Hip and knee pain are among the most functionally limiting conditions we treat at Loop Spine & Sports Center. Unlike neck or upper back pain that patients can sometimes push through without it affecting their mobility, hip and knee pain gets in the way of everything. Walking to the train, climbing stairs, sitting through a long meeting, getting up from a chair. When the joints that carry your body weight through every step of the day are painful, the impact on daily life is immediate and significant.
For patients in the Loop and downtown Chicago, where walking is a primary mode of transportation and an active lifestyle is the norm, hip and knee pain is not something most people are willing to accept as inevitable.
Hip Pain and What Causes It
Hip pain in the chiropractic office most commonly involves the muscles and soft tissue surrounding the hip joint rather than the joint itself. The glute and piriformis complex, the hip flexors, the IT band, and the deep hip rotators are frequent sources of pain that refer into the hip, groin, and upper thigh. These conditions respond very well to a combination of chiropractic care and massage therapy.
The piriformis muscle deserves particular attention. Tightness and dysfunction in the piriformis is one of the most commonly overlooked sources of hip and glute pain, and it is also a primary cause of sciatic symptoms when the muscle compresses the sciatic nerve as it passes nearby. Many patients who come in for hip pain discover that the piriformis is a central part of the problem, and that addressing it with deep tissue massage and targeted chiropractic care produces significant relief.
Hip pain also frequently has a lumbar spine component. Restricted segments in the lower lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint can refer pain into the hip and mimic hip joint pathology. A thorough examination that includes the lumbar spine and pelvis is essential for understanding what is actually driving hip symptoms.
Knee Pain and What Causes It
Knee pain in active adults most commonly involves the tendons and soft tissue surrounding the knee rather than structural damage to the joint itself. IT band syndrome, patellofemoral pain, and knee tendinitis are among the most common presentations and all respond well to conservative care. For patients training for marathons or other endurance events, knee pain during or after training is one of the most frequent reasons they seek chiropractic care.
Like hip pain, knee pain often has a component that originates above or below the joint. Foot mechanics play a significant role in knee stress, and patients with overpronation or other foot imbalances frequently develop knee pain as a result of the altered mechanics that travel up the kinetic chain. Custom foot orthotics are a regular part of the treatment plan for knee pain patients where foot mechanics are a contributing factor.
Lumbar spine and hip dysfunction can also alter gait mechanics in ways that place abnormal stress on the knee. A comprehensive evaluation that looks at the entire lower extremity kinetic chain rather than just the painful area produces the most accurate diagnosis and the most effective treatment plan.
How We Treat Hip and Knee Pain
At Loop Spine & Sports Center hip and knee pain is treated with a combination of chiropractic adjusting of the lumbar spine, pelvis, and in some cases the hip or knee joint itself, massage therapy targeting the muscles and soft tissue surrounding the affected area, and custom foot orthotics when foot mechanics are a contributing factor. Therapeutic ultrasound is added for cases with significant tendinitis involvement.
Massage therapy is particularly important for hip and knee conditions. The deep hip musculature, IT band, and surrounding soft tissue respond well to deep tissue work, trigger point therapy, and in many cases cupping and scraping techniques that address fascial restrictions and chronic muscle tension.
What to Expect
Most hip and knee conditions that do not involve significant structural damage respond well to conservative chiropractic care. Dr. Trottier will evaluate your specific presentation during your first visit and give you an honest assessment of whether what you are dealing with is appropriate for chiropractic care or whether imaging or a referral to an orthopedic specialist is the more appropriate next step.
Ready to Move Without Pain?
New patients are welcome and can take advantage of our $75 first visit special, which includes a thorough consultation, complete spinal examination, digital x-rays if needed, and a report of findings. No pressure, no obligation. Just an honest conversation about what is going on and whether we can help.
Loop Spine & Sports Center is located at 30 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 605 in the heart of the Chicago Loop, steps from Millennium Park and accessible from every CTA train line.