Knee and Lower Leg Pain
Orange County, California
Pain Relief, Repair & Prevention
Knee & Lower Leg Pain — Understanding Your Symptoms and How We Help
Your knees, shins, and calves bear the brunt of everyday movement — from walking and climbing stairs to running, jumping, and changing direction quickly. That’s why they’re among the most common sources of pain and injury, whether from a sudden accident, repetitive stress, or gradual wear and tear.
Whether the pain started during sports, work, or daily life, ignoring it can lead to chronic issues or worsening conditions. At our practice, we believe in getting to the root of the problem — not just masking symptoms.
Why It Matters to Seek Specialized Care
- Complex Anatomy, Many Possible Causes: The knee is a complex joint involving bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and surrounding muscles. Problems often overlap — pain may arise from joint issues, soft-tissue damage, alignment problems, or a combination of these. That’s why a thorough evaluation is essential before deciding on a treatment plan.
- Accurate Diagnosis Prevents Chronic Problems: Without proper diagnosis and treatment, injuries can become chronic or accelerate wear (such as cartilage degeneration and early arthritis), especially if you continue sports or strenuous activity.
- Avoid Unnecessary Surgery: Many conditions — especially in early or moderate stages — respond well to non-surgical, conservative treatments. Surgery is often avoidable with the right approach (though it may be needed for severe injuries).
Common Types of Knee & Lower Leg Problems We Treat
We see a wide variety of injuries and conditions — often with overlapping symptoms, which is why accurate diagnosis is critical. Some of the most common include:
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT-Band Syndrome):
– Common in runners and athletes, this occurs when the iliotibial band (a ligament running along the outside of the thigh down to the shin) becomes irritated. Pain may appear as a stinging sensation just above the knee or swelling around the knee, often worsening as the foot hits the ground during movement. - Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints):
– This involves pain along the shinbone and is common among runners or those who increase workout intensity too quickly. Without proper treatment, it can become disabling. - Meniscal Tear:
– The menisci are cartilage cushions between the thigh and shin bones. Tears can occur from twisting motions, deep squats, direct impact, or age-related degeneration. Symptoms often include pain, swelling, or catching/locking of the knee joint. - Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee):
– Inflammation or damage to the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone; common in sports involving running, jumping, or kicking. Pain typically increases with activity, and rest plus rehabilitation are often effective. - Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome:
– Pain in the front of the knee, often due to overuse, poor alignment, or excess weight. Bending, squatting, jumping, or climbing stairs may trigger pain. Proper assessment helps determine effective treatment — from realignment and strengthening to modified activity. - Collateral Ligament Sprains, Cartilage Injuries, Dislocations, Fractures, Tendon & Muscle Strains (e.g. calf muscle strain / Gastrocnemius Strain):
– These result from direct trauma, sudden twisting, missteps, falls or sudden over-stretching. They range from mild sprains to serious joint damage or fractures — which means accurate diagnosis and timely treatment are critical.
Our Approach: What We Do for Diagnosis & Recovery
At our clinic, we combine sports medicine expertise with advanced diagnostics and personalized care. Here’s how we approach your healing journey:
- Comprehensive Evaluation:
- We begin with a detailed medical history and physical exam.
- If needed, we use imaging (e.g., X-ray, MRI) or real-time movement imaging (e.g., ultrasound) to assess bones, cartilage, ligaments, and soft tissues.
- Lab tests or nerve studies may also be used to rule out underlying causes.
- Personalized Treatment Plan:
Based on your diagnosis, lifestyle, activity level, and goals, we design a bespoke plan — whether your goal is returning to competitive sport or simply walking and playing with kids pain-free.
Our services include:
- Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation: Focused on restoring strength, flexibility, balance, and proper movement patterns. This may involve targeted exercises, manual therapy, stretching, strengthening, gait training, and mobility work.
- Minimally Invasive Procedures & Injections: For appropriate candidates, we offer therapies such as Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP), Prolotherapy/Prolozone Therapy, Hyaluronic Acid Injections, Shock Wave Therapy, and regenerative approaches such as Stem Cell Therapy. These treatments aim to reduce inflammation, promote healing, and restore function — often avoiding the need for surgery.
- Functional Medicine & Advanced Lab Testing: Sometimes, underlying factors — like metabolic, hormonal, nutritional, or inflammatory issues — contribute to chronic pain or poor healing. Our integrative model looks beyond the joint to overall health, enabling better long-term outcomes.
- Education & Movement Coaching: We believe in empowering you — teaching proper movement mechanics, strengthening supporting muscle groups, and helping you understand how lifestyle, activity, and rehab interact to protect your joints long-term.
What You Can Expect After Starting Treatment
- Better Pain Management + Reduced Inflammation: Through a combination of therapies, you should see a gradual reduction in pain, swelling, and discomfort.
- Improved Strength, Mobility & Stability: Targeted rehab helps rebuild muscle strength, improve knee tracking, support healthy joint movement, and protect against future injury.
- Return to Activity — Safely and Gradually: Whether you’re a weekend warrior, an athlete, or want to go about your daily life without pain, we help you transition back — in a way that protects joint health for years to come.
- Prevention & Long-Term Joint Health: Because we focus on holistic healing — including functional medicine, movement education, and biomechanics — our goal isn’t just to treat immediate pain, but to prevent recurrence and maintain joint health over the long term.
Why Choose OC Sports and Wellness for Knee & Lower Leg Care
- We offer a multidisciplinary, integrative approach that combines top-level sports medicine, regenerative procedures, functional medicine, and personalized rehabilitation.
- Our focus isn’t just on “quick fixes” — we aim for lasting recovery, improved function, and long-term joint health.
- We treat every type of patient — from elite athletes to everyday people — and tailor care to your lifestyle, activity level, and goals.
- We emphasize education and empowerment, teaching you how to move well, strengthen safely, and maintain joint health.
When to Consider Scheduling a Visit
You should consider booking a consultation if you experience:
- Persistent or recurring knee, shin, or calf pain — especially during or after activity.
Swelling, tenderness, stiffness, instability or “giving way” sensations in the knee or lower leg. - Pain that interferes with daily life: walking, climbing stairs, bending/squatting, playing sports, or even household activities.
- Difficulty recovering from overuse injuries or frequent flare-ups despite rest.
- A history of injury — such as a fall, twist, accident, or sports trauma — that didn’t fully resolve.
Even if your symptoms seem mild now, catching and treating them early can prevent long-term problems.
