Good Treatments for Bad Knees
Knee pain can affect more than just your ability to walk—sitting down, standing up, driving, taking the stairs, and most physical activities become difficult with achy knees. Arthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain. Damage to your joints causes the bones to rub together, causing you pain and discomfort. Knee pain can also be caused by tendonitis, bursitis, or injuries such as torn cartilage, torn ligaments, sprains and strains.
What You Can Do to Ease Knee Pain
- Take It Easy. If you have chronic knee pain from arthritis or if you’ve sustained an injury, it is important to rest your knee (or knees) as much as possible. You can sleep with a pillow under or between your knees to ease the pressure.
- Take Your Medicine. Common medications for arthritis are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), analgesics, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Your doctor will work with you to find the right regimen.
- Take a Listen. Some research has shown that listening to classical music can help soothe pain and relieve stress. Pop in the Mozart, turn down the lights, take a deep breath, and relax.
- Take a Trip to the Gym. You’ve heard it before: exercise. Regular activity can help build muscles to take the pressure off your joints. Weight training is the best way to strengthen the muscles in your legs.
Maintaining a healthy weight will literally ease the burden you place on your knees. Water aerobics provides a great calorie-burning workout, without placing a lot of pressure on your knees. Whatever you choose, the exercise routine you stick to is the one that works best.
- Take a Trip to the Doctor. Blake Medical Center’s Joint Care Center has well-respected team of orthopedic experts to provide you with state-of-the-art care for your knees, hips, and any joint that’s giving you trouble. Visit us online or contact the Consult-a-Nurse® service at 1-888-359-3552 to find a doctor.
Sources: Arthritis Foundation Blake Medical Center National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Related Posts: Exercising With Arthritis Knee Resurfacing vs. Replacement
Tags: arthritis, Blake Medical Center, bursitis, injury, Joint Care, knee pain, orthopedics, tendonitis
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