Chronic knee pain doesn’t have to be permanent. At Marin Regenerative Health in Novato, Dr. Sarah Scharf has developed a comprehensive, multi-modal protocol designed to reduce pain, restore function, and help you stay active long term – without surgery or medication dependence. Whether you’re dealing with osteoarthritis, a meniscus tear, tendonitis, or general wear and tear, this 12-week restorative program addresses the root cause of your pain from every angle.
What Is the 12-Week Restorative Knee Program?
This protocol combines nine evidence-based, non-invasive therapies that work together to calm inflammation, restore joint mechanics, and rebuild strength and mobility. Each component targets a different layer of healing – from deep cellular repair to neuromuscular function to biomechanical alignment – so you’re not just treating symptoms, you’re addressing the full picture.
Most patients attend 2 to 3 treatment sessions per week during the 12-week phase, with daily home therapy to support continuous healing between visits.
The 9 Therapies in Your Knee Protocol
Chiropractic Care - The Foundation
Chiropractic care is the base of your knee program. We gently adjust the spine, pelvis, hips, ankles, and knee to restore natural alignment through your entire kinetic chain. When everything is properly aligned, your knees don’t have to compensate with every step.
Tight hips and the lower back create extra pull on the thigh muscles and fascia, compressing the knee joint and disrupting normal kneecap tracking. Poor foot and ankle mechanics twist the lower leg, forcing the knee into an unhealthy angle with every stride. Chiropractic care addresses all of these contributing factors – not just the knee itself.
Balanced movement from spine to foot
Reduced compression and stress on the knee joint
Better foot and ankle alignment
Improved balance and posture
Knee-On-Trac® Decompression Therapy
Knee-On-Trac is a patented, non-invasive mechanical decompression system that gently separates the femur from the tibia, creating a vacuum effect within the knee joint. This draws nutrient-rich fluid, oxygen, and healing factors into the joint while simultaneously stretching the surrounding tendons, ligaments, and soft tissues.
Reduces pain and inflammation
Increases joint space and fluid volume
Rehydrates and cushions the knee joint
Improves mobility and flexibility
Effective for arthritis, meniscus tears, tendonitis, and cartilage damage
Many patients experience positive results within their first few sessions.
Class 4 Laser Therapy
Class 4 laser therapy uses high-powered light energy to penetrate deep into knee tissues – up to 7 cm – reaching the joint capsule, synovial membrane, and surrounding structures. This process, called photobiomodulation, boosts cellular energy production, increases circulation, reduces inflammation, and promotes tissue repair at the source.
Deep, non-invasive pain relief
Reduces inflammation and swelling
Enhances tissue repair and cartilage health
Stimulates collagen production for joint integrity
Improves range of motion
Focused Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy delivers high-energy acoustic waves deep into injured knee tissues, triggering your body’s natural healing response. The waves stimulate blood flow, promote new blood vessel formation, and accelerate cellular repair in tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.
Treats tendinitis, tendinopathy, and ligament injuries
Addresses arthritis and cartilage degeneration
Reduces chronic inflammation and stiffness
Improves circulation and oxygen delivery
Non-invasive with no incisions or injections required
Most patients experience significant pain relief within a few treatment sessions.
Trigenics® Neuro-Kinetic Therapy
Trigenics is a neurological treatment system that resets the communication between your nervous system and muscular system. Your provider applies specific hands-on techniques to stimulate nerve pathways while you perform guided movements under resistance – restoring proper nerve signaling to the muscles that support your knee.
Often produces immediate, measurable results
Increases muscle strength rapidly
Improves range of motion and joint mobility
Effective for runner’s knee, post-surgical pain, and chronic weakness
Addresses neuromuscular imbalances at their root
LED Light Therapy for Home Use
We provide you with a professional-grade LED light therapy device to use at home between visits. Your home LED pad delivers red and near-infrared light wavelengths deep into knee tissues, supporting circulation, controlling inflammation, and promoting ongoing tissue repair on a daily basis.
Drug-free pain relief at home
Reduces inflammation and morning stiffness
Accelerates healing between office treatments
Clinical-strength technology, easy to use
Simply apply the pad to your knee for 15 to 20 minutes daily for optimal results.
Custom Foot Levelers Orthotics
Your feet are the foundation of your entire body. Foot imbalances create a chain reaction up through your legs, placing abnormal stress on your knees with every step. Custom Foot Levelers orthotics are individually crafted based on your unique foot structure and gait analysis, correcting alignment throughout your entire kinetic chain.
Reduces abnormal forces on the knee
Addresses sciatica, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis
Improves overall posture and biomechanics
Prevents recurrence of knee pain
Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Guidance
What you eat directly impacts inflammation levels throughout your body. During your 12-week program, we provide personalized nutrition guidance to support healing from the inside out – helping you reduce pro-inflammatory foods while increasing the nutrients your joints need most.
Reduces systemic inflammation
Supports cartilage and connective tissue health
Improves recovery time between treatments
Reduces joint swelling and morning stiffness
Key foods we focus on include fatty fish, leafy greens, berries, nuts, olive oil, turmeric, and ginger. We’ll provide practical meal ideas and shopping lists to make it easy to implement.
Daily Stretching and Strengthening Program
Throughout your 12 weeks, you’ll receive personalized exercise guidelines with video demonstrations and written instructions for stretching and strengthening your knee. Exercises are designed to complement your in-office treatments and can be completed at home in just 10 to 15 minutes daily.
Improves knee joint stability and support
Strengthens quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves
Reduces risk of re-injury
Enhances balance and coordination
Progresses gradually as you heal
Optional 6-Month Maintenance Program
After completing the 12-week restorative phase, most patients have significantly less pain, better mobility, and greater confidence in daily life. To protect and build on these results, we offer an optional 6-month maintenance program that includes periodic re-evaluations, tune-up treatments, continued exercise guidance, and plan adjustments based on your activity level and goals.
This proactive phase helps prevent regression and keeps your knees as strong, mobile, and comfortable as possible long term.
Start Your Knee Recovery Today
You don’t have to live with chronic knee pain. Our 12-week restorative protocol offers a safe, effective, non-surgical path to lasting relief and improved function – right here in Novato and Marin County.
Schedule your comprehensive knee evaluation with Dr. Sarah Scharf today and discover how our multi-modal approach can help you move freely again.
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