Is knee pain your ever-present companion? Or maybe you’ve just started experiencing knee pain symptoms? Either way, it’s crucial to consider where the knee hurts. It gives you clues about what’s causing knee pain and what to do about it. Knee pain medial (or medial knee pain if you prefer) should never be ignored.
It not only brings discomfort. Lack of mobility keeps you from doing what you love, which can make the pain worse over time.
Find out what’s causing your knee pain now!
What Is Medial Knee Pain?
Medial knee pain refers to the discomfort felt on the inner side of the knee closest to the other knee.
So, which side is the medial side of knee? Left or right? This can cause some confusion when you Google search “what causes knee pain left side” or “knee pain right side”.
Instead of thinking right or left, realize that the knees mirror each other!
This part of the knee is called “medial” because the medial collateral ligament (MCL) connects the thigh bone to the shin bone on the inner sides of each knee. If you’re experiencing knee pain inside (between your knees), this ligament is what you feel.
On the other hand, if you have knee pain on the outside, that’s lateral knee pain. You’re feeling the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL).
Anatomy of Medial Knee Pain
Where is medial knee pain? That’s not a trick question.
It often originates as knee pain inside below the kneecap. But it can extend to the upper leg.
The pain might worsen with specific movements. So, you may have knee pain walking up stairs, knee pain on the side when bending, or medial knee pain with flexion (trying to bend your knee as far as it goes).
The inner side of your knee might be tender to touch.
To learn more about the anatomy of knee pain, here are more resources you’ll want to check out.
What Causes Pain on the Inner Side of Knee?
Sudden Inner Knee Pain
3 common events lead to sudden knee pain medial:
- Falls
- Sports injuries, like a medial collateral ligament injury
- A sudden increase in activity without adequately preparing the body
Chances are one of the above culprits is to blame if this is a new pain.
Ongoing Inner Knee Pain
Knee pain medial can also be an ongoing issue with the musculoskeletal system, like these:
- Osteoarthritis is a slow degeneration of joint tissue accompanied by a slowing repair rate as you age. While it’s associated with age, factors like excess weight (muscle or fat), lack of exercise, and poor spinal alignment can significantly hasten the degeneration an individual experiences, if any.
- Torn meniscus (cartilage) may occur when the knee is not properly supported by strong leg muscles.
- Pes anserine bursitis is inflammation of the fluid-filled bursa that reduces ligament friction, usually caused by improper knee alignment or weak leg muscles.
- Medial plica irritation. Media plica are folds in the joint that cover the knee. The constant rubbing can cause them to thicken and become less pliable, usually caused by poor body alignment.
As you can see, it’s all connected. The musculoskeletal system is complex. When something goes wrong in one area, other tissues must overcompensate. This leads to chronic pain throughout the body.
You can learn more about how these misalignments contribute to your pain, and what we can do about it when you Schedule an initial consultation for evaluation and first treatment.
What Are the Symptoms of Knee Pain Medial?
Symptoms of inner knee pain include:
- Sudden pain on the inside of the knee (injury-related)
- Swelling
- Knee pain inside when bending.
- Bruising
- Instability
- Stiffness
- Difficulty walking
- Locking of knee joint
- Feeling like your knee is going to “give out” when you stand up
- Cracking in the knee
how to treat medial knee pain
Chiropractic care offers non-invasive, drug-free, and effective options for alleviating medial knee pain. We first perform a thorough examination to identify the root cause of your pain. We then apply manual techniques to adjust and manipulate the affected areas, promoting natural healing.
Treatments for Medial Knee Pain
Each chiropractic treatment plan is unique. We design one specifically to help you achieve your goals. A chiropractic treatment plan for knee pain may include:
Chiropractic Adjustments
You may think of the back when we say “chiropractor”. And we won’t diminish the importance of the back because that’s where the spine is. But chiropractors are trained in “whole body” alignment. When the mechanical issues with the body are fixed, the body can start healing itself.
Learning Proper Form
Posture is more than how you sit or stand upright. You need to move so your posture is dynamic. Every activity you perform requires posture. When you bend, lift, squat, reach, pick something up, turn, and more, you’re applying a posture technique.
If this technique is off-balance, weight is unevenly distributed. Some tissues strengthen more than others, causing misalignment. So, re-learning how to move effectively is essential.
We show you how as part of your knee pain treatment plan! And we send you home with an exercise plan to practice and strengthen supporting tissues.
To get your comprehensive knee pain evaluation and first treatment, schedule an initial consultation.
Ultrasound therapy
Ultrasound is a well-established healing practice. We use a device to send sound waves at 800,000 Hz and 2,000,000 Hz through your knee. This can reduce swelling and promote blood flow to oxygen and nutrient-starved tissues.
Stretching for Relief
Stretches targeting the inner side of your knee can help alleviate knee pain medial. Gently stretching the muscles around the knee joint and hip can improve flexibility and reduce tension. Your Truspine chiropractor guides you with specific medial knee pain stretches that suit your condition.
Knee on Trac
Knee on TracTM is a specialized traction device we use in the office to isolate and strengthen knee tissues. It ensures your knee movements use proper form while taking the knee through a set of static and intermittent movements. This helps ensure the knee is not re-injured during exercises, while reducing any discomfort your may feel.
Download our Knee on Trac Brochure.
Sports Medicine
In the short term, our focus is reducing pain and helping your body heal. But we also want to prevent future injuries. Your inner knee pain treatment plan may include developing a training strategy to reduce your risk of future injury. Sports medicine is for everyone. Athletes and weekend warriors alike.
Getting Back to What You Love
With each treatment, you’ll feel less pain. You can move with ease and get back to activities you enjoy. This “getting back to what you love” is vital to the healing process. As you do, you’ll strengthen the surrounding muscles and other tissues to support and maintain alignment. This can provide you with long-term relief from the annoyance of knee pain.
Why Chiropractic Care for Knee Pain Is Different
Chiropractic care stands out due to its emphasis on functional healing without medications. Unlike medications that may have side effects, chiropractic treatments target the root cause of the pain.
This means that as chiropractors, we not only focus on the symptoms. We aim to identify any underlying issues contributing to your medial knee pain. This approach can lead to long-term improvement and prevention of future injuries.
Let’s fix this at the source!
Sometimes, pain in the knee can be referred from the hip. Very often, misalignments in the spine contribute to poor knee alignment.
So, we address all of it to provide whole-body pain relief, increased mobility, and improved function.
What’s more, when you choose Truspine for your chiropractic care, you get an evaluation plus your first treatment on the same day. We want to get you on the path to relief quickly.
Embracing a Life without Knee Pain
Medial knee pain shouldn’t hold you back from living your life to the fullest. With chiropractic care, you can address the pain on the inner side of your knee and regain your mobility.
If you’re struggling with knee pain on the inner side, chiropractic care provides a promising avenue for relief. By targeting the root causes of your pain, chiropractors can help you overcome discomfort and improve your overall quality of life. Say goodbye to persistent knee pain and embrace a pain-free, active lifestyle with chiropractic solutions.
Let our Truspine chiropractors get to the root cause of your knee pain. Schedule an initial consultation and get your first treatment same day!
