Knee pain is the 2nd most common cause of chronic pain. 1 in 3 Americans will experience knee pain at some point in their lives. It is one of the leading causes of disability today. Women are more likely to develop knee problems than men, as they have a wider pelvis, weaker leg muscles, and hormones that decrease ligament strength. The knee is a vulnerable joint and handles stress from everyday activities to high-impact athletic activities. Knee pain is often a combination of age-related wear and tear and sport or athletic injury. There were approximately 1.2 million knee replacement surgeries in 2025.
Contributing lifestyle factors to knee pain are weight, age, overexertion, gender, and tobacco use. Obesity increases the risk of knee problems. For every pound you are overweight, your knee must absorb an extra 4 pounds. Knee pain can result from acute injuries, such as a slip or fall at work or a sports injury. Knee pain can also be caused by a chronic injury, such as repetitive strain from years of running or working on concrete. Knee pain can come from a tendon injury, a ligament injury, a cartilage injury, or a fracture. It is important to address knee pain sooner rather than later because staying active and moving is critical to long-term health and vitality, and knee pain will limit movement and activity.
Chiropractic is a great way to treat knee pain naturally. There is a certain alignment between the femur, or upper leg bone, and the tibia, or lower leg bone. When this alignment is off, it is called subluxation and can contribute to many knee problems, including pain. Specific chiropractic adjustments to the knee joint can help improve alignment and range of motion and reduce inflammation. Pelvic unleveling from a pelvic subluxation can also contribute to leg length imbalance and knee pain. Correcting a pelvic misalignment from subluxation with specific pelvic adjustments, or correcting a pelvic misalignment from an anatomical leg-length imbalance with a lift or orthotic, is critical to improve posture and reduce knee stress and pain. Knee pain can stem from causes other than poor alignment, such as osteoarthritis, subluxation, ligament tears, sprains, strains, Baker’s cyst, fractures, contusions, chondromalacia patella, IT band syndrome, tendinitis, and more. So, we believe it is critical to perform a thorough orthopedic evaluation of the knee in addition to a complete postural evaluation to truly define what is causing the knee pain and the best course of care to treat it.
$99 New Patient Special
Includes consultation with your doctor, thorough chiropractic examination, first treatment and customized plan of action.
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Finally Be Heard
Too often, patients feel like just another number in a crowded waiting room, leaving them frustrated and unheard. We believe your recovery starts with a conversation. That’s why we dedicate a full 30 minutes to your initial exam—giving you the floor to share your history, your concerns, and your goals. We’re here to listen intently, ensuring that the path we build together is one that finally puts your needs first.
2. Tailored Plan Of Attack
Knowledge is the first step toward lasting health. Once we’ve analyzed your exam results and digital X-rays, you’ll return for a detailed Report of Findings. We don’t just tell you what’s wrong; we show you why it’s happening. Together, we’ll walk through a personalized care plan tailored specifically to your lifestyle and goals. Our objective isn’t just a quick fix—it’s a sustainable strategy designed to resolve the root cause of your discomfort and prevent it from returning.
3. Take Back Control Of Your Health
Health is wealth. While resolving your symptoms is our first priority, our ultimate goal is to empower your future. We shift the focus from how you feel to how you function, teaching you the principles of spinal hygiene and proactive wellness. By investing in your health today, you aren’t just adding years to your life—you’re adding life to your years, ensuring you have the energy and mobility to enjoy every moment with the people you love.
How We Treat Knee Pain In Reading, PA
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
At McClimon Chiropractic, we know that in order to eliminate knee pain, we must first accurately diagnose it. Upon greeting the patient by name and giving them a tour on the way back, the doctor will help educate them about what we do. We then listen to the patient through a thorough consultation of their signs, symptoms, and history. You will have an opportunity to discuss your specific problem with the doctor and have all of your questions and concerns answered. After the consultation, the doctor will perform appropriate orthopedic, neurological, functional, palpation, postural, and range-of-motion tests.
Once all exam information is compiled, the doctor will recommend appropriate X-rays and schedule a day 2 doctors’ report of findings to review all findings and recommendations. We understand that knee pain can come from many sources, including osteoarthritis, ligament tears, tendinitis, chondromalacia patella, ligament sprain, muscle strain, fractures, contusions, IT band syndrome, Baker’s cyst, medication side effects, and more. But, the one thing we have seen that is commonly overlooked, and often the root cause of knee pain, is alignment issues due to subluxation and due to an anatomical short leg. If you are struggling with knee pain and have not evaluated your structure, you may be missing the real cause.
Digital X-rays
We believe to see is to know and not to see is to guess and we don’t guess with our patient’s health. So, taking x-rays is essential to fully evaluate the health or sickness of the knee and how to precisely make our specific chiropractic adjustments based on your misalignment or subluxation pattern. They not only allow us to see what is there but also allow us to monitor your progress or regression if future films are warranted. They are also valuable to screen for any pathology or contraindications to adjust. There are circumstances where they may not be utilized such as a being pregnant.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Reading, PA
Subluxation is a vertebral or extra-spinal misalignment that creates nerve pressure and dysfunction or dis-ease of whatever the nerve tract controls. For example, subluxation can occur in an extremity when an externally rotated tibia or lower leg bone and an anteverted or internally rotated femur or upper leg bone create what is called the sling-shot phenomenon, causing the patella to track laterally, leading to irritation under the knee cap, inflammation, and pain. This can begin from a misaligned pelvis (subluxation) or an anatomically short leg. Or, subluxation of the lumbar spine can cause referred pain directly to the knee.
Once subluxation or misalignment is identified through your examination and x-ray, the adjustment is the specific treatment to the spine or directly to the knee to reduce or remove subluxation, restoring the body’s normal alignment and innate intelligence, restoring proper nerve flow and function, eliminating symptoms without the use of drugs or surgery. It is imperative to keep joints moving as much as possible when dealing with arthritis to slow progression. This is extremely safe and effective. Over 300 people die per day from properly prescribed drugs; no one dies from a specific chiropractic adjustment.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
Exercise is an important part of your recovery and healing process, as well as helping you achieve your full potential. Subluxation or spinal misalignment will create poor alignment and altered biomechanics, often leading to muscular imbalances. It is important to note that exercise helps support adjustments and improve flexibility and range of motion, but stretching alone will not address the root cause of the imbalance and ultimately will not provide lasting results.
Exercise helps to strengthen muscles, mobilize tissues, stabilize them, and reinforce proper functional movement. Some great exercises for knee pain include those that improve leg strength, stabilize the knee joint, and help avoid muscle imbalance. We guide all patients through a series of spinal hygiene and knee exercises to improve and reinforce good posture. Based on your functional assessment, we will customize a plan for you at home and teach you what not to do to aggravate the problem.
Common Causes of Knee Pain in Reading, PA
Subluxation
In simple terms, this is when a bone in your spine or an extremity shifts out of alignment, causing inflammation and pressure on your nerves. When you have subluxation or misalignment in your knee or lower back, it can cause knee pain and other symptoms listed on the spinal nerve chart. Sometimes we feel subluxation, but most of the time we don’t, as only about 10% of our nerves are pain nerves. So, this is why basing health on how we feel, as Big Pharma has trained us for years, is a bad idea. We find subluxation through examination and x-ray, and make specific adjustments to restore proper alignment and nerve flow, which restores the body’s innate intelligence and usually eliminates the knee pain and all symptoms associated with the compromised level of nerve dysfunction. A chiropractor is the only healthcare professional trained to detect and correct subluxation. We have extensive training on working with extremity and orthopedic issues such as knee pain.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis, or degenerative arthritis, or wear and tear arthritis, causes pain, inflammation, stiffness, and loss of mobility. The number one risk factor for osteoarthritis is poor alignment. Osteoarthritis is not created because your bones are in good alignment; it is created because your bones are in a bad alignment. This is called subluxation. If you drive on a tire that is out of alignment, it wears out faster. If you live with a joint out of alignment, it wears out faster; it’s called Wolff’s law and is just physics. So, we don’t just get osteoarthritis because we are old; we get it because we have old misalignment or old subluxation.
The best way to treat Osteoarthritis is with early detection and a series of specific chiropractic adjustments and customized exercises. Once you get it, you can’t get rid of it. So, having your joints checked at an early age is the best way to prevent it. You cannot grow a degenerated joint back or remove calcified bone spurs, so the best treatment is prevention – specifically, regular corrective chiropractic adjustments to maintain proper alignment. This is why everyone should have their structure checked early in life. Optimal structure = optimal function. If you already have osteoarthritis, specific chiropractic adjustments can still help improve alignment and function, increase joint motion, and reduce nerve pressure and knee pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that is debilitating and erodes the joint lining, creating inflammation and pain.
Muscle Strain
Muscle strain occurs when the muscle fibers are overstretched or torn, often involving the muscle tendon. There are 3 grades of muscle tears based on severity. This occurs from muscles being overstretched, overworked, or contracted for too long. This may be due to introducing a new exercise, doing more exercise than usual, or doing a routine exercise for too long or with too much weight. Muscle strain can cause pain, inflammation, muscle spasms, and limit mobility and mechanics. Muscle strains heal with time through rest, ice, compression, and elevation, or RICE.
Muscle strain is more likely to occur if we have poor posture or alignment. Structure affects function, and posture affects performance. This is why having a thorough spine and nervous system evaluation is so important at an early age: muscle strain could result from a structural imbalance and neck pain. If it is, Stretching and RICE may help initially, but it will be temporary and keep coming back until the root cause of the problem is addressed – the structure.
ACL Injury
One of the four ligaments that connect the shinbone to the thigh bone. You may experience a “popping” sensation. It is particularly common with people who play sports requiring sudden changes in direction. It will cause instability in the knee and may become too painful to bear weight. Depending on severity, treatment options range from physical therapy to surgical reconstruction.
Torn Meniscus
The meniscus is the tough, rubbery cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between the shin bone and thigh bone. It is often injured by a forceful twisting or rotation of the knee. It can also be injured by kneeling, deep squatting, or heavy lifting. You often do not know when you have injured it because it has no nerve endings in it, but when it is torn, it will create inflammation, swelling, and eventually pain and loss of mobility.
Knee Bursitis
The bursa is a fluid-filled sac that cushions the joint. Some injuries cause inflammation of these sacs. Risk factors include prolonged kneeling, direct blows to the knee from sports, frequent falls, obesity, and osteoarthritis.
Patellar Tendonitis
The patellar tendon runs below the kneecap to the shin bone. Excessive jumping can often cause irritation and inflammation of this tendon due to tiny tears. It is common among runners, skiers, cyclists, and those involved in jumping sports.
Iliotibial Band Disruption or IT Band Syndrome
The IT band is a tough band of tissue that extends from the outside of the hip to the outside of the knee. It can become tight and rub against the outer portion of the femur. This can cause pain felt on the outside of the hip and leg, and sometimes on the outside of the knee. It is common in distance runners and cyclists.
Runner’s Knee
This is a common overuse injury causing pain at the front of the knee, around or behind the kneecap. It is caused by repetitive high-level stress placed on the joint. It can create creaking and cracking noises, knee stiffness, and pain. The pain comes from inflamed tissue. It does not involve a broken bone, torn tendon, or damaged cartilage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a chiropractor in Reading, PA, good for knee pain?
Yes, McClimon Chiropractic has been helping eliminate knee pain for over 20 years.
When should you see a chiropractor for knee pain?
Right away! Symptoms are the last thing to come, but luckily, the first thing to go away. By the time you feel a symptom, the problem has been there for a long time, so get it checked ASAP!
How can I stop knee pain?
At home, find the inflamed area and ice it for 20 to 30 minutes 2 to 3x per day; rest it, elevate it; and often, modifying activity can be helpful. Then call our office to have a complete spine and orthopedic knee evaluation to check for subluxation and/or other pathology.
How do I know if my knee pain is serious?
The best way to determine if your knee pain is serious is to be evaluated by a doctor who can use specialized testing, knowledge, and expertise to determine the severity of your condition.
Do medical doctors recommend chiropractors for knee pain?
I have heard this answered both ways, but there is only 1 right answer. It should always be yes. One, because chiropractic is highly effective for non-traumatic knee pain without the dangerous side effects of drugs. Two: because chiropractic is not only the most effective way to treat knee pain, but also the safest. About 300 people die every day from properly prescribed drugs. No one dies from a specific chiropractic adjustment. If you’re scared of chiropractic, it’s because pharma has trained you to be scared, just like they trained you to base health on how you feel, not because it’s true. And three, because chiropractic is not only fixing your knee pain, it is restoring proper spinal and extra spinal alignment by removing subluxation, which maximizes nervous system function to every cell, tissue, and organ of your body. This is helping much more than just the one thing you feel: preventing osteoarthritis and improving spinal mobility and neurological function. A doctor should never tell you to stop brushing your teeth, and a doctor should never tell you to stop taking care of your spine and structure, the thing that houses and protects your nervous system that runs your life!
Are chiropractors covered by insurance for knee pain?
Yes. Most health insurance plans include chiropractic benefits for spinal and extra-spinal diagnosis and treatment, including the knee. Just because you have insurance does not mean it covers everything. We always provide a courtesy check of your insurance so you know exactly how they participate.
How can I relieve my knee pain naturally?
Chiropractors are trained to detect and correct subluxation naturally. We are specifically trained to diagnose and treat work- and sports-related extremity injuries, including knee pain. We address the structural component of knee pain by improving alignment. Ice is a great anti-inflammatory that naturally reduces swelling and pain. Losing weight can reduce the stress on the knee joints and lessen knee pain. Avoiding a lot of processed food and sugar can also help to reduce knee inflammation and pain. The RICE analogy is good. Rest, Ice, Compression, and elevation help to reduce swelling and knee pain. Also, focus on keeping your upper and lower leg muscles strong around your knees to support them.
What does arthritis in the knee feel like?
Knee arthritis is often achy, throbbing, and sometimes sharp. It will tend to feel worse first thing in the morning or after getting up from resting for awhile. If it is mild to moderate, it may actually feel better once you get moving, but when you stop, it will stiffen up again.
Is it better to use heat or ice on knee pain?
Ice: 20 to 30 minutes on, an hour off.
Is walking good for knee pain?
Yes, walking is good for knee pain. It will help strengthen the surrounding muscles, lubricate the joint, and improve flexibility without high-impact stress. It can help relieve stiffness and prevent future pain by nourishing cartilage.
$99 New Patient Special
Includes consultation with your doctor, thorough chiropractic examination, first treatment and customized plan of action.
