Knee On Trac™ Therapy: How It Works, What to Expect, and What Patients Actually Experience

If you're living with chronic knee pain — the kind that makes climbing stairs a project, getting in and out of a car an event, and a simple walk around the block something you have to think twice about — you've probably already been told the same two things: take these anti-inflammatories and we might need to talk about surgery.

At Consales Chiropractic, we'd like to offer a third option before you go down that road.

Knee On Trac™ therapy is a non-surgical, mechanical traction system designed specifically for the knee joint. It's one of the most effective tools we have for chronic knee pain — and when we combine it with StemWave® regenerative therapy, the results can be genuinely life-changing.

What Is Knee On Trac™?

Knee On Trac is a specialized traction device that gently decompresses the knee joint. Think of it as spinal decompression — but engineered specifically for the knee.

Here's what it does mechanically:

• Creates negative pressure inside the joint — This draws in synovial fluid (the joint's natural lubricant and nutrition source), which is often depleted in arthritic or chronically painful knees
• Reduces compression on cartilage and meniscus — Chronic compression is a major driver of knee degeneration; traction creates the opposite effect
• Improves joint space — Many patients with osteoarthritis have significant loss of joint space; traction can help restore it over a course of treatment
• Reduces inflammation — Decompression reduces the mechanical irritation that keeps the inflammatory cycle going
• Promotes circulation — Improved blood flow means faster healing and better nutrient delivery to damaged tissue

The system applies a precisely calibrated distraction force — pulling the tibia gently away from the femur while the joint is stabilized. It's comfortable, controlled, and takes about 20–30 minutes per session.

Who Is Knee On Trac For?

The Knee On Trac program at Consales Chiropractic is particularly well-suited for:

• Osteoarthritis of the knee — The most common knee condition we see; characterized by cartilage breakdown and joint space narrowing
• Chronic knee pain from wear-and-tear that hasn't responded to physical therapy or cortisone shots
• Post-meniscus injury pain — For patients who don't want or aren't candidates for surgical repair
• Patients wanting to avoid or delay knee replacement — This is one of the most common reasons patients seek us out
• Sports-related knee injuries with residual pain and stiffness
• Limited mobility — Patients who struggle to fully extend or flex the knee

Dr. Consales has made knee pain one of his clinical specialty areas, and with 35+ years of chiropractic experience, he's treated a lot of knees. His approach combines Knee On Trac with other therapies based on what each patient's exam reveals — not a one-size-fits-all protocol.

The StemWave Combination: Why We Pair These Two Therapies

Knee On Trac creates the mechanical environment for healing. StemWave® regenerative therapy gives the tissue the biological signal to actually heal.

StemWave uses focused acoustic waves to stimulate the body's own regenerative response at the cellular level. When applied to a damaged knee joint, it:

• Triggers the release of growth factors that repair cartilage and tendons
• Increases circulation and angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) in the joint
• Directly reduces pain signals in the treated tissue
• Activates stem cell recruitment — your body's own repair cells, directed to the area that needs them

When we use StemWave to reduce inflammation and stimulate healing while simultaneously using Knee On Trac to decompress and rehydrate the joint, patients tend to progress faster and hold their results longer than with either therapy alone.

Many patients feel meaningful relief within their first 3–5 sessions. Some notice improvement after their very first StemWave treatment.

What Does a Typical Knee On Trac Session Feel Like?

This is one of the first questions patients ask — especially those who've had painful cortisone injections or are nervous about "something being done" to their knee.

A Knee On Trac session is:

1. Comfortable — Most patients describe a gentle stretching sensation. There's no pain involved in the traction itself.
1. Non-invasive — No needles, no injections, no incisions. Your knee is placed in the device, and the system does the work.
1. Quick — Sessions run approximately 20–30 minutes.
1. No downtime — You can walk out of the office and resume your normal activities immediately.

Sessions are priced at $45. If StemWave is added to the session, it adds a short additional treatment window. Most patients complete a course of 6–12 sessions, though many notice results well before that point.

Real Patient Results: What We See in Practice

Jerold Augustine came to us with pain and swelling in his right knee and lower shin. He described stiffness every morning, loosening up with movement, but returning with intensity after extended walking or climbing stairs. Here's what he reported after treatment:

"Fast results, and my lifestyle is back to normal."

Linda Begley was dealing with achy knees alongside several other issues including neuropathy and fatigue. After treatment with Dr. Consales — which incorporated nutritional support alongside hands-on care — she reported her knees were improving and her overall energy and wellbeing had transformed.

Karen Lofe had struggled with hip pain for over a year. She'd been to an orthopedic doctor, received cortisone, gone through 5 weeks of physical therapy — and was still in pain. After treatment with Dr. Consales:

"Hip pain is totally gone. I'm sleeping better and walking freely."

These are representative of what we see regularly. Not every patient achieves these results — there are no guarantees in healthcare — but we see significant, measurable improvement in the majority of knee and joint pain patients who commit to a full course of treatment.

How Does This Compare to Cortisone Shots?

Cortisone injections can provide short-term relief, but they come with important limitations:

• The relief is temporary — usually 6–12 weeks
• Repeated injections can actually accelerate cartilage breakdown over time
• They do nothing to address the mechanical cause of knee pain
• There are risks: infection, blood sugar spikes, tendon weakening with repeated use

Knee On Trac and StemWave, by contrast, work with the joint's biology — improving the environment for healing rather than suppressing the body's signals. For patients who've had short-term success with cortisone and want something that lasts, this is often the logical next step.

If you're curious how this compares to the surgical route, we've written about that in detail: Knee Pain: Surgery vs. Non-Surgical Alternatives.

Is Knee On Trac Available Near Pittsburgh?

Knee On Trac is not widely available in Western PA. Consales Chiropractic is one of the few practices in the Pittsburgh area offering this therapy — and the only one we're aware of combining it with StemWave regenerative treatment as a comprehensive knee care protocol.

We serve patients from White Oak, North Huntingdon, McKeesport, Irwin, Monroeville, Greensburg, and beyond.

Is Knee On Trac Right for You?

The best way to find out is a conversation and an examination. Dr. Consales will review your imaging (if you have it), assess your knee, and give you an honest answer about whether this approach is appropriate for your situation.

We don't push patients into treatment that isn't right for them. If surgery is genuinely your best option, Dr. Consales will tell you. But in our experience, most patients with knee arthritis or chronic knee pain have not exhausted non-surgical options — they just haven't been pointed toward the right ones.

Call us at (412) 678-9123 to schedule a knee evaluation. Our office is located at 3045 Jacks Run Rd, White Oak, PA 15131. We're open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Don't schedule surgery before you've given your knee a chance to heal naturally. Let's talk first.