How to Prevent and Reduce Knee Pain
Knee Pain & Injuries
Knee pain can be challenging since we need our knees for nearly everything we do. Knee pain can have many causes. The most common are:
Meniscal Tears
These are small tears or rips in knee cartilage, which can irritate the joint, causing swelling and pain. Meniscal tears can come from sports injuries, twisting the knee during everyday movement, wear & tear, or stress from obesity.
Osteoarthritis
This damages the cartilage lining the knee joint and is often caused by a reduction in fluids. This comes with age.
Bursitis
Bursitis is caused by irritation of the bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that lubricates the knee joint, protecting it as it moves. Perpetual motion will put pressure on the bursa, leading to irritation.
How to prevent and reduce knee pain?
Wear supportive shoes
Unsupportive shoes can be a contributing factor of osteoarthritis and may make knee pain worse if the joint is already injured or inflamed. Cushioned shoes will reduce impact and pressure on the knee, and insole support will prevent your step from leaning too far inward or outward, which can cause the knee joint to grind and wear down over time. If your shoes don’t have proper cushioning or insole support, consider inserts.
How you are moving
Meniscal tears, in general, can stem from a twisting of the knee when bending or kneeling. Physical therapy can help teach you the right way to move to avoid injury to the joint.
Ice Pack
In certain instances, ice can help relieve the pressure and swelling of a knee injury. Make sure to protect your skin from the ice by placing the ice in an ice pack or wrapping it in a cloth.
Physical Exercise
While resting is important to certain injuries, if you don’t use your knee enough, the muscles can weaken, making you more susceptible to injury. Low-impact activity like swimming and yoga can be a great way to keep your knee joints and surrounding muscles strong and protect against future injury
Protect your knees
Wrap or brace your knee if you plan on doing any sort of physical activity. This can provide light support while allowing you to work the knee and protect the joint from stiffness.
Physical therapy can also help prevent or reduce knee pain
If you live in the Edison areas of New Jersey, you can contact our team of physical therapists at Health Plus Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center to begin your journey toward pain free life. We have worked with many patients who suffered from knee pain, and we specialize in creating personalized treatment plans to help you achieve pain free life without altering your normal lifestyle. Schedule an appointment online or contact us today to take the next step toward knee pain relief.
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