Leg Pain Relief in Colorado Springs
Find the Root Cause of Your Discomfort
Leg pain can make every movement a challenge—from walking upstairs to standing at work to enjoying outdoor activities in beautiful Colorado. At Freedom Chiropractic, our focus is on finding the root cause of your discomfort rather than just treating the symptoms. Our Colorado Springs chiropractors have helped hundreds of residents overcome leg pain and return to active, pain-free living.
Understanding the Lower Body Connection
Leg pain often signals an issue elsewhere in the body. The kinetic chain—the interconnected system of joints from your lower back to your feet—means that problems in one area can manifest as pain in another. Depending on where the pain is located, it helps our doctors determine what the cause is. A lot of times, we see a major correlation with significant pelvis and sacrum misalignment, and that pelvis being stuck creates chronic leg pain.
Your lower body functions as an integrated system: lumbar spine, pelvis and sacrum, hip, knee, ankle, and foot. When any link in this chain becomes misaligned or dysfunctional, the entire system compensates. Pelvis misalignment alters leg length and gait, leading to hip, knee, or ankle pain. Hip dysfunction changes knee tracking, causing knee or shin pain. Ankle restriction affects your gait pattern, creating stress up through the knee and hip. Lumbar spine issues can compress nerves that travel into the leg, causing radiating pain. This interconnected nature is why treating only the painful area often provides incomplete relief.
The Role of Pelvic Misalignment
One of the most common—and most overlooked—causes of leg pain is pelvic and sacrum misalignment. The pelvis is the foundation of your lower body kinetic chain, and when it becomes stuck or misaligned, it creates functional leg length discrepancy, alters weight distribution when standing and walking, changes the angle of the hip socket affecting hip mechanics, potentially compresses the sciatic nerve, forces muscles to work harder to compensate leading to tightness and trigger points, and changes gait pattern stressing knees, ankles, and feet.
Signs your leg pain may stem from your pelvis include pain on one side worse than the other, symptoms worsening with prolonged sitting or standing, feeling off balance or like one leg is shorter, hip pain accompanying leg pain, pain that started after a fall or car accident, and low back discomfort along with leg symptoms.
Conditions We Successfully Treat
We help Colorado Springs residents with hip and upper thigh pain, hamstring pain and tightness, knee pain, calf pain and cramping, shin splints, sciatic nerve pain radiating down the leg, IT band syndrome, piriformis syndrome, muscle imbalances and weakness, and post-injury compensation patterns. Common symptoms include sharp shooting pain with movement, dull aching pain at rest, burning or tingling sensations, numbness in parts of the leg or foot, muscle weakness or instability, nighttime leg pain or cramping, and pain that changes with position.
Our Comprehensive Evaluation
When you visit us for leg pain, we examine your entire lower body, not just the painful area. Your 45-60 minute evaluation includes detailed pain history covering onset, duration, aggravating and relieving factors, and previous treatments. We perform posture and alignment analysis including standing symmetry assessment, leg length evaluation, and pelvic alignment check. Gait analysis helps identify walking pattern compensations. We conduct complete lower body kinetic chain examination from lumbar spine through foot, neurological screening including nerve tension tests and strength assessment, and muscle testing to identify imbalances between weakness and tightness.
This thorough assessment helps us identify whether your discomfort stems from nerve issues, muscle imbalances, joint misalignments, or a combination of factors. We use advanced diagnostic technology including digital range of motion testing to objectively measure your condition and track progress.
Our Proven Treatment Approach
We’ve found that effectively treating leg pain requires attention to the entire kinetic chain. Our treatment plans include specific chiropractic adjustments to restore proper alignment in the pelvis, sacrum, lumbar spine, hip, knee, and ankle. We provide targeted stretching for tight muscles including hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, and IT band, along with strengthening exercises for weak muscles, particularly the glutes which are essential for hip stability and proper gait mechanics. We also incorporate rehabilitation to prevent recurrence through neuromuscular re-education, balance and proprioception training, and functional movement progressions.
If you miss the strengthening part, you’re not going to get that full recovery. This phase is crucial for preventing recurrence and building resilience.
Timeline for Relief
Most patients with acute leg pain notice noticeable reduction in pain intensity within one to two weeks, improved mobility in daily activities by weeks three to four, and significant improvement with return to most activities by weeks six to eight. Chronic issues typically show initial improvement within the first three weeks, better mobility and reduced flare-ups by weeks four to six, and substantial functional improvement by weeks eight to twelve. Visit frequency typically starts at two to three times per week during the acute phase, reduces to one to two times weekly during rehabilitation, then once weekly during the strengthening phase.
Lower-Body Rehab Video
Patient Success Stories
One of our patients, an avid runner who relied on running for stress relief as a teacher, was experiencing persistent hamstring pain that also radiated into her knee. Our examination revealed a major misalignment in her pelvis that was altering her gait, especially when running.
Before starting treatment at Freedom I couldn’t sit or sleep without back pain. The constant pain was bringing down my quality of life. Now, with regular visits to Freedom, I’m pain free. My quality of life has improved tremendously. I’m so thankful a friend suggested I give Freedom a try!
Emily W.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you determine if my leg pain is from my back or hip?
How is your approach different from physical therapy?
Will insurance cover leg pain treatment?
Can you help runners stay running during treatment?
Get Back to Active Living
Leg pain doesn’t have to keep you from the activities you love. Contact Freedom Chiropractic today to schedule a comprehensive assessment. We’ll identify the true source of your pain and create a personalized treatment plan to get you moving comfortably again.
