Your knees and hips are some of your largest joints. They support body weight, provide stability, and are essential to everyday activities both big and small. Given their importance, complex structure, and lack of protection, it’s no wonder that they are especially vulnerable to injury. Whether it’s mild knee pain and swelling or full-blown osteoarthritis, knee pain can range from annoying to painfully debilitating. And when not treated properly, it can become a chronic pain that may lead to joint tissue damage, bone softening, cartilage destruction, and other conditions that may leave you with no other option than invasive knee replacement surgery.
At Non Surgical Medical, we are driven by the goal of helping people achieve lasting pain relief through noninvasive means. We understand the dangers of surgery, medication, and other invasive procedures, and our team of chiropractors, physical therapists, and other orthopedic specialist use this understanding to guide those in pain down the gratifying path to pain relief.
All this being said, not everyone is a candidate for our noninvasive treatment methods. Learn more about what we do, and if you think you may be a candidate for our treatment, contact us today to schedule a preliminary consultation. Regardless of your condition, read on below for some basic tips for knee pain relief.
Exercise Wisely
The key to preventing knee damage is building up the muscles that support your knee. Naturally, the easiest and surest way to build up these muscles is through targeted exercises. However, it is important to be gentle when you exercise. For example, keep in mind that running on the road and other hard surfaces can jar your knees, just as running on trails can pose a risk of falling or twisting your knee. Though it could probably go without saying, activities like squats, jumping, kickboxing, and lunges should be avoided entirely. Exercises that promote flexibility and strengthen your quadriceps and hamstrings can be particularly helpful in knee health. These exercises may include stretching, swimming, elliptical machines, short arc quad workouts, wall slides, and back bridges.
Avoid Fall-Risks
When you have a bum knee and are favoring one leg over the other, you put yourself at a greater risk of falling, which, if that happens, can damage your knee even more. To lower your risk of further damaging your knee, avoid risky activities, make sure your home is well lit and equipped with necessary rails and support, and be sure to always use extra precautions when reaching for objects or using step stools and ladders.
Practice “RICE”
Regardless of whether you have a significant amount of knee swelling or not, practicing “RICE”—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—can be beneficial. It can help reduce swelling, pain, and arthritis flares. With this being said, it’s also important to remember that too much rest can weaken your muscles and be bad for your knee health. Consult with your chiropractor, physical therapist, or doctor to find an exercise plan that fits your needs. They will be able to recommend which motions to avoid and give you an idea of how much you can and should be doing.
Manage Weight
The heavier you are, the more weight your knees and other joints have to bear. If you are overweight, make an effort to shed some pounds. You do not have to get down to your ideal weight. Simply making small changes can make all the difference. Remember that knees carry the brunt of your body weight and every pound you gain adds roughly four pounds of pressure to your knees. Not only can losing weight reduce knee pain, but it can also reduce your risk of osteoarthritis.
Get Good Shoes
You don’t have to wait until you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis to start thinking about how your footwear affects your knee pain and joint health. Adding cushioned insoles can reduce the stress on your knees. There are a number of shoe and insole options out there. To find what works best for you, consult with your doctor or physical therapists.
Seek Expert Advice
Knee pain is no joke. Whether you recently injured your knee or are a long-time sufferer of chronic knee pain, it is important to get medical help and get the opinion of professionals who work every day to treat knee pain and to provide chronic pain treatment. If you are in the Southern California area, contact Non Surgical Medical Group.
As a team of orthopedic, chiropractic, and physical therapy specialists, we take great pride in being able to treat your pain noninvasively. Though we cannot guarantee pain relief for every type of pain, over the years, we have gained a reputation for helping thousands of patients achieve tangible and lasting pain relief without using medication or surgery. If you are worried your pain won’t budge regardless of how you treat it, don’t lose hope. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to see if you are a match for our noninvasive treatments!