4 Things You Can do Right Now to Help Improve the Quality and Integrity of Knee Pain

Introduction

So, you've been experiencing knee pain and you're wondering what to do next. You can't just sit around and wait for the pain to go away, right? Well, yes if you're hoping that it will magically disappear in a few days or weeks, but if that's your plan, then there's a good chance it won't happen. Knee pain is a common complaint that affects people of all ages. Knee pain may be the result of an injury, such as a ruptured ligament or torn cartilage. Medical conditions — including arthritis, gout and infections — also can cause knee pain (Mayoclinic, 2021)

What is Knee Joint Mobilisation?

Knee joint mobilisation is a manual therapy technique performed by physical therapists, Myotherapists and Musculoskeletal Therapists, some advanced athletic trainers and chiropractors. The goal of this type of treatment is to improve your range of motion and help you regain normal flexibility, strength and function in your knee joints.

According to Allison et al. (2011) . Knee joint mobilisation can be described as an oscillatory manual force applied to the tibiofemoral, proximal tibio-fibular, or patellofemoral joints, in a variety of directions and positions based on the patient’s presentation. Mobilizations to the knee may be applied with several different hand positions or grips.?

Knee joint mobilizations can be performed on a table or floor. They are usually done with the patient lying down on their stomach (prone) or side, although some may be done while standing. The therapist will apply pressure to your knee joint using a strap or towel. This may be uncomfortable at first, but it should not cause any pain or discomfort. You may feel a pop or popping sensation as the muscles release tension after being stretched for several minutes. There is no application of an HVLA - high velocity end range thrust.

The therapist will then move around your leg in various directions to loosen up tight muscles and tendons that may be causing pain or discomfort in your knee joint. You may also receive some other treatments like acupuncture, massage therapy or electrical stimulation during this session if needed.

Some possible causes of knee pain are as follow;

Injury-Related Knee Pain

Injury-related knee pain is the most common type of knee pain, and it's often due to a minor injury that occurred during sports or other activities. Injuries can include sprains and strains, cartilage tears or other damage to the ligaments that hold your joints stable, and bone fractures.

Overuse-Related Knee Pain

Overuse-related knee pain occurs when you repeatedly use your body in ways that put extra stress on your knees. This type of knee pain may result from exercise such as running or playing sports without enough warm-up time before exercise; it also can happen if you stand or sit for long periods of time without moving around at least every hour.

Medical Conditions That Cause Knee Pain

Some medical conditions cause knee pain that doesn't respond well to treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These include rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Growth issues to the knee include Osgood-schlatters which is common ages 12 - 14 and settles when the growth spurt stops.?

The first thing that needs to be done is getting physical therapy for your knee condition. Motion is lotion and knee pain exercises will definitely help. This will help improve mobility in your knee joint and strengthen muscles around the joint so that they can support more weight than before. It also helps increase flexibility so that your knee can move more easily when combined with exercise programs like yoga and Pilates which are both great at stretching out tight muscles around joints such as those in the knees.

Take a break from your daily routine.

Some people are being prescribed pain medication to help with knee pain relief. But what if there was a way to get rid of your knee pain without taking prescription painkillers?

That's what this article tells us about how a simple change in habit can help you get rid of your knee pain.

Many people suffering from knee pain don't know how to take advantage of the fact that they're not supposed to be in so much pain. This can be confusing because it's not always obvious when you're in too much pain.

One way to avoid being in too much pain is by taking short breaks from your daily routine. Taking these short breaks helps prevent you from getting overuse injuries or aches and pains later on down the road.

By taking a break from the activities that are causing you knee pain, you'll give your body the chance to heal itself.

To improve it further, try to do the RICE Method (Healthline, 2017) :

• Avoid the activity that causes you pain.
• Use crutches to keep weight off your knee.
• Ice the area three or four times per day for 20 minutes at a time.
• Wrap your knee using an elastic compression bandage .

Place pillows underneath your knee to elevate it to the same level or higher than the level of your heart.

Exercise regularly and often, but be careful not to overdo it or do it every day!

Many people with knee pain try to exercise to see if it helps. They might lift weights or run on a treadmill, but they're often disappointed by the results.

The problem is not that exercise doesn't work — it does — it's that most people overemphasise the benefits of exercise and ignore other ways to improve their health.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons , performing lower body stretching exercises may help improve the range of motion and flexibility in your knee joint. This can make it easier to move your knee.

Exercise is a good idea for anyone with joint problems, but it's important to find something that feels comfortable for you. If you're not sure what kind of exercise would work best for your condition, ask your physical therapist or Myotherapist/Musculoskeletal therapist for recommendations.

Eat healthy food and drink plenty of water every day

If you are suffering from knee pain, then it is very important that you eat healthy food and drink plenty of water to reduce inflammation in the body. If you don't do this, then the rate of repair will be much longer, along with excessive load bearing if you are obest, this also increases joint and cartilage degeneration. You may increase your risk of developing arthritis later on in life.

Eating a balanced diet will ensure that your body gets the right amount of nutrients it needs for optimal health. This includes vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that help repair damaged tissues and promote healing. You should also avoid foods that contain high amounts of sugar or salt as these can lead to inflammation and weight gain which can worsen your condition.

When it comes to drinking water, it is essential that you drink water often enough to have clear urine. The suggestion used to be 8 glasses per day but this is dependent on other factors such as your age, gender, and daily activities. Water is an excellent source of hydration which helps flush out toxins from the body as well as maintain normal blood pressure levels (which can prevent heart problems). It's also very useful for those who suffer from constipation

Conclusion

Primarily, knee pain is caused by inflammation and tightness in the tendons themselves, laxity and instability of stretched ligaments and occasional direct trauma.? It can be as a result of overtraining or bad shoe wear or imbalance to the feet, hips and pelvis. What we are trying to achieve here is to give you a better understanding of what causes your knee pain so that you can better manage your symptoms and get on with your life.?

Want to know more? Let’s break it down with the help of this module

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References:

Allison S, Gill N, Silvernail J, & Teyhen D. (2011). Biomechanical Measures Of Knee Joint Mobilization. J Man Manip Ther. ?2011 Aug; 19(3): 162–171. doi: 10.1179/2042618611Y.0000000012. PMID: 22851879; PMCID: PMC3143014

Allison S, Gill N, Silvernail J, & Teyhen D. (2013). Joint Mobilization Forces And Therapist Reliability In Subjects With Knee Osteoarthritis. J Man Manip Ther.? 2013 Nov; 21(4): 196–206. doi: 10.1179/2042618613Y.0000000033. PMID: 24421632; PMCID: PMC3822319

Aliabadi P, Felson D, Nguyen U, Niu J, Zhang Y, & Zhu Y. (2012). Increasing Prevalence of Knee Pain and Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis. Ann Intern Med. 2011 Dec 6; 155 (11): 725-732. doi: 10.1059/0003-4819-155-11-201112060-00004. PMID: 22147711; PMCID: PMC3408027; NIHMSID: NIHMS351424

Orthoinfo (2018). Knee Conditioning Program.

https://www.healthline.com/health/exercises-for-knee-pain#stretching-exercises

Bell, A & Nunez K. (2022). How to Ease Knee Pain and Sleep Tight Through the Night. https://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis/sleep-better-knee-pain

Mayoclinic (2021). Knee Pain Symptoms And Causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/knee-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20350849