When Joint and Spine Pain Happen Together: What’s Causing It?

If you’ve ever dealt with both joint and spine pain at the same time, it might not be two separate problems. For instance, pain in your hips or knees can sometimes spread to your lower back. Likewise, spine issues can radiate outward, changing the way your joints feel and function. What feels like two separate issues is often part of one root issue. The body operates as a connected system, and when one part is off, the ripple effect can travel far.

At the Visco Spine and Sports Center, we often see patients who come in for back pain but also describe discomfort in their hips, knees, or shoulders. Regardless of which came first, understanding how spine and joint pain influence each other is key to effective treatment.

How Spine and Joint Pain Are Interconnected

The relationship between your spine and joints is a two-way street. For example, when hip mobility is reduced—due to injury, arthritis, or muscle tightness—it can shift your pelvic alignment. This forces your lower back to compensate, often leading to strain, stiffness, or inflammation.

These compensations are common. When one area of the body isn't moving or functioning well, others try to pick up the slack. While this can work in the joint term, over time, it can lead to chronic pain patterns, muscle imbalances, and even joint damage.

Conversely, spinal issues like a herniated disc can press on nerves that travel down the legs, causing knee pain. Nerve compression in the lower back is a common source of symptoms that mimic joint problems, such as aching, tingling, or weakness in the hips, knees, or even ankles. Though these pains may feel joint-specific, they often originate higher in the spine, highlighting just how closely the spine and joints work together.

Common Causes of Spine and Joint Pain

Several underlying issues can create a cycle of pain that affects both the spine and the joints. One of the most common osteoarthritis. This condition wears down the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in the spine, hips, and knees. As cartilage in these joints wears away, it can result in bone-on-bone friction, joint instability, and nerve compression. Osteoarthritis can often develop with age and is a major contributor to joint pain in older adults.

Other common contributors to spine-joint pain include poor posture, past injuries, and lifestyle factors. Sitting for long periods, poor desk setup at work, or repetitive movements can contribute to spinal compression and joint misalignment. These issues can cause stiffness, inflammation, and strain across multiple areas.

Additionally, injuries, even minor ones, like a sprained ankle or pulled muscle, can alter how you move. If left unaddressed, the body may adapt in ways that shift stress onto nearby areas, such as the lower back, knees, or opposite limb. These compensations may feel subtle at first, but often evolve into persistent pain patterns involving both the spine and joints.

Why An Integrated Approach Matters

Since joint and spine pain are often connected, treating only one part of the body rarely leads to long-term relief. That’s why we emphasize an integrated, full-body approach at Visco Spine and Sports Center. Our team includes physical therapists, pain management specialists, and chiropractors who work together to assess how your body is functioning as a whole and not just where it hurts. When these methods are used in combination, they amplify each other’s benefits. For example:

• Physical therapy corrects imbalances, builds strength, and improves mobility.
• Interventional pain management targets relief, especially for nerve-related or inflammatory pain.
• Chiropractic care restores alignment and eases pressure on the spine and joints.

This comprehensive view helps us find the root cause. A knee that’s painful may actually be responding to instability in the pelvis. A stiff neck may trace back to postural habits stemming from mid-back or shoulder limitations. Rather than chasing symptoms, we create a plan that supports healing, restores movement, and prevents future problems.

Moving Towards Relief

If you’re struggling with both joint and spine pain, know that there is a path forward. It begins with an evaluation that looks beyond a single body part and takes your whole movement system into account. With the right care team and a personalized treatment plan, long-term relief is possible.

At Visco Spine and Sports Center, we help patients rebuild strength, confidence, and quality of life. Whether your discomfort began in your back, your hip, or your knees, we’re here to help you understand what’s going on and to guide your recovery every step of the way.

Contact us today to schedule your comprehensive evaluation. Schedule a comprehensive evaluation today to start feeling and moving better.