What Does a Chiropractor Do for Knee Pain?
If you've been struggling with knee pain that limits your daily activities, you might be wondering whether chiropractic care can help. The good news? Chiropractors offer a natural, hands-on approach to knee pain relief that goes beyond just treating symptoms.
Whether you are suffering from sports injuries, arthritis or everyday wear and tear, we understand how knee pain can hold you back from the activities you enjoy. At Forma Health & Rehabilitation, we focus on restoring movement and function. Read on to understand how chiropractic care can support your recovery.
Understanding Knee Pain and Its Causes
Your knee is one of the most complex joints in your body. It bears the weight of your upper body while allowing you to bend, straighten, walk, run, and jump.
When something goes wrong, even simple tasks like climbing stairs become challenging.
Common causes of knee pain include:
Osteoarthritis
Wear and tear of the protective cartilage in the knee joint
Sports injuries
Ligament strains, meniscus tears, or overuse injuries like runner's knee
Patellar tendonitis
Inflammation of the tendon connecting your kneecap to your shinbone
Poor posture and alignment
Imbalances in your hips or lower back placing extra stress on your knees
Bursitis
Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion your knee joint
The reality is that knee pain rarely happens in isolation. Often, issues in your hips, ankles, or lower back contribute to the problem. This is where chiropractic care shines, by looking at your whole body rather than just where it hurts.
How Chiropractors Approach Knee Pain
At Forma Health & Rehabilitation in Broadmeadow, our approach to knee pain follows a clear process designed to not only reduce your discomfort but also prevent it from returning. Our Osteopathy treatments help address joint restrictions and muscular imbalances that commonly contribute to ongoing knee pain.
Comprehensive Assessment
Your first visit begins with a thorough physical examination. We'll review your medical history, assess your movement patterns, and identify any biomechanical issues contributing to your knee pain. This might include checking your posture, gait, and the alignment of your hips, pelvis, and spine.
Finding the root cause matters. Sometimes, knee pain stems from tight hip muscles, poor ankle mobility, or even lower back dysfunction.
Treatments at Forma Health & Rehabilitation
1. Chiropractic Adjustments and Mobilisation
One of the primary techniques chiropractors use for knee pain is joint manipulation and mobilisation. These manual therapies involve applying controlled force to specific joints to improve alignment, reduce stress on the knee, and restore proper movement.
When your knee joint or surrounding joints aren't moving correctly, it creates compensation patterns that can worsen pain. Chiropractic adjustments help realign these joints, taking pressure off irritated tissues and allowing your body to move more naturally.
2. Soft Tissue Techniques
Knee pain often involves more than just the joint itself. Tight muscles, trigger points, and fascial restrictions can all contribute to your discomfort. Chiropractors use several soft tissue techniques:
3. Trigger point therapy
Applying precise pressure to painful knots in muscles around the knee.
4. Deep tissue massage and Ultrasound and interferential therapy
Releasing tension in muscles like your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves and reducing joint inflammation and pain.
These techniques help improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and restore flexibility to the muscles supporting your knee.
Rehabilitation Exercises and Strengthening
Getting out of pain is just the starting point. To prevent your knee pain from returning, you need to rebuild strength, control, and stability in the muscles that support your knee joint.
Your chiropractor will prescribe specific exercises designed to:
Strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip muscles
Improve your balance and proprioception (your body's sense of joint position)
Enhance your movement patterns for better knee function
Build load tolerance so your knee can handle daily activities
At Forma Health & Rehabilitation, we follow a structured rehabilitation process. Once we've helped calm your symptoms (Reset), we focus on building the foundation that prevents flare-ups (Rebuild), and if you're looking for more, we help you achieve higher performance and resilience (Perform).
Posture and Movement Correction
Poor posture doesn't just affect your back. When your body is out of alignment, it creates uneven forces through your legs and knees. Chiropractors can identify these postural imbalances and work with you to correct them through ergonomic advice, footwear recommendations, and movement pattern retraining.
What to Expect During Treatment
Most people experience some improvement after just a few sessions, though the exact timeline depends on the severity and cause of your knee pain. Acute injuries may respond quickly, while chronic conditions like osteoarthritis need ongoing management.
Your chiropractor will work with you to develop a realistic treatment plan tailored to your specific needs, goals, and lifestyle.
Is Chiropractic Care Right for Your Knee Pain?
Chiropractic care works particularly well for knee pain caused by:
Joint dysfunction and misalignment
Muscle imbalances and weakness
Overuse injuries
Post-injury rehabilitation
Arthritis management
If you've been told to "just rest" or take painkillers with no long-term improvement, or if knee pain is limiting your work, sport, or daily activities, chiropractic care offers a practical, evidence-based solution.
Take the Next Step Towards Pain-Free Movement
Living with knee pain doesn't have to be your reality. At Forma Health & Rehabilitation, we've been helping people recover from injury, manage pain, and move better for over 25 years.
Whether you're an athlete dealing with a sports injury, an office worker struggling with knee stiffness, or someone managing ongoing arthritis pain, our team combines decades of clinical experience with advanced functional assessments and chiropractic rehabilitation to restore your body to peak health and performance.
Ready to address your knee pain properly? Book an appointment at our Broadmeadow clinic and discover how hands-on chiropractic care, targeted rehabilitation, and movement-focused treatment can help you get back to what matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a chiropractor assess knee pain?
A chiropractor looks beyond the knee itself. Assessment typically includes your movement patterns, posture, gait, and how the knee interacts with the hips, ankles, and spine to identify the underlying cause of pain or dysfunction.
What treatments do chiropractors use for knee pain?
Treatment may include gentle joint adjustments, soft tissue therapy, mobility work, and targeted exercises. Care is tailored to restore movement, improve stability, and reduce strain on the knee joint.
Can chiropractic care help prevent future knee pain?
Yes. By improving movement mechanics, strength, and neuromuscular control, chiropractic care can help reduce the risk of recurring knee pain and support long-term joint health.
