Knee pain is a common problem, especially for many older adults. Over the years, your knees endure a lot of wear and tear as you fight against gravity to move and walk. Over time, aging of the knee joints is inevitable but other factors can make you more susceptible to pain. Osteoarthritis, injury, excess body weight and lack of muscle strength and flexibility can all cause or contribute to knee problems.

A previous injury or continuous repetitive stress from an activity can also result in acute, recurring or chronic pain. When exercising, try to vary your activities so the knees do not endure a repetitive motion.

If you are over-weight, putting extra stress on your knees puts you at risk for knee pain, as well. Excess body weight not only accelerates joint deterioration but also increases your risk of osteoarthritis.

Weak or inflexible muscles don’t safely support the full range of motion of your knees. You will be at a greater risk for injury. Be sure to strengthen both your upper and lower leg muscles and frequently stretch them so they remain supple.

Try some of these tactics to prevent a future knee issue or reduce a current one. If you need advice with knee braces or shoes please contact us for an appointment

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The most common description of knee pain is a condition called Patello-Femoral Syndrome. It is pain that is occurring between the knee cap and thigh bone. This causes pain in the front of the knee and sometimes a grinding or crunching sensation. Knee pain is usually caused by wear and tear stemming from age and over-use. Over time the cartilage under the knee cap will soften and result in tissue breakdown leading to pain in the knee joint.

Can custom orthotics help alleviate knee pain? The answer is yes. Custom orthotics can significantly reduce or even eliminate knee pain by changing foot biomechanics and correcting misalignment. How do wearing custom orthotics achieve this? They are worn on the feet?

Custom orthotics help knee pain in the following ways:

-The material custom orthotics are made of absorbs excess shock and reduces stress on the foot and ankle during movement. Custom orthotics also changes how stress is distributed in your foot which can change the force put on the knee

-custom orthotics can compensate for biomechanics or structural deficiencies in your ankles or feet which create abnormal movement patterns. By limiting the motion, custom orthotics can reduce the wear on joints.

-custom orthotics can also change the alignment of your knees by controlling pronation and supination of the foot. Excessive pronation or supination can cause the lower leg and knee to rotate abnormally inwards or outwards. Over-pronation is very common and affects an estimated 70% of the population. Those who over-pronate also can experience frequent ankle sprains, shin splints, hip pain, pain in arches, leg pains and lower back pain.

If you are experiencing knee pain and would like to be fitted for custom orthotics, please contact our office for an appointment.

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Injuries sustained by individuals while playing high intensity sports or participating in demanding physical activities, such as a marathons, are usually more serious in nature compared to someone who just hurts themselves at home. More people increasingly participating in physical activities to better their health but at the same time they are also subjecting themselves to injuries. Many people live with with pain from injuries sustained while playing sports or other physical activities because they don’t want to give up the activity.

So how do we reduce our risk for injury? We all have been exposed to various techniques such as warming up, stretching, wearing protective equipment or not performing dangerous moves. But what many people don’t know is that footwear plays a large role in the occurrence of injuries Many people unknowingly wear the wrong footwear for their foot type or activity. If you are participating in an activity with fast, vigorous movements the type of footwear you wear is a very important decision. Contact us and we will be able to help you determine what shoe best fits you.

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Can back or knee pain be caused by issues in your feet? The answer is absolutely! But how do you determine when foot issues are the cause of back or knee pain. Well, that answer isn’t as simple. Although, most causes of pain stem from the body part in pain (ie back pain is usually related to muscles in the back or an alignment issue in the back). Some complex causes of back pain or knee pain can be a result of abnormal biomechanics in the feet.

Do you answer YES to these questions it may be time to check your feet to see if they are causing your back and knee pain.

Have had knee pain or back pain for over 6 months or even years?
Have you had treatment for the issue without any relief or does the treatment only help for a short period of time but the pain eventually returns?

The feet are the structural support for the entire body. How many hours do you spend on your feet? I’m guessing a lot! The way you walk maybe causing stress to specific joints ie the knees or backs, leading to back pain or knee pain. Correcting the underlying issue with orthotics and supporting the proper alignment in the foot can often result in relief of issues up the kinetic chain. What is the kinetic chain? This is referring to the link between your feet, ankle, knees, back and neck. The chain begins at your feet and goes all the way up, and the other joints are links in the chain. If there is a kink in the chain beginning at the feet it can cause issues or problem up the link or into other joints. Therefore any one who has chronic issues in their back or knees without a specific injury should have their feet examined. Contact us to make an appointment.

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