You twisted your ankle two years ago. It healed. You moved on. But lately, your knee has been acting up on runs, or your hip feels off after a long hike. Here’s something worth knowing: those two things are probably connected.
Your Body is Really Good at Workarounds
When an ankle loses full range of motion after an injury, the body doesn’t just stop there. It finds a way around the problem. The knee adjusts its angle slightly. The hip picks up extra load. These are small, almost invisible changes, but repeat them a few thousand times during a run, and they start to add up.
This is what people mean when they talk about the kinetic chain. Your joints don’t move independently. They work in sequence, and when one link in that chain is stiff or restricted (even just a little), the links above it start compensating.
“Patients come in for their knee, and they’re surprised when I start looking at their ankle. But that’s usually where the story begins.”—Dr. Michael Calhoun
Why Active People Notice It More
Runners, hikers, and gym-goers tend to feel this pattern show up faster. High repetition amplifies compensation. A mildly restricted ankle on a short walk barely registers. That same ankle on a 10-mile trail run? It becomes a hip flexor issue by mile six.
The frustrating part is that most people treat the knee or the hip, get some temporary relief, and then wonder why it keeps coming back.
What Dr. Calhoun Looks For
At Calhoun Chiropractic, the exam starts with how you move, not just where it hurts. Dr. Calhoun often traces knee and hip complaints back to old ankle restrictions, poor foot mechanics, or joint mobility issues that were never fully resolved.
Is Your Ankle the Piece Nobody Checked?
If your knee or hip pain keeps returning despite treatment, it might be time to look at the full picture. Book an evaluation with Dr. Calhoun and find out what’s actually driving it. As a new patient, you’ll receive a thorough exam with a clear explanation of findings and next steps.