Healthy News October 2024 Chiropractic Care Options for Knee Pain

Knee pain is all too common. While Largo knee replacement surgery can offer relief, it is not risk-free. According to a study by Iordache et al., factors that predict the likelihood of replacement such as severe pain and limited mobility must be considered alongside potential problems like infection, device failure, and the need for revision surgery. More specifically, the traits of a patient who will likely need a total knee arthroplasty due to knee osteoarthritis include being 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) associated with low overall KSS (knee society score) and specific KSS function values averaging 56.70. (1). Good to know! For those seeking 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 decreasing knee discomfort by gently decompressing the knee joint, offering a less invasive alternative for those wanting to improve joint function and reduce pain. Albano treated 25 patients with knee pain. Their mean VAS (visual analog score) scores which reflect how they see their 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 dropped from 8.1 to 1.1 in 4.8 treatments in 2.4 weeks while chronic knee pain patient scores lowered 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 similar principles of Cox® Technic spinal manipulation. In simplistic terms, open the joints by stretching to ease pain! Let’s talk about any knee pain you may be experiencing at your next Largo chiropractic appointment at Hollstrom & Associates Inc!

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’ll note in the paragraph above on Largo knee pain that an elevated ESR (sed rate) – a marker of inflammation - is a risk factor for knee replacement. Chondroitin sulfate and curcumin are two powerful 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 has a key role in the inflammatory process, thereby possibly decreasing joint pain and stiffness as demonstrated by the study conducted by Chang and colleagues. (3) Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is another potent anti-inflammatory agent that helps alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms by controlling the p38MAPK pathway, according to research by Wang et al. (4) These two have hope for many knee pain patients seeking relief from joint discomfort, helping improve mobility and quality of life. Hollstrom & Associates Inc is ready to chat about the suitability of these natural compounds for you at your next visit!

Bring your knee pain (and send that of your friends and family!) to Hollstrom & Associates Inc! We’re ready to help.

Schedule your Largo chiropractic appointment today!

Thank you! Have a great October!

References for HEALTHY NEWS – October 2024