Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common musculoskeletal problem. The good news is that it is highly responsive to conservative treatment. The bad news is that problems in the knee can cause skeletal misalignments further up the body, including in the lower back. As a holistic practice, we at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield offer a variety of treatments to help patients recover full use of their knees and keep up the health of the rest of their bodies.

The kneecap is a sesamoid bone, which means it doesn’t directly connect to the rest of the skeleton. It is located atop cartilage at the bottom of the femur and is fastened down by tendons. Knee pain is scientifically known as petellofemoral pain syndrome and it is experienced as a dull ache that develops when a person has been active or had their knee bent for a long time. It results from overuse, but athletes are not the only people who can get it. When the kneecap is out of place, it may further aggravate the surrounding soft tissue.

People experiencing outbreaks of knee pain should implement RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation). We can perform adjustments to ensure that the knee joint is aligned properly, but physical therapy may be necessary to restore the leg’s range of motion. We can also reduce inflammation and speed recovery time by performing therapeutic massages. A patient may need to put greater emphasis on low-impact exercises, such as cycling, to guard against a relapse.

Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.

 

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Lower back pain is one of the most common afflictions in the United States, and it has several potential causes. Among the lesser known ones is sacroiliac joint dysfunction. When patients are suffering from joint problems, Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield provides safe treatments that target the source of a problem, as well as its symptoms, so we wanted to talk a bit about what makes sacroiliac joint dysfunction distinct.

The sacrum is a body of fused vertebrae at the base of the spine. The iliac bones are the crests of the pelvis it connects to. Dysfunction in these joints may cause inflammation, called sacroiliitis. Pain here can radiate through the lower back, pelvic region, and legs and tends to be worse after a prolonged period of standing or using the gluteal muscles. Although sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be caused by an infection, it is much likelier to be due to a degenerative condition or a traumatic injury that has damaged the structure of the joint.

Our treatments for sacroiliac joint dysfunction include manual adjustments of the bones and soft tissue manipulation for loosening muscles, such as electrical stimulation and massages. We can also prescribe therapeutic exercises that will strengthen the pelvic muscles and keep them flexible during recovery, allowing them to better support the sacrum in the future. Our office’s nutritional counseling service educates patients on what nutrients they need to keep their joints cushioned and lubricated and how they can control their weight to prevent their pelvic joints from being overburdened.

Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.

 

The Bones of the Spine

We’re dedicated to including our patients in their healthcare decisions at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield. Everybody has numerous treatment options available to them, and which is best will vary from person to person. But to make an informed choice, patients will need a basic understanding of how their spines are built and what different parts do.

Vertebrae are the bones that make up the structure of the spinal column. In front, they have flat bodies separated by rubbery discs. In back they form an arch through which the spinal cord stretches, and they are connected to each other by facet joints. The top seven vertebrae are the bones in the neck and are referred to as the cervical region. The topmost one is called the atlas and is responsible for moving the head up and down, while the second one, the axis, moves it from side to side. (These are the only two articulated vertebrae without a disc between them.) Below the cervical vertebrae are the twelve vertebrae of the thoracic region, and they connect to the ribs.

The lumbar region is made up of the five large vertebrae of the lower back. Beneath them are the sacrum and the coccyx, two structures in the pelvic region that are each made up of fused, immobile vertebrae. The nerves to the rest of the body branch out of the vertebrae at points called foramen, with the lowest parts of the spinal cord branching out of the upper lumbar vertebrae and continuing down through the pelvis and legs. Chiropractic care is largely concerned with the effects of compression of spinal nerves.

Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.