Since we have all been asked to stay at home, aches and pains have become more noticeable. Some of them have only gotten worse over time, and finding a quick fix online to help get rid of your knee pain isn’t cutting it.
Recently, I have spoken to people in the clinic and on the phone, who are suffering from knee pain and asking for help and advice or tips on what they can do to ease it. Because of this I want to share with you three of the fixes you think would help, but don’t.
A patient, last week, limping with knee pain asked: “I started having knee pain a couple weeks after staying at home. I’m not sure what I’ve done to it, but I’ve tried taking painkillers and that didn’t help. I was trying to rest it so that it wouldn’t hurt, but whenever I stood up and started moving, it hurt again. So I had to sit down. Now I’m wearing a brace to see if that helps, but I can still feel the pain when I take it off. Is there anything else I can do to get rid of the pain?”
I know how frustrating it can be when you’re not sure what you’ve done to hurt your knee, and even more frustrating when everything you’re doing to get rid of the pain isn’t helping it feel any better.
We all hope that there will be a “quick fix” to our problem. Because I see people confused, fed-up and even skeptical about what can be done to help with their pain, I want to help you by not wasting your time and money on these “3 Quick Fixes” for your knees.
The three most common “Quick Fixes” that people THINK ease their knee pain, but actually do the opposite are:
1. Reaching For Painkillers:
When you’re in pain, one of the easiest things to do is reach for the painkillers, to try and “kill” the pain. It’s also the first option that your Doctor will often give you to help your knee pain. But the thing is, painkillers won’t get to the root cause of your problem, nor do they fix it. Instead, they just mask the pain, which doesn’t help anyone. So, at the end of the day, that pain will still be there when the painkillers wear off. It’s better to do something to fix your pain long-term instead.
2. Resting:
When pain strikes, it’s very tempting to do nothing but rest “in case the pain gets worse.” Right now, it is easy to spend more time laying on the couch watching TV. But, when it comes to knee pain, if you rest too much (ie. not move much at all), your joints will become stiff and tight. This can make your knees feel even more achy when you try to move. The key is to not overdo anything. To help your knee, do a low impact exercise such as a light walk, yoga, or riding a bike. This will help keep you moving and not place any added pressure on your knees.
3. Wearing A Support:
Knee supports should ONLY be used as a last resort. Daily wear of a knee support to ease pain is actually masking the pain and creating an even bigger problem! Because it supports your joints, it takes the pressure off your muscles. If your muscle don’t have to work as hard, they become weaker. Once you take that support off, “because it’s eased the pain,” there’s a very strong chance it could come back quicker and worse than before!
If you want a permanent fix that works give me a call at 859-303-6393. We are open and meeting all CDC and State Guidelines to care for you in person or through our online home visits.
To learn more about Titan Physical Therapy and to get our FREE Knee Pain Guide visit
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