 |
Knee Pain Dos and Don’ts
|
Knee pain has a number of different causes.
There are many things you can do to help knee pain, whether it’s due to a
recent injury or arthritis you’ve had for years. According to Arthritis UK, low
impact exercise and keeping to a healthy weight can reduce symptoms, whatever
the cause of the pain.
There are several things you can do to help knee pain, whether it is due to
a recent injury or arthritis you've
had for years.
Follow these 9 dos and don’ts to help your knees feel their best.
Do's
Do exercise.
Cardio
exercises strengthen your muscles around the knee that support your knee and
also increase flexibility. Weight training and stretching do,
too. For cardio, some good choices include walking, swimming, water aerobics, stationary cycling, and elliptical machines. Yoga may
also help ease stiffness, improve balance, and reduce weight.
Do use "RICE."
Rest, ice, compression, and
elevation (RICE) can be very beneficial to a painful knee. It's important to
let your knee rest. Ice is used to relieve swelling and inflammation. Apply a
compressive bandage and keep your knee elevated whenever possible.
Do play with temperature.
For knee
injury, the first 48 to 72 hours after a knee
injury, use a cold pack to ease swelling and numb the pain. A plastic bag of
ice works well. Use it for 15 to 20 minutes three or four times a day. Wrap
your ice pack in a towel to be kind to your skin. After that, you can heat up
the injured knee with a warm bath, heating pad, or warm towel for 15 to 20
minutes, repeat this three or four times a day.
Do use a walking aid.
Using a cane can help keep
extra weight off of your knee. A knee splint or a brace can add stability, as
well. These items can be purchased at most drug stores or on-line.
Don'ts
Don’t jar your joint(s) or overdo.
Although exercise is always a good
idea, high impact exercises should be avoided. Avoiding exercises like running,
squats and jumping can put harmful stress on your knees. This can make matters
worse and also cause more injury. Low impact exercises such as walking and
swimming are helpful, but even then in moderation. Make sure to stretch
first before doing any sort of exercise.
Don’t rest too much.
Taking too
much rest makes the knee muscles lazy thereby weaken your muscles, which can
worsen joint pain.
Find an exercise program that
is safe for your knees and
stick with it. If you're not sure which motions are safe or how much you can
do, talk with your doctor or a physical therapist.
Don’t risk a fall.
A painful or unstable knee can make a fall more likely, which can cause more knee damage. Check
your risk of falling by making sure your home is well lit, using handrails on
staircases, and using a sturdy ladder or footstool if you need to reach
something from a high shelf. If possible, ask someone else to reach
something for you if it is high up on a shelf. Don't take chances that could
cause further damage to yourself. Remember, knee pain relief is the key here if you re-injure yourself it will take much longer.
If you're overweight, losing weight, reduces the stress and pressure on your knee. You don’t even need to get
to your "ideal" weight. Smaller changes still make a difference.
Don't wear the wrong shoes.
Comments