Knee Pain

Your knees bear the weight of your entire body with every step, making them vulnerable to wear, injury, and chronic pain that can severely limit your mobility. Dr. Shangyou Zhong at Sunyo Acupuncture Center in San Juan Capistrano and Santa Monica, California, treats knee pain using integrated approaches that address both joint inflammation and surrounding muscle imbalances. This comprehensive treatment combines acupuncture, massage therapy, cupping, and motion techniques to reduce pain and restore normal knee function. If you have persistent knee pain, call the office or request an appointment online today.

What does knee pain mean?

Knee pain happens when any part of your complex knee joint gets damaged, inflamed, or worn down. Your knee isn’t just one simple hinge; it’s where your thighbone, shinbone, and kneecap meet, surrounded by cartilage, ligaments, and muscles that all work together.

When something goes wrong with any of these parts, you feel it immediately. The pain might be sharp and sudden from an injury, or it can develop gradually from years of wear-and-tear. 

What causes knee pain?

Several different problems can create knee pain:

• Arthritis, wearing down cartilage over the years
• Ligament tears from sports or sudden movements
• Meniscus damage from twisting or age-related wear
• Tendonitis from overuse or repetitive activities
• Bursitis causes inflammation around the joint
• Muscle imbalances put uneven stress on the knee
• Poor alignment from hip or ankle problems

Weak glutes and tight hip flexors from sitting too much can also throw off your leg alignment, causing your knees to compensate for the imbalance.

What are the symptoms of knee pain?

Knee pain affects people differently depending on what’s causing it, but can include:

• Constant aching that worsens with activity
• Sharp pain during specific movements, like going downstairs
• Morning stiffness, especially after sitting for long periods
• Swelling around the knee joint
• Feeling like your knee might give out when walking
• Clicking or grinding sounds when you bend your knee
• Pain when getting up from chairs or squatting down

Many symptoms worsen throughout the day as you use your knee more, while others might be most painful first thing in the morning.

How does knee pain treatment work?

Sunyo Acupuncture Center addresses knee pain by treating the whole leg, not just where it hurts. Treatments included in your personalized knee pain management plan are:

Acupuncture treatment 

Acupuncture works around the knee joint to reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to the area. With motion acupuncture, you actually bend and move your knee while the needles are in place, which helps target exactly where the pain happens during movement.

Cupping therapy

Cupping uses targeted suction to increase blood flow to tight muscles around your knee and helps reduce joint swelling.

Massage therapy 

Massage targets your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles, which control knee movement and can contribute to joint problems when they’re tight or weak.

Treatment may also include herbal remedies, weight management, dietary guidance, and lifestyle recommendations for lasting relief.

Call Sunyo Acupuncture Center to schedule your knee pain consultation or request one online today.