Common Knee Problems and Knee Pain Relief
The knee is one of the easiest parts of the body to injure, and it's arguably the most used joint we have. Many times our knees are taken for granted, but just think about the things you wouldn't be able to do if you didn't have healthy knees. Just ask someone who does have knee problems how their life has been affected by it.
Even mild to moderate knee pain can be a life altering condition. That's why finding knee pain relief is so very important. There are as many causes of knee pain as there are ways to treat it. Let's take a look at some causes of knee pain and some of the more successful methods for achieving knee pain relief.
Causes
Our knees are responsible for a wide variety of actions, such as sitting, standing, walking, running and many others. Another important factor is the fact that the knee is a weight bearing joint. Due to the many uses of the knee, there is always a risk of injury. There are numerous knee injuries that are related to each of the previously mentioned factors. Many knee injuries are the result of twisting or over extending the knee. This usually results in torn ligaments and cartilage. These are the most severe cases, and finding knee pain relief often requires surgery for this type of injury.
Many times, the cause of knee pain is related to overuse or overload. Examples of this are tendonitis and bursitis. In these cases, small tears develop in the cartilage of the knee due to overuse. When these tears begin, the area becomes inflamed, and this is what causes the pain. The symptoms of this type of injury usually take some time to appear, and they gradually increase in intensity over time.
In other cases, the cause of this type of injury is due to overloading the joint. This is sometimes the case with people who are extremely overweight. When this type of injury occurs, the best way to achieve knee pain relief is to limit the activity of that particular knee and allow it to have time to heal. In the interim, the pain and discomfort can be treated with one of the many over-the-counter or prescription medications available.
Another common cause of knee pain is arthritis. This is a condition in which the cartilage and tissue around the joint begins to deteriorate. This condition affects millions of people, but there are ways to prevent and reduce the effects in some cases.
Prevention and Treatment
For each of the causes, there are various methods for preventing and treating knee pain. For serious knee injuries, such as torn ligaments, sometimes the only way to find knee pain relief is through surgery. The most important thing you can do to prevent knee injuries of all kinds is to care for the muscles around the knee. Keeping the muscles that support the knee strong and flexible is the key to maintaining healthy knees. Regular moderate exercise can help you do this. Make sure you warm up properly every time you exercise to prevent sudden injury from overuse. Another way to keep your knees healthy is by maintaining the appropriate body weight. Obviously, your knees are going to be healthier if they carry less weight.
Other ways to provide knee pain relief include limiting activity with braces, and medications. Medication, and sometimes surgery, are often used to treat one of the most common forms of knee pain, which is arthritis. Always consult your physician for treatment advice.
