Knee Pain and Lifestyle
Many people have experienced knee pain at one point or the other in their lives. Exercise, sports and other activities can cause muscle strains, tendinitis, and severe injuries to ligaments and cartilage.
Nowadays, there are many people turning to knee replacement surgeries. Knee pain has different degrees of severity and depends on factors such as the cause and age. Knee pain can be mild, and serve as a mild disturbance or it can be severe and alter daily activities.
Knee pain can be felt on different locations too. It may be felt at the middle of the knee or at the knee cap.
There are some common conditions and injuries that cause severe knee pain. They include:
Knee ligament injuries
Injury to the knee ligaments can cause knee pain. Ligaments connect the thigh bone to your lower leg bone. They hold these bones together and stabilize the knee.
Knee ligament sprains and tears are very common among athletes. They may also occur from high-energy collisions, such as a car crash. These injuries are caused by movements such as starting or stopping suddenly, suddenly shifting directions, jumping and landing incorrectly or body collision with another person.
Symptoms include sudden, severe pain in the knee, persistent pain when walking, a “popping” sound in the knee, the knee suddenly giving out when walking and destabilizing movement and inflammation within a day after initial injury.
Meniscus tears
This takes place in the knee cartilage. Cartilage is a tough but flexible tissue that covers the end of the bones. Additionally, knee cartilage also includes the two menisci on either side of the joint: the medial meniscus, located on the inside of the knee, and the lateral meniscus, located on the outside of the knee.
A meniscus tear is very common and usually requires surgery. Unlike a ligament injury, which occurs as a result of different movement, meniscus tear is usually as a result of a sudden movement such as a sudden twist or turn which can cause a tear in the knee cartilage. It is common in older people because the older you get the thinner and weaker your cartilage gets. Symptoms of a meniscus tear include a “popping” noise in the knee, knee pain which worsens over time, knee giving out, knee locking etc.
Arthritis of the knee
Arthritis is a condition that causes swelling and pain in joints in the body, but it commonly occurs in the knee. Arthritis is a chronic condition that can worsen over time and eventually need surgery.
The commonest types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis.
Symptoms of arthritis in the knee include stiffness and inflammation in the knee, difficulty in bending the knee and knee pain.
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Treating knee pain from arthritis
Knee pain usually worsens as arthritis develops. Many people with severe knee pain from arthritis usually resort to surgery to relieve their symptoms and help repair the joint.
However surgery is not the only option. Some alternative options for treating knee pain from arthritis include medication and at-home strategies like exercise. The treatment method that’s recommended for your knee pain depends on factors such as severity of the pain, age, level of activity, and any other medical conditions you have.
Naturally, the doctor will try the least invasive type of treatment, such as weight loss and medication, and before considering surgery. Surgery is usually the last option.
At-home treatments
- Weight loss: this reduces the amount of weight on your knee joint thereby relieving knee pain.
- Heat and cold therapy: Learn to relieve pain and stiffness by practicing hot and cold therapy in your home with the help of skilled physical therapist.
- Movement: Stretching and strengthening muscles will help improve mobility and relieving pain and stiffness. Exercise such as swimming and yoga can be quite helpful.
- Assistive devices: If your mobility is limited due to arthritis, occupational therapists recommend the use of assistive devices to aid movement and relieve knee pain such as knee brace or knee support. You can check out our knee support devices at Posture Rejuv.
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