According to the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, physical therapy was an effective approach instead of surgery for a meniscus tear in the knee. In 2018, the British Medical Journal agreed and published updated guidelines regarding the appropriateness of surgery vs. physical therapy for the improvement of knee pain. The Washington Post recently published an article that examines non-surgical options for treating knee pain. Read the article below Suffering from bad knees, some look for alternatives to surgery By Sally Squires November 17, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. EST The burning in his kneecaps was what Richard Bedard noticed first. Then came the tenderness and pain. Sitting for 10 hours a day as a financial editor in Hong Kong was agonizing. So I was walking short distances or just standing in the elevator. Neither doctors nor physical therapists could offer any lasting relief. Surgery loomed. But Bedard tried a different approach: a personal experiment to try to repair the cartilage in his knees with special exercises. It wasn’t easy and it took more than a year to accomplish, but he sidestepped a knee operation. Now, 10 years later, Bedard, 57, runs around with his young kids, climbs stairs and bikes up to 60 miles on weekends, all without pain. “It was, all and all, a lengthy process,” said Bedard, who has written an e-book about his successful effort to fix his knees without surgery. These days, he added, “I still notice some burning in my knees when sitting,” but for the most part, “my knees feel really good.” Read more While it is true that studies show that many people who saw an orthopedic specialist first and had an MRI often had surgery, the studies also show that the results do not prevent a second or third surgery. The data also shows that those surgeries, when compared to physical therapy, were not superior and may in time have been inferior management, as that knee further degenerates over time. The segmented management style medicine has morphed into is expensive and often ineffective in resolving knee complaints naturally. What is the reason for your knee pain? Is the problem the knee, or perhaps the system the knee functions in while you walk or run? A holistic way of thinking is needed to resolve knee pain Whom should you see first for a painful knee? Chiropractic sports physicians are holistic in their thinking and can be your best first choice for the evaluation of a painful knee. A chiropractic sports physician will perform active tests, evaluate your feet, hips, knee, and back which can all cause painful knees. If you have had problems in the ankle or the hip, finding the common elements and understanding what they are doing to the knee can prevent future damage. Sometimes, a foot orthotic, which is an insert placed in your shoe can make a huge difference. Unlike most physicians who will look at the painful part and evaluate it, a chiropractor on your first visit will look for the cause, work on the mechanism behind your knee complaints reducing your risk of further knee problems. The chiropractic approach can help you avoid questionable surgeries, expensive MRI scans, and rehabilitation that is merely a protocol they give to everyone with a prescription for knee pain rehab. You are not a protocol and people are built differently which is why care must be customized to the patient. Chiropractors are primary care the musculoskeletal system. They will refer to a medical provider if necessary however, most patients will improve with proper management. They will customize the care to you. Chiropractic sports physicians will use myofascial release to improve the way an area functions and will give you corrective exercises to improve movement strength and patterns. Manipulation of the pelvis, ankle, and foot as well as the hip improves movement and reduces knee pain. You can expect a comprehensive approach that aligns with your health goal of an active lifestyle without knee pain. See a chiropractor first for knee pain. Click here to request an appointment.