Knee Injuries and Knee Pain
If you have a knee injury, or occasional or constant knee pain it can often be relieved relatively effectively and inexpensively.
There are an estimated 218.5 million adults living in the United States today. Nearly 1/3 of them experience chronic joint pain at some point in their lies. Approximately 70 million consistently suffer from stiffness, swelling and joint pain in the knee. Approximately 8.5 million of those who suffer with joint pain in the knee do so due to knee injuries. Over 27 million suffer from osteoarthritis, and almost half of those reported as having osteoarthritis of the knee are over the age of 65. If you are one of the 70 million adults who suffer with knee pain, there is treatment available.
Video: How to workout around a knee injury
Relieving Arthritis Pain in the Knee
If you have arthritis in a joint, like a knee, doctors tend to agree that you should stay away from any kind of activity that puts sudden stress or pressure on the joint. Depending on the severity of your arthritis, running, tennis, racquet ball and other high impact sports should be avoided. You might even want to take an elevator, instead of the stairs, and shorten your walks to prevent disabling pain.
This doesn't mean that you have to become immobile. You simply need to modify your lifestyle to avoid as much pain as possible. You'll want to look at other ways to increase your metabolism, work your muscles and stay fit that don't cause further pain, impact or injury to your arthritic knee joints. Take several short walks throughout the day as your schedule permits. Start a yoga workout. Pilates is also a great alternative workout that might fit into your schedule and condition. If you don't have time to go to a class, there are plenty of videos out there to choose from. You can do a search on the web or go to your local video store to check out a few before you buy.
Some other changes you may want to consider are your weight, diet and your use of pain relief. If you are overweight, put together a plan to reduce your weight. This will help relieve any excess pressure on your lower extremities and joints. Set aside some time at least three days a week for a low impact 30-minute aerobic-type workout. Trade that donut for a whole grain bagel with light cream cheese, or fried foods for baked. Make sure to add a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains to your daily diet. The key is to ensure you are eating balanced meals and following a good exercise program that doesn't further aggravate or injure your knee.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers may assist in alleviating the pain. You may want to consider oral pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naproxen sodium. Several OTC topical creams that have been known to bring some relief are those that contain menthol, eucalyptus oil or oil of wintergreen. Topical OTC analgesics like Bengay, Aspercreme, Mobisyl or Sportscreme may also be helpful. OTC creams that are made from chili pepper seeds are known to be most effective in relieving pain in joints that are closer to the skin's surface. The chili pepper seeds contain capsaicin that causes a burning sensation that can trigger pain relief. It is most effective in knees, elbows and fingers.
Chondromalacia Patella Pain
Also known as runner's knee, chondromalacia patella pain typically affects young athletes. This occurs when the patella, or surface under the kneecap, rubs against the knee joint. The rubbing irritates the patella, and results in knee pain. If untreated, the chondromalacia can cause injury or permanent damage to the knee.
Typical treatment for chondromalacia is usually rest for several weeks and no impact sports. Physical therapy may also be necessary. If this doesn't relieve the pain, then some type of surgery may be necessary to correct the injury to the knee.
How to Relieve Pain from ACL, MCL and LCL Injuries
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the ligament that runs deep inside your knee joint. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) runs vertically down the outside of your knee. The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) runs vertically down the inside of your knee. These ligaments connect the thigh bone to the shin bone and work to keep the knee joint stable during movement.
Video: Understanding Knee Pain
These ligaments are most commonly injured while playing sports, and are injured most often when there is a direct contact blow to the knee. The MCL and LCL, in particular, may also be injured by rapid abrupt movement or turning from a still position. The LCL is rarely injured unless one of the other ligaments is injured, also.
Treatments for knee ligament injuries may be nonsurgical like resting and elevating your knee, sometimes alternating an ice pack/heat pack, using just an ice pack, an elastic bandage, a knee brace, taking anti-inflammatory painkillers, strengthening and stretching the knee and going to physical therapy. If nonsurgical treatments do not bring long-term relief, then surgical treatment may be necessary to repair the ligament. You'll need to discuss the options with your doctor. Whatever you do, you'll need to be patient with the healing process. Work slowly back into your routine, follow the advice of your doctor and don't put any undo pressure or strain on the injured area(s).