Conditions
Acupuncture for knee arthritis, with Dr. Peter Caron.
Most people I see for knee arthritis have done physical therapy and had an injection that wore off. Part of the daily pain now comes from muscles tightening to protect the joint. I treat those muscles and the joint together.
Why it hasn’t gotten better
Most patients have been compensating for years.
You may have been told you’re not ready for a replacement, or you’d rather avoid one. Daily anti-inflammatories may not be an option because of your stomach, kidneys, or blood pressure.
Over the years you shorten your stride and favor the other leg. The muscles around the knee weaken and tighten. That part of the pain is what I can most directly change.
When to see a physician first
See a physician first for a hot, swollen knee or one that locks or gives way. Pain that began after a fall also needs a physician first. Tell me on the call, and I’ll point you to the right physician.
What it feels like
What people describe when they first call.
- Stairs are harder going down than going up
- Stiffness when you stand up after sitting, which eases after a few steps
- A knee that swells after a long walk or a day on your feet
- Grinding or clicking when you bend it
- You’ve stopped kneeling, or need a hand to get back up
- The knee aches more on cold, damp days
If you recognized yourself in that list, the free 15-minute call is the place to start.
How I treat it
I treat the joint and the muscles that protect it.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture turns down the pain signals from the joint and releases the thigh muscles guarding it, so walking and stairs get easier.
Fine needles go around the joint and into the quadriceps and hamstrings guarding it. Light electrical stimulation helps those muscles release and work normally again.
- Electroacupuncture
- Motor-point stimulation
- Trigger point release
- Periarticular needling
Herbal medicine
An herbal formula helps reduce the inflammation and stiffness in the joint between visits, especially on cold or damp days.
Some knees are worse on cold, damp days or stiffest on waking. An herbal formula matched to that pattern works on the stiffness between visits.
- Herbal formula
- Constitutional support
In the trial below, people came three times a week for eight weeks. I set yours by how the knee responds.
Fifteen minutes on the phone is usually enough to tell whether I can help.
Your first visit
What happens the first time you come in.
- We go through the history When it started, what you’ve already tried, and what your imaging shows if you’ve had any.
- I watch how you move How you walk, take a step, and get out of a chair, and which muscles around the knee are guarding.
- You’re treated the same day Fine needles around the joint and at the motor points of the thigh muscles, usually with light electrical stimulation.
- You leave with a plan How often to come in, and what should have changed by the third visit.
What to expect
How it usually goes, visit by visit.
I check your walking and stairs at every visit, so you’ll know early if it’s working.
- Weeks 1–2 The muscles around the knee start to let go. Getting out of a chair is often the first thing people notice.
- Weeks 3–8 Walking and stairs get easier, and the ache settles sooner after a long day.
- After that We space visits out to hold the change. If nothing has improved by week four, I’ll say so and suggest what to try next.
Typical ranges, not promises. Results vary from person to person.
You’ll know at the first visit roughly how many visits it should take.
What the research shows
Electroacupuncture outperformed sham acupuncture for knee arthritis, and the benefit lasted six months.
In a trial of 480 people with knee arthritis, 60% improved meaningfully in pain and function with electroacupuncture. With sham acupuncture, 47% did. The difference held four months after treatment ended.
The 2019 guideline from the American College of Rheumatology and the Arthritis Foundation conditionally recommends acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis.
Questions
What people ask about knee arthritis.
Something not covered here? Ask on the free discovery call.
Most people feel very little. At a tight thigh muscle you may feel a dull ache or a twitch. Electrical stimulation feels like a gentle tapping.
It depends on how your knee responds, and I set the frequency with you. If nothing has improved by week four, I’ll say so.
It can’t replace cartilage. But part of the daily pain comes from the muscles around the knee. That part can change even when the X-ray looks bad.
Many people come to me because they’d rather wait, or their surgeon says it’s too early. I can’t promise it delays surgery. If your knee sounds too far along, I’ll tell you on the call.
Yes. Strong thigh muscles take load off the knee. Once needling releases them, the exercises hurt less.
No. If you have an X-ray or MRI report, bring it. A hot, swollen knee, one that locks or gives way, or pain after a fall needs a physician first.
You can try. We’re out of network and don’t bill your plan. After each visit we can send a superbill for you to submit. Check your out-of-network benefits first.
If your question isn’t here, ask it on the call. It’s free and takes fifteen minutes.
Related conditions
Often treated alongside this one.
Hip arthritis
For a hip that makes putting on socks a project.
Lower back pain
For the ache that’s worst when you first get up.
Sciatica
For pain that runs from the lower back down the leg.
Start here
Tell me how long the knee has hurt.
On a short call, I can tell you whether acupuncture is likely to help. I’ll also say how it fits with your current care.
If you already know you want to come in, book an initial visit.