician, Dr. Foreit focuses on helping your body heal. The key treatment approaches at Focused Pain Relief are:

Osteopathic manipulative treatment

Studies show that osteopathic manipulation — the hands-on approach that Dr. Foreit specializes in — is an effective knee pain treatment. In osteopathic manipulative treatment, Dr. Foreit uses a variety of stretching, resistance, and pressure movements to restore knee balance, ease pain, and restore function.

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy injections use natural substances like dextrose to stimulate an inflammatory response in your knee, triggering the growth of new tissue to reinforce and strengthen injured tissue.

Viscoelastic hydrogel therapy

Viscoelastic hydrogel treatments are injections of a thick substance with a gel-like consistency. This viscoelastic hydrogel essentially replaces the cartilage lost to osteoarthritis, so it works as a lubricant and shock absorber to significantly reduce knee pain. The effects of viscoelastic hydrogel injections can last for up to six months.

Learn more about nonsurgical treatments for knee pain by calling Focused Pain Relief or click the provided link to request an appointment today.