Causes of Knee Pain
In addition to acute injuries, some of the more common causes of knee pain include arthritis, ligament injuries, cartilage injuries, tendonitis, and gout. You may experience a variety of different syndromes and diseases, like Osgood-Schlatter Disease (irritation of the growth plate at the front of the joint as seen in adolescents) for example.
For each of these, it is important to consult with a medical professional for further advice and treatment. They may recommend strengthening exercises, for instance, that will help to stabilize the knee joint during daily activities. They may also recommend knee braces and other related devices to provide the same kind of stability to the knee joint.
That said, it is important to look beyond just the knee when thinking about knee pain. More specifically, one of the leading cases of knee pain is a misalignment of the lower leg. This is oftentimes due to imperfections in the foot, making for an inadequate foundation for standing, walking, running, and other activities.
When the feet are not aligned correctly, added strain is placed on the lower leg, the upper leg, the hips, the back, and indeed even the knees. With each step, the arch of the foot flattens. This is called pronation. With overpronation, the arch flattens too much or the foot “rolls in” too much, creating a misalignment and putting strain on the tibia and fibula bones in the lower leg. These in turn increase stress on the knee joint.
Vancouver Orthotics & Knee Pain
Thankfully, custom orthotics can greatly alleviate many different types of knee. With our chiropractor, you can determine if orthotics would be a good fit to help with your knee pain. Orthotics can work to compensate for imperfections in the foot structure. As a result, the foot is better supported and, in turn, the rest of the body is better supported.
While an orthotic insert cannot eliminate existing pain, it can also act as preventative medicine to minimize any further pain.
