Knee Pain Treatment in Knoxville, TN
Knee pain can come from the joint itself, the surrounding muscles, old injuries, or mechanics elsewhere in the body. Homberg Chiropractic & Wellness evaluates how the knee, hip, ankle, and spine work together so care supports better function.
Book An AppointmentKnee Pain Treatment At A Glance
Reviewed by: Dr. Craig A. Hennie, D.C.
Role: Chiropractor
License/registration: NPI: 1467696161 | Tennessee State Chiropractic License Number: DC0000001884
Reviewed for: clinical accuracy, patient safety, scope-of-practice accuracy, and service appropriateness
Last reviewed: June 29, 2026
Knee pain is a common problem for active adults, aging athletes, office workers, and anyone whose daily life depends on comfortable walking, stairs, squatting, or exercise. Pain may come from a recent injury, repetitive strain, joint irritation, muscle imbalance, or compensation from the hip, foot, ankle, or spine.
At Homberg Chiropractic & Wellness, we evaluate the knee as part of a connected movement system. The knee often reflects stress from above and below, so care may address the knee joint, surrounding soft tissue, hip mechanics, ankle motion, and the way your body is loading the leg.
Depending on your findings, treatment may include Extremity and Hypermobility Care, Chiropractic Care & Functional Rehabilitation, Dry Needling, Cold Laser Therapy, or Radial Pressure Wave (RPW) Therapy. The goal is better function, not just chasing the painful spot.
What Is Knee Pain?
Knee pain refers to discomfort, stiffness, swelling, instability, or reduced function involving the knee joint or the tissues around it. The knee is a load-bearing joint that connects the thigh bone, shin bone, kneecap, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and surrounding muscles.
The knee depends heavily on alignment, strength, and control from the hip, ankle, and foot. When one of those areas is not moving or stabilizing well, the knee may absorb more stress than it should.
Knee pain can be acute after a twist, fall, sports injury, or direct impact. It can also become persistent when repetitive strain, arthritis, old injury patterns, or poor movement mechanics continue to irritate the joint.
Pain may come from the joint surface, meniscus, ligaments, tendons, kneecap tracking, or soft tissue tension. A careful exam helps clarify which structures are likely involved. The exact pattern matters because treatment should match the structure, movement pattern, and functional limitation involved.
Common Symptoms Of Knee Pain
Knee pain symptoms often depend on the structure involved and the activity that aggravates the joint. Some patients feel pain in the front of the knee, while others notice pain along the inside, outside, or back of the joint.
Common symptoms include aching, sharp pain, swelling, stiffness, grinding, clicking, tightness, or difficulty bending and straightening the knee. Some people feel unstable, like the knee may give way during stairs, squats, or uneven ground.
Symptoms may worsen with stairs, kneeling, running, walking hills, sitting with bent knees, getting up from a chair, or returning to activity too quickly. Gentle movement, rest, changing footwear, or avoiding deep knee angles may offer temporary relief.
Knee pain can reduce confidence in movement. Patients often modify workouts, avoid stairs, slow their walking pace, or stop activities they enjoy because the joint feels unreliable. These details help us understand which tissues are irritated, which movements need support, and which daily activities should guide the care plan. They also help distinguish local symptoms from referred or compensatory patterns that can feel similar.
What Causes Knee Pain?
Knee pain can develop from direct injury, repetitive loading, poor mechanics, or reduced recovery capacity. The knee often becomes painful when it is repeatedly asked to control forces it is not prepared to handle.
Mechanical contributors include limited ankle mobility, weak hip control, poor foot mechanics, muscle imbalance, and altered gait. These patterns can change how pressure moves through the knee.
Common tissue contributors include tendon irritation, ligament sprain, meniscus irritation, kneecap tracking problems, joint inflammation, and arthritis-related stiffness. Each source can create a different pattern of pain and limitation.
Lifestyle factors also matter. Sudden increases in walking, running, workouts, yard work, or sports can overload the knee when strength and mobility are not keeping pace. Old injuries may also change how the joint absorbs load.
Conditions That Can Mimic Knee Pain
Several conditions can mimic knee pain or make the knee feel like the main problem when the driver is elsewhere. Hip joint dysfunction can refer pain toward the thigh or knee, especially during walking, stairs, or squatting.
Low back or nerve irritation can sometimes create pain, weakness, or altered sensation around the leg that changes how the knee functions. Foot and ankle mechanics can also shift load upward and produce knee symptoms over time.
Inflammatory arthritis, bursitis, tendon irritation, meniscus injury, and ligament injuries may overlap in how they feel during daily movement. Because knee symptoms can come from several sources, examination should include the knee and the surrounding joints that influence it.
When To Seek Urgent Care For Knee Pain
Seek urgent medical care for knee pain if you cannot bear weight, have major swelling after an injury, notice obvious deformity, develop fever with a hot or red joint, experience sudden calf swelling or shortness of breath, or feel the knee lock and cannot move it. These symptoms require medical evaluation before routine chiropractic care. When these signs are present, medical assessment should come before conservative chiropractic treatment so serious causes can be ruled out.
What Our Patients Are Saying
How We Diagnose Knee Pain
Diagnosing knee pain at Homberg Chiropractic & Wellness starts with understanding how the knee is being loaded during real movement.
We review your symptom history, injury history, activity patterns, and movements that reproduce the pain. The exam may include knee range of motion, joint palpation, ligament and meniscus screening, and strength testing.
Because the knee is influenced by the hip, ankle, foot, pelvis, and spine, Dr. Hennie may also assess how those areas move and stabilize. Functional testing can show whether pain is connected to squatting, stepping, walking, or balance demands.
If imaging or medical referral is appropriate, we will explain why. The goal is to identify whether the knee needs local care, whole-body mechanical support, or another pathway.
How Homberg Chiropractic & Wellness Treats Knee Pain
Knee pain treatment at Homberg Chiropractic & Wellness focuses on the joint, the tissues around it, and the movement patterns that influence how the knee absorbs load. Care is designed around restoring function through the connected body, not only the painful area.
Chiropractic Care
We combine exam-informed adjustments, standing X-rays when indicated, Zone Technique, and rehab to restore function, not just relieve symptoms.
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Radial Pressure Wave Therapy
RPW therapy uses acoustic energy to support healing in chronic soft tissue injuries, tendinopathies, and stubborn muscular restriction.
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Spinal Curve Rehabilitation
We use extension traction and Denneroll protocols to help restore spinal curves and support longer-lasting structural correction.
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Cold Laser Therapy
Cold laser therapy uses low-level light to support tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and complement structural care.
Learn MoreWhy Early Treatment Matters
Early treatment for knee pain matters because small movement changes can become larger compensation patterns. When the knee hurts, you may shift weight, avoid stairs, shorten your stride, or stop exercising.
Those adaptations can increase stress through the hip, ankle, foot, and lower back. Early evaluation helps identify whether the knee pain is local, mechanical, injury-related, or connected to a broader pattern. A timely plan can support better movement before stiffness, weakness, and avoidance become harder to change.
Meet The Team
Dr. Craig Hennie, Chiropractor
Dr. Craig Hennie has served Knoxville Bearden since graduating from Cleveland Chiropractic College in 2002. His recovery from chronic post-accident headaches shaped his function-first approach. He is Zone Certified, Board Qualified for Acupuncture, a Certified Medical Examiner, and trained in whiplash rehabilitation, cold laser therapy, kinesio taping, and non-spinal disorders.
Meet the Team
Madison McGill, Office Manager and Chiropractic Therapy Assistant
Madison keeps the clinic running with the efficiency and warmth that sets the tone for every patient experience. She is a certified chiropractic therapy assistant with more than four years in the chiropractic field.
Meet the Team
Salem Plaag, Chiropractic Therapy Assistant
Salem brings experience and attention to detail to every patient interaction as a certified chiropractic therapy assistant.
Meet the TeamServing Knoxville And Nearby Communities
Homberg Chiropractic & Wellness serves patients from Knoxville, Bearden, Sequoyah Hills, West Knoxville, areas near downtown Knoxville, and the University of Tennessee community. Our location and care model are built for patients who want a thorough evaluation, clear recommendations, and function-focused chiropractic care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book Knee Pain Treatment In Knoxville
Knee pain treatment in Knoxville should consider the whole movement chain, not just the joint that hurts. Homberg Chiropractic & Wellness evaluates the knee, hip, ankle, foot, spine, and functional movement patterns to build a plan around your findings. If knee pain is limiting stairs, exercise, walking, or daily confidence, book an appointment. After your evaluation, we will explain the findings and the recommended next step.