If you struggle with knee pain, you’re certainly not alone. Experiencing painful knees can be extremely uncomfortable, but fortunately, many of the aches and pains we feel week-to-week can be alleviated with gentle stretching and resting. For instance, if you hurt your knee playing sports, resting for a couple of weeks should be enough to relieve the pain.
But, what if you’re dealing with long-term knee pain? Chronic knee pain can be attributed to various conditions, such as arthritis, but in some cases, joint discomfort in this area could be a symptom of a sciatic-nerve related issue. Let’s look at this more closely.
What is the link between sciatica and knee pain?
Running from the base of your spine to your toes is the sciatic nerve, a highly important nerve that, if irritated or pinched, can cause a range of issues. Some of the most commonly reported symptoms of sciatica include lower back pain, hip weaknesses and discomfort in the legs, ankles and feet. The pain typically runs down the back of the leg, so if your knee pain is in the back of the kne and possibly travels a bit up above and below it could actually be coming from your back.
It is not uncommon for the sciatic nerve to also cause knee pain, which might manifest as a smarting or aching sensation. You may also struggle to shift your weight to the knee in question, as a compressed sciatic nerve can make your joints feel weaker.
Although sciatica could be the reason behind your knee pain, it’s important not to self-diagnose. Many different factors can cause bodily aches and pains, so it’s important to see a specialist if the discomfort doesn’t subside after a couple of weeks or if you’re struggling to walk.
What should you do if you experience knee pain?
In many cases, resting your knee will aid the repair of any damaged tissue or pulled muscles that might be causing aching or swelling. Using a compression pack is another effective way to ease muscle strain and tension.
However, if you are experiencing a long-term issue, we greatly urge you to seek professional chiropractic care. Sciatica can seriously affect your daily life, but you’ll be pleased to know that the symptoms can be alleviated with stretches and massage techniques. To avoid exacerbating the problem, we do recommend seeking a chiropractor’s advice.
Choose The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic for professional chiropractic treatment
At The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic, our experienced practitioners are well-placed to treat a range of painful problems - including sciatica. Whether knee pain is preventing you from walking or an intense lower back strain is making sleep impossible, trust our Sheffield-based team to diagnose and relieve your symptoms.
To learn more about our range of treatment options or to speak to one of our practitioners about the best course of action for you, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We look forward to helping you feel healthy again.
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