The problem with knees especially knee pain has grown over the years. Of the 187 joints in your body, probably none brings about more suffering than the knee. An estimated 50 million people have suffered or are suffering knee pain or injury. One out of every three automobile injuries is an injury to the knee.
Body weight is a major contributor to knee problems. For every pound you weigh, thats multiplied by about six in stress placed across the knee area. If youre 10 pounds overweight, thats an extra 60 pounds your knee has to carry around.
Knee braces can be purchased at just about any sporting goods store, but the experts we spoke to say you should leave them on the shelf. The wraps or braces you buy off the shelf at a sporting goods store shouldnt be used for anything more than to remind you that you have a bad knee.
Some wintergreen lotions produce heat, and heat can be a symptom reliever and make you feel more comfortable. Sometimes, by covering the knee in plastic after applying the lotion and then wrapping it, you can make the liniment hotter. But you need to be careful that you dont burn the skin or cause irritation. But as far as being curative, lotions are not.
Ibuprofen (Advil, Medipren, Nuprin, etc.) is the over-the-counter painkiller of choice recommended by many. It reduces inflammation and provides pain relief without causing the stomach problems associated with aspirin. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a fine painkiller and causes fewer stomach problems, but it does little to reduce inflammation.
Recent studies have also shown ibuprofen can significantly improve joint mobility in those people with acute knee ligament damage. When compared to either aspirin or acetaminophen, ibuprofen may be the best of both worlds.
The only things holding the knee together are the muscles and the ligaments. Building up the muscles is critical, because the muscles are the real supporting structures. If they dont have their power or endurance, youre going to be in trouble with you knees.
That means a certain amount of exercise for knee pain sufferers, even for those who detest it. Stronger muscles provide you with a stronger joint, one thats better able to withstand the considerable strain that even walking or stair climbing places on the knees.
The most important thing to understand is that if an exercise causes increasing discomfort or pain, then stop. You have to listen to your body and not simply assume that you need to work through the pain. If youre an athlete and you have a chronic knee problem, youre going to have to modify your level of training or daily activity. Try swimming, biking, or rowing, all activities that are beneficial to health without placing great strain on the knees. The key phrase is "non-weight-bearing" activity. In fact, by helping to strengthen thigh muscles, such non-weight-bearing exercises as biking and rowing can give you better knees without sacrificing aerobic capacity or caloric burn.
Run on grass before asphalt, run on asphalt before concrete. Concrete is the hardest surface of all and should be avoided like the plague. Remember, when you run a mile, your foot is striking the ground between 600 and 800 times.
Following any activity that causes knee pain, immediately rest the area and apply ice, compression, and elevation for 20 to 30 minutes. Dont underestimate the power of ice. If youre conscientious, you might also want to ice later that evening, or the next morning when you get up. Ice is a tremendous anti-inflammatory and will really help the condition. Keep your icing routine simple. When you return from working out, just prop the leg up, wrap a bandage around it, and plop the ice pack on for 20 to 30 minutes. That should always be your first try at relieving pain.
When there is no swelling present, using a heating pad before an activity may let you exercise with less pain. But, if theres any swelling, or if you have any doubt that there might be swelling, dont use heat. Dont use heat after an activity. Were assuming the area is becoming irritated by activity, and heat is only going to increase any irritation thats there.
If your shoes cant take the shock anymore, that shock has to go someplace. Where it goes is through your foot, up your shin, and into the knee. Sometimes it keeps on going, up to the hip and back as well.
I tell runners that if they run 25 miles a week or more, they need new shoes every two to three months. If they run less than that, they need new shoes every four to six months. Aerobic dancers and basketball and tennis players who work out twice a week can probably get by on new shoes every four to six months. If theyre doing it up to four times or more a week, they also need new shoes every two months. Most people dont want to hear that.
Many experts like bike riding, either stationary or freewheel, as an alternative to the knee strain and pain that can be caused by running. But biking is only a great way to stay in shape and take a load off your knees if you do it with caution. Cyclists also damage their knees, typically by thinking that the harder it is to pedal, the more exercise you get. So, depending on the type of biking you do, riding may still be too strenuous. Steep hills are not advised. Fast pedaling in gears that feel easy is what you want. In general, a lower gear is a better gear.
There is a trigger point on the inside of the thigh that contributes to whats called weak knee syndrome. That trigger points responsible for a lot of generalized pain on the inside of the knee, too. To get rid of that pain, move your hand straight up from the kneecap along the front of the thigh for about 3 inches, then move it inward for another 2 to 4 inches. Using the tip of your thumb, press in firmly and hold until you feel the muscle release its tension. That can be anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds. Then release.
It is very important to warm up and cool down properly. Take about 10 minutes and do very light stretching before. Not stretching to accomplish flexibility, just light stretching. Perhaps go through the motions of whatever exercise youll be participating in without really extending it. Then do a little aerobics—jogging in place or walking around. After youre done working out, then you should really stretch. Try to counteract the pounding that the exercise put your knees through.
Heres one stretch for post-workout stiffness. Lie down on your back and pull your knees into your chest, then start to straighten one leg. Act like youre trying to press your heel toward the ceiling. Hold the stretch for a count of ten, then relax. Repeat with the other leg.
About The Author
Lisa Jones has been a practicing physiotherapist for over 15 years and writes numerous articles for leading sports medicine journals across the country. She has also treated and looked after some top professional athletes.
You can find out more about how to deal with knee pain from her following website
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