From degenerative arthritis and meniscal tears to patellar chondromalacia —
our integrated treatment corrects the root of the pain.
Abnormal findings on MRI are not necessarily the cause of pain. Accurate clinical diagnosis is the start of correct treatment.
Most patients with mild-to-moderate degenerative arthritis improve symptoms through exercise and Korean medicine alone, without surgery.
Skou & Roos, Br J Sports Med 2017
Knee MRIs in completely pain-free people commonly show meniscal degeneration and cartilage damage.
Englund et al., NEJM 2008; Guermazi et al., BMJ 2012
A significant share of knee pain originates from the hip, ankle, or fascia rather than the joint itself — accurate physical examination is essential.
Souza & Powers, JOSPT 2009
Arthroscopic resection of degenerative meniscal tears has not shown superiority to sham surgery in pain relief or function. Conservative care should be considered first.
Medial Meniscal Tear
Horizontal medial meniscal tear on MRI → arthroscopic surgery recommended
Patellar tendinitis (Jumper's knee) + Pes anserine tendinitis
Physical exam confirmed tenderness at the patellar tendon insertion and pes anserine area. Meniscal tear was an asymptomatic degenerative finding.
After 6 weeks of acupuncture and pharmacopuncture, stair-walking pain disappeared — surgery unnecessary.
Stage 3 Degenerative Knee Arthritis
Reduced joint space and osteophytes on X-ray → joint replacement recommended
Pes anserine bursitis + Medial collateral ligament strain
Clear tenderness at pes anserine area below the medial joint line. Arthritic findings present but not the main cause of pain.
After 8 weeks of integrated Korean medicine, daily walking restored, squatting recovered.
Patellar Cartilage Damage
Patellar cartilage degeneration on MRI → cartilage injection / surgery suggested
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT band syndrome)
Lateral knee pain confirmed as IT band friction. IT band release and pelvic alignment correction applied.
Returned to running successfully after 4 weeks of chuna and acupuncture.
Knee pain treatment depends on the cause.
An accurate diagnosis is the start of correct treatment.
Cartilage wears, bones rub against bones, causing tingling pain when walking and lingering stiffness even at rest.
Knee cartilage is hard to regenerate once damaged. Weakness in surrounding muscles (especially quadriceps) and bow-legs accelerate progression — early correction is needed to preserve the joint.
The shock-absorbing meniscus inside the knee tears, causing sensations of catching or locking.
The meniscus absorbs 40-60% of knee impact. When torn, fragments catch between joints causing locking and catching; if untreated, it leads to degenerative arthritis.
Cartilage behind the patella softens, causing front-knee pain when descending stairs or sitting long.
As cartilage behind the patella softens, patellar alignment shifts and friction increases. Thigh muscle imbalance (especially weak vastus medialis) is the main cause; muscle re-education is key.
Inflammation of the tendon below the patella causes sharp pain below the knee during jumping, running, or stair use.
Repeated load on the patellar tendon during jumping, landing, and stair use accumulates micro-tears. Beyond simple anti-inflammatory care, blood flow improvement and tissue regeneration are needed.
If any of the symptoms below apply,
you need professional diagnosis and treatment.
Sharp pain at the front or inside of the knee on every step down — needing a handrail.
Stair descent loads the knee more than 7 times more than flat walking. A common signal of cartilage, patellar tendon, or meniscal damage — accurate diagnosis matters since the cause varies by pain location.
Squatting brings stiff knees and severe pain — bathroom or floor sitting has become hard.
Squatting requires over 130° of knee flexion and greatly increases joint pressure. Pain in this position is an early warning of cartilage wear or posterior meniscal damage.
Cracking sounds when bending or extending; tingling when walking grows more frequent.
Distinguish gas release in the joint (normal) from cartilage friction (pathological). Sounds with pain are a cartilage damage signal — precise diagnosis is needed.
It seems to heal then returns; anti-inflammatories and injections give only temporary relief — root treatment is needed.
Injections and painkillers mask symptoms while structural imbalance around the knee remains. Korean acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and chuna therapy must comprehensively realign muscles, tendons, and joint capsule for fundamental recovery.
Just 1 minute. Find the right prescription for you.
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Pelvic tilt, bow legs, knock knees, and other misalignment concentrate excess load on specific knee areas, causing repeated cartilage and ligament damage.
Weakness around the knee reduces joint stability, lets cartilage absorb direct impact, and accelerates degeneration.
Reducing movement to avoid pain weakens muscles further, worsens joint circulation, decreases cartilage nutrition, and intensifies the pain — a repeating cycle.
If you stop at temporary pain relief, the pain returns.
The cycle breaks only when you correct the cause and strengthen the body.
Quickly calm acute pain and inflammation to make daily life possible again.
Correct misaligned knee and pelvis to address structural causes of pain.
Strengthen weakened muscles and habituate correct posture to prevent recurrence.
Injection of purified herbal extracts into acupoints for strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Pharmacopuncture uses herbal pharmacology to promote tissue recovery.
Manual therapy in which the Korean medicine doctor directly corrects the knee and pelvis by hand. Aligns body posture and restores lower-limb alignment to reduce knee load.
Personalized herbal medicine prescribed to match constitution and symptoms. Liver-Kidney-tonifying (補肝腎) prescriptions strengthen bones and muscles for fundamental recovery.
We carefully review pain pattern, history, and lifestyle.
We assess spine-pelvis alignment and muscular balance.
We execute an individualized treatment plan based on findings.
Exercise prescription and lifestyle guidance to prevent recurrence.
Acute pain substantially improves within 2-4 weeks. Chronic pain or structural issues require 2-3 months of systematic care, followed by a maintenance period.
We recommend 2-4 weeks for acute pain and 2-3 months for chronic conditions. We adjust the prescription based on progress.
Yes — acupuncture, cupping, and chuna are covered by national health insurance. Herbal medicines are not covered but may be claimable through private medical insurance in some cases.
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Stories from those who reclaimed pain-free daily life with 금맥한의원.
They said my ligament was strained, but the unstable feeling decreased after pharmacopuncture treatment
While preparing for a marathon my outer knee hurt, and it turned out to be an IT band issue. With acupuncture, chuna, and diligent stretching, I was running again within a month. I finished the race safely too. The waiting room is bright.
My knee was swollen and warm, but it calmed down with treatment. The staff are all kind too haha
3+ more real treatment cases
Direct health insights from our medical staff.
Korean medicine treatment for osteoarthritis, in which cartilage wear causes knee swelling and worsening stair pain.
Causes, symptoms, and prevention of chondromalacia patellae, which is also common in young adults.
Types of meniscus tears, the conditions under which surgery can be avoided, and nonsurgical treatment options.
RESEARCH
Kim JH, Lee SH, Park YB, et al.
Park JS, Cho WS, Kim HJ, et al.
Lee KH, Yoon SW, Choi DW, et al.