Miami Acupuncture & Herbal Solutions

Take the Ache Out of Every Step

How traditional Chinese medicine treats knee pain and knee osteoarthritis.

Book a Free Consultation See how it's done
Proven ReliefThe American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation recommend acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis.1
Sustained Improvementof pain and function benefit after a course of treatment.2
For Every KneeThousands of patients across numerous trials showed significant gains in pain, stiffness and function.3
Multi-ModalAcupuncture, electro-acupuncture, massage, cupping, and herbal medicine in one plan.

Understanding the Problem

Worn Knees Don't Mean
You're Worn-Out

Stairs, getting out of the car, a walk on the beach, kneeling to garden or play with a grandchild. Knee pain and osteoarthritis takes these back little by little.

Roughly 30 percent of people over 63 live with it.7 The usual path is anti-inflammatories, a brace, an injection, and eventually a conversation about replacement. Those tools have their place, but they're chasing the consequences of a problem, not dealing with it.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) takes a different angle. Needling calms pain pathways, bodywork releases the muscles that overload the joint, and herbs work on the inflammation and stiffness underneath. Together they give the knee a chance to move again, and in many cases delaying or avoiding the need for surgery.

Acupuncture treatment session at Miami Acupuncture and Herbal Solutions

Four Tools, One Plan

All Your Kneeds Met

Knees are complex, and the pain can be too. We use a suite of tools and methods, modern and traditional, to get you feeling better. Your plan combines these, adjusted to your pattern and stage.

Acupuncture & Electroacupuncture

The core of care. Points around the knee and along the leg are needled, with gentle electrical stimulation added when it helps. In a review of 31 trials and 3,187 participants, electroacupuncture produced significantly greater knee pain relief than control treatments.5

Tui Na & Deep Tissue Massage

Quadriceps, hamstrings, IT band, calf and hip muscles take the load when a knee degenerates. Hands-on work from our specialists releases them. When the knee is no longer pulled out of alignment by muscles and tendons, uneven wear patterns are eased.

Cupping

Suction cups lift and decompress tight fascia and muscle in the thigh, calf and hip. Stuck blood is released, brought to the surface, and used to flush the injured area with nutrients. It is quick, deeply relaxing, and a good partner to needling and massage for stubborn tightness.

Herbal Medicine

Individualized formulas, reviewed against your medications. In a 2023 randomized trial, adding it to massage lowered knee pain scores further at 8 weeks,8 and a 12-trial review found added benefit alongside conventional care.9 Effective, with none of the side-effects of steroids or pain meds.

The TCM Perspective

Reading the Pattern Behind the Pain

Two people with the same X-ray can have very different knees. TCM sorts knee pain into patterns, and each pattern points to a different mix of treatments. This is how we think about them in clinical terms.

Cold-Damp ObstructionAching, stiff, worse in cold or damp weather, better with warmth
Chronic joint irritation, morning stiffness, weather-sensitive pain
Qi & Blood StagnationFixed, sharp pain, worse at night or after an old injury
Mechanical overload, meniscal or ligament strain, muscle guarding
Liver & Kidney DeficiencyWeak, creaky knees that tire easily, common with age
Age-related cartilage wear and reduced muscle support around the joint
Damp-HeatHot, swollen, tender flare-ups
Inflammatory flare with swelling; we screen for infection and gout before treating

What We Treat

Knee Problems We See Every Week

Morning stiffness, pain on stairs, grinding, and a knee that aches after a day on your feet. This is where the research is deepest, and where we combine all four tools.Approach: needling, bodywork, cupping, herbs
Pain around or behind the kneecap with squatting, stairs or running. We release the quadriceps and IT band that pull the patella off track and address hip and foot mechanics.Approach: release, correct, retrain
Pain after a twist or impact, often with swelling. We calm irritation and rebuild support around the joint. Locking, giving way or large traumatic tears need an orthopedic opinion, and we'll refer you.Approach: calm, support, refer when needed
Pain on the inner knee below the joint line, over the kneecap tendon, or along the outer knee. These soft-tissue problems often respond well to targeted needling and bodywork.Approach: targeted release and load management
Lingering pain, swelling and tight muscle after an injury or surgery. We work alongside your surgeon and physical therapist so recovery isn't held back by guarded tissue.Approach: coordinate with your care team

What the Research Shows

Evidence-Based Care, Ancient Roots

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the best-studied conditions in acupuncture research. Every claim here links to a published source below.

Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2020

The ACR and Arthritis Foundation guideline for osteoarthritis conditionally recommends acupuncture for knee OA, in a package alongside exercise, tai chi and weight management.1

Curr Pain Headache Rep, 2024

Ten randomized trials and 3,221 participants: acupuncture improved function and overall pain for about 4.5 months after treatment compared with sham, with a good safety profile.2

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2019

Seventeen trials and 4,774 older adults: acupuncture-based therapies significantly improved knee pain, stiffness and physical function.3

Rheumatology, 2007

Properly dosed acupuncture, meaning at least six weekly sessions of 20 minutes or more with four or more points per knee, beat sham acupuncture and no added treatment for pain and function. Dose matters.4

BMC Complement Med Ther, 2025

In a randomized trial of 140 people with knee osteoarthritis, eight 20-minute Tui Na sessions over three weeks were as effective as manual physical therapy, with similar safety.6

Chinese Medicine, 2023

In 70 patients, adding Duhuo Jisheng decoction to Tui Na produced a significantly lower WOMAC pain score at the 8-week follow-up, with no significant adverse effects.8

The evidence is strongest for acupuncture. Tui Na, cupping and herbal medicine are the supporting layers we add based on your pattern, and the same guideline names exercise and tai chi as foundations, which is why your plan includes movement.

What to Expect

Your Treatment Journey with Us

01

Free Consultation

We review your history, imaging, past treatments and what you want back, whether that's stairs, golf or a long walk. You leave with a clear plan.

02

Knee & Whole-Leg Assessment

We watch you walk and squat, test range, stability and strength, and check the hip and ankle. TCM pulse, tongue and palpation complete the picture. Anything that needs a physician gets a referral.

03

A Properly Dosed Course

The trials that worked used at least six weekly sessions, so we plan a course, not a single visit, and layer in massage, cupping or herbs where they fit.

04

Movement & Home Care

Strengthening, heat, and movement practices such as tai chi, which the ACR guideline strongly recommends, help the gains last.

05

Reassess with Data

We track pain, stiffness, and what you can do again, such as stairs and walking distance. If something isn't working, we change course.

Seek urgent medical care first if you have:

A hot, red, swollen knee with fever, inability to bear weight after an injury, a locked knee, sudden severe swelling, or calf pain and swelling, which can signal a blood clot.

The Clinic & Physicians

Medicine That Takes Its Time

Blake Estape grew up in Miami, spent a decade training in China's hospitals and clinics, and came home in 2015 to bring that experience to the neighborhoods that raised him. His vision for healthcare is simple: Eastern and Western medicine should speak to each other, and the patient should be at the table.

"Each treatment plan is crafted with you as a collaborator in your own care."

In practice, that means a real assessment before any needle, evidence you can check for yourself, unhurried visits, and plain talk about what acupuncture can and can't do. It means coordinating with your physician, physical therapist or surgeon when your knee needs more than we offer. Our practitioners work as a team, so one plan covers needling, bodywork and herbs.

Blake Estape, L.Ac., Dipl.O.M.
Founder & Chief Physician

Blake Estape, L.Ac.

  • Dipl.O.M. (NCCAOM)
  • FSOMA Member
  • Hebei Medical University

Trained for a decade in China, including hospital rotations in orthopedics, neurology and gastroenterology alongside physicians. Featured in the Florida Villager, Pinecrest Tribune and Authority Magazine. Read Blake's story

Rozalie Petit-Frere, acupuncturist
Associate Acupuncturist

Rozalie Petit-Frere

A graduate of the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine with a master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a bachelor's in health sciences. She is particularly adept at treating chronic pain. Meet Rozalie

Deep Tissue Massage Specialist

Natalie Kristen Reyes

A Miami-born massage specialist trained with exceptional practitioners, with a style that emphasizes recovery from chronic pain. Her work is a natural partner to acupuncture for tight, overloaded knees. Meet Natalie

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Acupuncture can't regrow cartilage. In the research it reduces pain and improves function in knee osteoarthritis, with benefits lasting months.2 Whether surgery makes sense depends on your imaging, function and goals. We can coordinate with your orthopedist, and some patients use acupuncture before or after surgery.
The trials that showed benefit used at least six weekly sessions,4 so we plan an initial course on that scale and reassess along the way. Longer-standing, more severe knees take more. Your plan and expected timeline are discussed at the free consultation.
X-ray severity and pain don't track perfectly. We treat the pain, stiffness and function you're living with, and we'll be candid with you after the first several visits about how your knee is responding.
Yes. Exercise and physical therapy are core parts of knee care, and acupuncture fits alongside them. With your permission we'll coordinate with your physician. Continue any prescribed medication unless your doctor advises otherwise, and we review herbs against your medications first.
Large reviews find serious adverse events are rare when treatment is done by a trained, licensed practitioner using sterile single-use needles.10 Tell us if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, or are pregnant.
Acupuncture needles are far thinner than injection needles, and most people feel a brief pinch, then heaviness or warmth. Cupping can leave temporary round marks that fade in a few days. Neither is a reason to skip a visit, and we adjust to your comfort.

Related Conditions

Explore More of What We Treat

Back Pain & Sciatica

Knees often hurt because the back or hip upstream isn't moving well.

Shoulder Pain & Frozen Shoulder

The same stage-by-stage approach for stiff, painful shoulders.

Chronic Pain

How acupuncture addresses long-standing pain across the body.

Menopause & Perimenopause

Joint aches often begin or worsen during the transition.

Ready to Find Out
How Acupuncture Can Help?

Your first consultation is free. Bring any imaging or notes you have, and we'll build a plan around your knees.

Book Your Free Consultation

7700 N. Kendall Drive, Suite 510, Miami, FL 33156
(786) 514-3942

References

  1. Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020;72(2):220-233. doi:10.1002/art.41142
  2. Durable effects of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2024;28(7):709-722. doi:10.1007/s11916-024-01242-6
  3. Gong Z, Liu R, Yu W, Wong TKS, Guo Y, Sun Y. Acutherapy for knee osteoarthritis relief in the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:1868107. doi:10.1155/2019/1868107
  4. White A, Foster NE, Cummings M, Barlas P. Acupuncture treatment for chronic knee pain: a systematic review. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2007;46(3):384-390.
  5. Shim JW, Jung JY, Kim SS. Effects of electroacupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:3485875. doi:10.1155/2016/3485875
  6. Ma P, Liu L, Li S, et al. Comparative effectiveness of tuina therapy versus manual physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025;25(1):128.
  7. Chan KH, Ching JYL, Chan KL, et al. Therapeutic effect of Duhuo Jisheng decoction add-on Tui-na manipulation on osteoarthritis of knee: a randomized controlled trial. Chin Med. 2023;18:82. (Prevalence figure from the introduction.) doi:10.1186/s13020-023-00737-5
  8. Chan KH et al. 2023, as above (WOMAC pain result at 8 weeks).
  9. Zhang W, Wang S, Zhang R, et al. Evidence of Chinese herbal medicine Duhuo Jisheng decoction for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials. BMJ Open. 2016;6:e008973.
  10. Chan MWC, Wu XY, Wu JCY, Wong SYS, Chung VCH. Safety of acupuncture: overview of systematic reviews. Sci Rep. 2017;7:3369. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-03272-0

This page is educational and does not replace individual medical advice.