Try this easy remedy for knee pain relief.
My name is Dr. David Geier – orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine specialist, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine expert. I help you feel, look and perform your best, regardless of age or injury.
Try these easy remedies for knee pain relief.
My name is Dr. David Geier – orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine specialist, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine expert. I help you feel, look and perform your best, regardless of age or injury.
The knee is a complicated joint, and it’s easy for problems to arise. One of the most common types of knee pain is patellar tendonitis (also known as jumper’s knee), which is caused by inflammation of the patellar tendon that connects your kneecap to your shinbone. Some people also experience pain in their knee joint itself, which can be caused by osteoarthritis. However, there are many home remedies that can help reduce your pain.
Rest your knee as much as possible.
When I say rest your knee, I don’t mean you have to completely give up physical activity. Just temporarily avoid exercises or positions that cause pain. If you are having trouble walking, you can use a cane or crutches to help support the weight of your leg, but don’t bear any weight on it if possible. If the pain is that bad, though, you probably ought to see an orthopedic surgeon to find out what’s causing your pain.
Ice and elevate your leg if your knee is swollen
Lying on the couch or sleeping with your leg elevated above heart level can help get swelling of the knee down. Applying an ice or cold pack can help decrease swelling too.
Modify your exercise
If you’re in pain, don’t try to exercise through it. If your knee hurts when you do certain exercises or activities then those movements are likely aggravating the injury. Instead of pushing through the pain or trying to work out until it goes away on its own (which could take weeks), it’s important that you rest until the injury has healed completely before starting up again. Now, if there are ways to exercise that don’t aggravate your knee, then those exercises are probably not causing any harm.
Work with a physical therapist or perform exercises at home
Physical therapy is a great way to help recover from knee pain, but it’s also important to do exercises at home. Exercises are a key part of preventing the problem from coming back and keeping your knees healthy for years to come.
The quadriceps muscles (quadriceps) help straighten your leg when you walk, run or jump. If these muscles don’t work as well as they should, it can cause pain in the front of your knee joint. It’s also important to strengthen the muscles of the hips, glutes, VMO and core. A physical therapist can examine you to figure out the source of your pain and then teach you how to perform exercises on your own to overcome that pain.
Wear a brace or a knee sleeve
Not every patient with knee pain or a knee injury needs a knee brace. Often the true braces – with hinges on each side – are unnecessary unless stability of the knee is an issue. Often, though, patients try knee sleeves and feel they help to do their daily activities with less pain.
If you feel like you need a knee brace, go see a doctor or orthopedic surgeon to see what type of brace is best for your particular injury. Plus, some knee braces can limit mobility if not properly fitted by professionals.
Sleeves don’t offer much stability. They mainly provide support and relief from discomfort through compression.
And remember, if your symptoms are not getting better fairly quickly, it can be a good idea to see a doctor or orthopedic surgeon to find out what is causing the pain and find a treatment that gets you back to what you want to do quickly and safely.
We are looking for 5 patients with knee pain who want to get significantly better in the next 30 days, without cortisone shots, physical therapy, or surgery. Click this link and enter the term ‘Interested’ in the description box to learn more.
This post is meant for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.
