Knee Pain Treatment in Frisco, TX

Knee pain can come from the knee itself, but determining why the knee hurts is often more important than simply treating the painful area. Problems involving the joint, meniscus, tendons, surrounding muscles, or kneecap mechanics can produce knee pain, while changes in the hip, pelvis, ankle, or foot can sometimes affect how forces travel through the knee.

At Venn Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Frisco, Dr. Jason Venn evaluates knee pain by looking at how the knee is moving, where the symptoms are occurring, how the problem started, and whether another part of the lower extremity may be contributing to the mechanical stress on the knee.

With more than 25 years of chiropractic experience, Dr. Jason Venn uses examination findings to determine whether the problem appears appropriate for conservative chiropractic and extremity adjusting, whether spinal rehabilitation may be helpful, or whether the findings suggest that medical imaging or an orthopedic evaluation should come first.

This distinction is especially important with knee pain because not every painful knee should simply be adjusted. A mechanical joint problem, an overuse injury, significant arthritis, an acute ligament injury, and a suspected meniscus tear can require very different approaches.

The goal is to determine what appears to be causing the knee pain and choose the appropriate next step based on what Dr. Venn finds.

What Can Cause Knee Pain?

Knee pain is a symptom rather than a specific diagnosis. The knee contains bones, cartilage, menisci, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and several joint surfaces that work together during walking, running, squatting, climbing stairs, and other everyday movements.

Depending on how the problem started and where the pain is located, possible causes of knee pain can include:

• Patellofemoral pain and problems involving how the kneecap moves
• Tendon irritation or overuse injuries
• Sprains involving the ligaments that stabilize the knee
• Meniscus injuries
• Osteoarthritis and degenerative changes within the knee
• Restricted or abnormal joint mechanics
• Muscle weakness or imbalance affecting movement
• Problems involving the hip, pelvis, ankle, or foot that alter the way the knee is loaded

An acute traumatic knee injury can require a very different approach than gradually developing knee pain. A patient whose knee became swollen and unstable after twisting during a sport, for example, should not automatically be treated the same way as someone whose knee gradually began hurting while walking, running, or climbing stairs.

Dr. Venn considers how the pain began, exactly where it is located, what movements aggravate it, whether swelling or instability is present, and how the knee and surrounding joints are functioning.

The important question is not simply “Does the knee hurt?” It is what appears to be causing the knee to hurt and whether that problem is appropriate for chiropractic care.

What Knee Pain Symptoms Can Tell Us

Where knee pain occurs and what activities provoke it can provide useful clues about which structures may be involved. Two patients can both say “my knee hurts” while having very different problems.

Symptoms Dr. Venn may evaluate include:

• Pain in the front, inside, outside, or back of the knee
• Pain around or underneath the kneecap
• Pain when walking, running, squatting, or climbing stairs
• Stiffness or reduced knee movement
• Swelling around the knee
• Clicking, popping, catching, or locking
• A feeling that the knee may buckle or give way
• Difficulty fully bending or straightening the knee
• Pain after sitting for prolonged periods
• Pain that develops or worsens with sports or repetitive activity

The pattern matters. Pain around the kneecap during stairs or squatting, for example, presents differently from a knee that suddenly becomes swollen and unstable after a twisting injury.

Dr. Venn also looks beyond the painful area when appropriate. The hip, pelvis, ankle, and foot all influence how forces move through the lower extremity, so altered mechanics elsewhere can sometimes contribute to repeated stress at the knee.

For athletes, the examination may also consider how the knee behaves during the movements associated with the patient’s sport rather than evaluating the knee only while the patient is sitting or lying down.

Is the Problem Actually Coming From the Knee?

Pain felt at the knee does not always mean that the knee is the only area contributing to the problem. The hip, pelvis, ankle, and foot are part of the same mechanical chain, and changes in one area can alter the way forces are transferred through the knee.

For example, restricted hip movement, altered pelvic mechanics, or abnormal foot and ankle function may change the way the leg moves during walking, running, squatting, or other activities. In some patients, these mechanical changes can increase stress on an already irritated knee.

This does not mean that every knee problem originates somewhere else. Arthritis, meniscus injuries, ligament injuries, tendon problems, and other conditions can originate directly within the knee.

That is why Dr. Venn evaluates the knee itself while also considering the surrounding joints and movement patterns when the examination indicates they may be relevant.

The goal is to determine whether the knee is the primary problem, whether mechanics elsewhere may be contributing to it, or whether both are occurring at the same time.

How Does Dr. Venn Evaluate Knee Pain?

Before recommending treatment, Dr. Venn evaluates the knee to determine what appears to be causing the symptoms and whether the problem is appropriate for chiropractic care.

The evaluation may include:

• How and when the knee pain began
• The location and pattern of the pain
• Knee range of motion and joint mechanics
• Areas of tenderness, swelling, or restriction
• Stability of the knee when ligament involvement is suspected
• Movements or activities that reproduce the symptoms
• Strength and function of the muscles surrounding the knee
• Hip, pelvis, ankle, or foot mechanics when they may be contributing to the problem
• Neurological findings when symptoms suggest the problem may not be isolated to the knee

Dr. Venn also considers whether the history suggests an acute injury that may require additional imaging or medical evaluation. A knee that became significantly swollen, unstable, or unable to bear weight after an injury, for example, requires different clinical considerations than gradually developing mechanical knee pain.

When the findings indicate that the problem is appropriate for conservative chiropractic care, treatment can be based on the specific mechanical problems identified during the examination.

If the examination suggests a significant ligament injury, meniscus injury, fracture, advanced joint damage, or another problem requiring medical or orthopedic evaluation, Dr. Venn will recommend that rather than simply proceeding with chiropractic treatment.

How Does Chiropractic Care Address Knee Pain?

When knee pain appears to involve mechanical joint dysfunction that is appropriate for chiropractic care, Dr. Venn’s treatment is based on the specific findings from the examination rather than using the same treatment for every painful knee.

One treatment option may be extremity adjusting. Just as joints in the spine can develop restricted or abnormal motion, joints of the extremities can also lose normal mechanics. Dr. Venn evaluates the knee and surrounding joints to determine whether a specific mechanical restriction is present before deciding whether an adjustment is appropriate.

Depending on the findings, care may include:

• Specific adjustments to the knee or other involved extremity joints when appropriate
• Addressing relevant mechanical problems in the hip, pelvis, ankle, or foot
• Spinal rehabilitation or corrective exercises to improve strength, stability, and movement
• Recommendations for modifying activities that repeatedly aggravate the knee
• Periodic reassessment to determine whether pain, mobility, stability, and function are improving

Dr. Venn does not adjust a knee simply because it hurts. The purpose of an extremity adjustment is to address a specific joint-mechanics problem identified during the examination.

Likewise, treatment elsewhere in the lower extremity is recommended only when the examination indicates that those mechanics are relevant to the patient’s knee problem.

What if My Knee Pain Is From Arthritis?

Knee osteoarthritis can involve progressive changes in the cartilage and other structures of the joint. These changes may contribute to pain, stiffness, reduced mobility, swelling, and difficulty with activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or getting up from a chair.

Chiropractic care does not reverse osteoarthritis or regrow damaged knee cartilage. However, the amount of degeneration seen on an X-ray does not always tell us everything about why a particular patient is hurting or how well the knee is functioning.

Dr. Venn evaluates how the knee moves, where the pain occurs, how much function has been lost, and whether mechanical problems in the knee or surrounding joints may be contributing to the patient’s symptoms.

For appropriately selected patients, conservative care may focus on improving joint mechanics, maintaining or improving mobility, strengthening and stabilizing the surrounding musculature, and helping the patient perform everyday activities with less difficulty.

The goal when treating a patient with knee arthritis is not to claim that the arthritis has been removed. It is to determine which mechanical and functional problems may still be improved despite the degenerative changes that are present.

If the severity of the arthritis or the patient’s examination findings indicate that chiropractic care is unlikely to be appropriate or sufficient, Dr. Venn may recommend additional medical or orthopedic evaluation.

Knee Pain in Athletes

Athletes can develop knee pain from a sudden injury, but many knee problems develop gradually from repetitive loading, training volume, or changes in how the lower extremity moves during running, jumping, cutting, squatting, and other athletic activities.

Common sports-related knee complaints may involve pain around the kneecap, tendon irritation, overuse injuries, joint restriction, or mechanical problems that become noticeable only during higher-demand movements.

When evaluating an athlete with knee pain, Dr. Venn considers not only where the knee hurts but also what movement produces the symptoms and what the athlete needs the knee to be able to do.

The examination may therefore consider knee stability and mobility along with relevant mechanics involving the hip, pelvis, ankle, and foot. When appropriate, sports chiropractic care and rehabilitation can then be directed toward the mechanical and functional problems identified during the examination.

Acute sports injuries require additional caution. Significant swelling, instability, inability to bear weight, a knee that locks, or symptoms following a forceful twisting or impact injury may indicate a ligament, meniscus, fracture, or other injury that requires additional imaging or orthopedic evaluation.

The goal is not simply to get an athlete’s pain down enough to return to activity. It is to determine whether the knee can tolerate the demands of that activity and whether the problems identified during the examination are actually improving.

What Improvement Can Look Like With Knee Pain

Improvement in knee pain should be measured by more than how the knee feels immediately after treatment. Dr. Venn also looks at whether the movements and activities that were originally difficult are becoming easier.

Depending on the patient’s condition, signs of meaningful progress may include:

• Less pain during walking or standing
• Improved ability to bend and straighten the knee
• Less discomfort when climbing or descending stairs
• Improved ability to squat, kneel, or get up from a chair
• Less stiffness after sitting or resting
• Improved knee stability and confidence during movement
• Better tolerance for work, exercise, or recreational activities
• Improved ability to run, jump, or perform sport-specific movements when appropriate

Dr. Venn also considers whether the examination findings that influenced the original treatment plan are changing as expected.

The outcome that matters is whether the patient is making meaningful progress in the pain, movement limitations, and functional problems that brought them into the office—not simply whether the knee temporarily feels better after treatment.

If the knee is not improving as expected, becomes more swollen or unstable, develops locking or significant loss of motion, or the patient’s symptoms otherwise change, Dr. Venn reevaluates the problem rather than simply continuing the same treatment.

When Should Knee Pain Be Evaluated Medically?

Not every knee problem is appropriate for chiropractic care. Some symptoms or injuries may require medical imaging, orthopedic evaluation, or more urgent medical attention before conservative treatment is considered.

Medical evaluation may be appropriate when knee pain involves:

• Inability to bear weight after an injury
• Significant swelling that develops rapidly after trauma
• Obvious deformity of the knee or leg
• A knee that repeatedly gives way or feels significantly unstable
• Inability to fully straighten the knee or a knee that becomes locked
• A significant twisting injury accompanied by a pop, swelling, or instability
• Severe pain following a substantial impact or fall
• Increasing redness, warmth, swelling, or fever
• New or progressive weakness, numbness, or other neurological symptoms
• Symptoms that continue to worsen rather than improve as expected

These findings do not automatically identify a particular diagnosis, but they can indicate that additional evaluation is appropriate before deciding how the knee should be treated.

Dr. Venn’s role is not to try to treat every knee problem chiropractically. If the history or examination suggests a fracture, significant ligament or meniscus injury, infection, neurological problem, or another condition requiring medical or orthopedic evaluation, he will recommend the appropriate next step rather than simply adjusting the knee.

For patients whose findings are appropriate for conservative care, treatment can then be directed toward the specific mechanical and functional problems identified during the examination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a chiropractor help with knee pain?

Chiropractic care may help some patients with knee pain when the examination identifies joint restriction, altered mechanics, or other musculoskeletal problems that are appropriate for conservative care.

Dr. Venn does not assume that every painful knee needs an adjustment. He evaluates the knee and, when relevant, the hip, pelvis, ankle, and foot to determine what appears to be contributing to the problem.

When a mechanical joint problem is identified, extremity adjusting, rehabilitation, or a combination of approaches may be considered based on the patient’s findings.

The first step is determining why the knee hurts and whether the problem is appropriate for chiropractic care.

Does Dr. Venn adjust knees?

Yes, Dr. Venn performs extremity adjusting when the examination identifies a joint-mechanics problem that is appropriate for an adjustment.

An extremity adjustment is not performed simply because the patient reports knee pain. Dr. Venn evaluates the movement and mechanics of the knee and surrounding joints first and determines whether a specific adjustment is appropriate.

Depending on the findings, treatment may involve the knee itself or another relevant joint in the lower extremity.

Can knee pain actually come from the hip, pelvis, ankle, or foot?

Sometimes. The hip, pelvis, knee, ankle, and foot function together during walking, running, squatting, and other movements. Changes in one area can alter how forces are transferred through the rest of the leg.

For some patients, restricted movement or altered mechanics in the hip, pelvis, ankle, or foot may contribute to repeated stress at the knee.

However, Dr. Venn does not assume that knee pain is automatically coming from somewhere else. He evaluates the knee itself and considers surrounding mechanics when the examination indicates they may be relevant.

Can chiropractic care help knee arthritis?

Chiropractic care does not reverse knee osteoarthritis or regrow damaged cartilage. However, arthritis seen on an X-ray does not necessarily tell us everything about how the knee is functioning or which mechanical problems may be contributing to a patient’s symptoms.

For appropriately selected patients, conservative care may focus on joint mechanics, mobility, strength, stability, and improving the ability to perform everyday activities.

When arthritis is advanced or the examination suggests that chiropractic care is unlikely to be sufficient, Dr. Venn may recommend medical or orthopedic evaluation.

How do I know if my knee pain could be a meniscus or ligament injury?

A significant ligament or meniscus injury may be considered when knee pain follows a twisting injury, impact, or other trauma and is accompanied by symptoms such as substantial swelling, instability, catching, locking, difficulty bearing weight, or an inability to fully move the knee.

Symptoms alone cannot confirm a ligament or meniscus injury. Dr. Venn considers the injury history, knee stability, range of motion, symptom pattern, and other examination findings.

If the findings suggest a significant ligament or meniscus injury, additional imaging or orthopedic evaluation may be appropriate rather than simply adjusting the knee.

When should I see an orthopedic doctor for knee pain?

Medical or orthopedic evaluation may be appropriate when knee pain follows significant trauma or involves substantial swelling, instability, inability to bear weight, locking, severe loss of motion, deformity, or symptoms suggesting a significant ligament, meniscus, fracture, or other structural injury.

Increasing redness, warmth, swelling accompanied by fever, or new or progressive neurological symptoms also warrant medical evaluation.

Dr. Venn evaluates whether a patient’s presentation appears appropriate for chiropractic care and recommends additional evaluation when the findings indicate that it should come first.

How will I know if treatment for my knee pain is working?

Dr. Venn looks at more than whether the knee temporarily feels better after treatment. Progress is evaluated according to the problems that originally brought the patient into the office.

Depending on the condition, improvement may include less pain, better knee movement, greater stability, easier walking or stair climbing, improved ability to squat or get up from a chair, and better tolerance for work, exercise, or sports.

If the knee is not progressing as expected, Dr. Venn reevaluates the problem rather than simply continuing the same treatment indefinitely.

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Venn, DC
Doctor of Chiropractic | 25+ Years of Clinical Experience
This page has been reviewed by Dr. Jason Venn for clinical accuracy and reflects his experience evaluating patients with knee pain and related musculoskeletal conditions.
Venn Chiropractic and Wellness Center | Frisco, TX

Knee Pain Management in Frisco, TX | Venn Chiropractic and Wellness Center | (972) 668-9200