Spring is here and it’s time to enjoy the activities you love. If knee pain is keeping you from being fully active, here are some natural, healthy ways to heal quickly.

Check Your Back

As we age, the discs between the bones in our spine (vertebrae) become less viscous, encouraging the disc to seep out and stimulate nerves in other areas of the body, possibly causing pain to radiate in the back, buttock and leg. This can happen with or without an obvious injury to the area, so patients may not even be aware of the condition.

This means that pinched nerves in the back, which are connected to the leg and knee, can also cause pain and inflammation in those areas. Chiropractic care can correct this structural misalignment in the lower back, alleviating knee pain by eliminating the nerve pressure and enabling the knee to heal.  

Core Stabilization Exercises 

Once the structural alignment is corrected, the supporting muscles surrounding the spine should be strengthened to keep the back from pushing the disc back out onto the nerve affecting the knee. A chiropractor teaches patients core exercises to strengthen the spine and surrounding muscles in order to maintain proper posture, support the adjustment and heal the injured tissue.

Proper Nutrition

Diet can also cause inflammation and pain. Seventy percent of the immune system is located in the gut. The immune system, along with the detoxification organs (liver, kidney, small intestine, skin) are the primary organs involved with injury and healing.  

Foods that irritate the gut can causes inflammation which exacerbates joint pain. Dietary changes like eliminating gluten, sugar, and dairy could help. Adding nutrient-dense foods like vegetables will help replenish what is missing to further reduce inflammation.  Consulting with the Functional Health practitioner on our staff can help patients determine the individual dietary changes required for healing.

PEMF Therapy 

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) is a groundbreaking treatment that can quickly reduce and eliminate knee pain. PEMF works by delivering a resonating magnetic field of energy to the blood, muscle, cartilage and joints to reduce inflammation and pain. It does this by stimulating cells to expel toxins, enabling nutrients and oxygen to reach the cells for natural healing.

PEMF has been used effectively for 60 years. The International Olympic Committee approved PEMF for athletes, and it has been used by U.S. and International sports leagues. Many professional athletes, including the late Muhammad Ali along with Shaquille O’Neill and Terrell Owens, have been advocates for this therapy. It was also featured on an episode of the Dr. Ozshow. 

Studies have shown PEMF to be effective in improving knee pain within one to two weeks. A complimentary consultation and first treatment in our office helps patients determine a treatment plan. 

Dr. Sylvia A. Bidwell, DC, of Bidwell Chiropractic, located at 212 W. Rte. 38, Ste. 100, has been practicing chiropractic medicine in the Moorestown area for more than 25 years. She is currently offering an “A-Z knee healing” protocol incorporating the treatments discussed in this article. For more information, call 856-273-1551, or visit Bidwell-Chiropractic.com.