HELP FOR KNEE PAIN
Knee pain is common, too common. While Sitka
knee replacement surgery can offer relief, it is not risk-free. According to a study by Iordache et al., factors that predict the likelihood
of replacement such as severe pain and limited mobility
must be considered alongside potential complications
like infection, device failure, and the necessity of revision surgery. More specifically,
the features of a patient likely
requiring a total knee arthroplasty due to knee osteoarthritis are being a female over 65 years of age who has high erythrocyte
sedimentation rate (ESR), hypertension, and fibrinogen value (a blood-clotting
protein produced in the liver in response to injury, infection, and
inflammation) linked to low overall KSS (knee society
score) and specific KSS function values averaging 56.70. (1). Good to know! For
those seeking non-surgical options, innovative
treatments like those based on the Cox® Flexion Distraction Decompression
technique are promising. A retrospective case series by
Albano (2) highlights its potential in alleviating knee
discomfort by gently decompressing the knee joint, presenting a
less invasive alternative for those aiming to improve
joint function and decrease pain. Albano treated 25 patients with
knee pain. Their mean VAS (visual analog score) numbers which
reflect how they see their pain dropped from 7.7 to 1.8. The mean number of
treatments was 5.3 over an average of 3 weeks. Acute pain patient scores went
down from 8.1 to 1.1 in 4.8 treatments in 2.4 weeks while
chronic knee pain patient scores dropped from 7.5 to
2.2 in 5.4 treatments in 3.3 weeks. And the best part: no adverse
reactions! (2) Distraction of the knee follows similar principles
of Cox® Technic spinal manipulation. In simplistic terms, open the
joints by stretching to ease pain! Let’s talk
about any knee pain you may be experiencing at your next Sitka chiropractic appointment
at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka!
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Luigi Albano on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about the utilization of distraction
principles based on The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to ease knee
pain.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Supplement with Chondroitin Sulfate and Curcumin
You can see in the paragraph
above on Sitka knee pain that an elevated ESR
(sed rate) – a marker of inflammation - is a risk factor
for knee replacement. Chondroitin sulfate and curcumin are two influential
allies in the battle against inflammation, particularly
for those experiencing conditions like knee osteoarthritis.
Chondroitin sulfate has been shown to deactivate the NLRP3 inflammasome, which has
a key role in the inflammatory process, thereby possibly
easing joint pain and stiffness as evidenced by the study done by Chang and
colleagues. (3) Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is another strong
anti-inflammatory agent that helps ease osteoarthritis symptoms
by modulating the p38MAPK pathway, according to research by
Wang et al. (4) These two have hope for many knee
pain sufferers seeking relief from joint
discomfort, helping improve mobility and quality of life. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
is ready to chat about the suitability of these
natural compounds for you at your next visit!
Bring your knee pain (and send that of your friends and
family!) to Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka! We are ready to help.
Schedule your Sitka chiropractic
appointment today!
Thank you! Have a great October!
References for HEALTHY NEWS – October 2024