When Anna M., a 41-year-old accountant and active mom from Brooklyn, first came to our clinic, she was struggling with chronic knee pain that had worsened over the past year.
She had stopped going on morning walks. Sitting through long meetings at work became uncomfortable. Climbing stairs felt like scaling a mountain. Despite taking over-the-counter medications and trying knee braces, her symptoms kept returning.
Anna didn’t want surgery, and she didn’t want to depend on painkillers. She wanted a long-term solution—and that’s exactly what she found through a customized combination of acupuncture and physical therapy.
Following her initial consultation at Brooklyn Pain Doctors clinic, our team performed a thorough movement assessment and reviewed her previous X-rays.
Her diagnosis:
Early osteoarthritis in the right knee
Patellofemoral tracking dysfunction (kneecap not gliding smoothly)
Weak quadriceps and glute muscles
Tight IT band and hamstrings
Anna’s pain stemmed not just from joint degeneration, but from muscle imbalances and inflammation. This meant that a non-surgical, functional approach could bring real relief.
We crafted a treatment plan designed to:
Reduce inflammation and swelling
Relieve deep knee tension
Strengthen weak muscles and restore joint tracking
Avoid the need for injections or surgery
Anna’s plan included:
✅ Acupuncture (2x/week):
To reduce pain, increase blood flow to the knee joint, and stimulate healing.
✅ Manual Physical Therapy:
Including soft tissue release, joint mobilizations, and stretching to improve knee mechanics.
✅ Therapeutic Exercise Program:
Focused on quad, hamstring, glute, and hip strengthening, plus balance retraining.
✅ Cupping Therapy:
Used along the IT band and thigh to release chronic tightness restricting knee motion.
✅ Lifestyle Education:
Ergonomic modifications for sitting, standing, walking, and activity pacing.