How To Get Rid Of Stiff Knee Joints

Exercise Tips For Knee Pain

As you start or continue an exercise program for your knees, there are ways to maximize your outcomes. Keep the following tips in the mind:

• Having a hard time tolerating exercise? Try seated workouts or jump in a pool to get your muscles working without the strain of weight-bearing

• Use conservative treatment options alongside your exercise program for joint pain relief and tissue health including over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen or naproxen, temperature therapy , electrical stimulation, and foam rolling.

• Avoid overuse of the knees that can lead to strain, such as repetitive stairs, squats, jumping, or other straining high impact moves

• Change positions frequently to avoid excessive stiffness, particularly a long period of sitting try to get up and move or stretch from a stagnant position every hour for at least 5 minutes

• Struggling with your exercises and not sure if youre doing them correctly? Consider physical therapy to maximize your results with a personalized treatment plan, particularly if youre dealing with an injury or knee osteoarthritis

Dont: Engage In Repetitive High

Joint-pounding exercises such as running and tennis can tax your already damaged knees, Dr. Pisetsky says. Its a vicious cycle because this type of exercise causes more pain. You stop using your muscle because it hurts, you lose strength, and then your alignment isnt good either, he says. This can also result in needing joint replacement surgery. Listen to your body, he says. If it is painful, dont do it.

Relieving And Reversing Knee Stiffness

A stiff, arthritic knee and the loss of extension that usually accompanies it can be debilitating. Despite a widespread belief that little can be done about stiffness other than surgery, appropriate physical therapy can relieve and even reverse stiffness.

Lack of full extension creates increased pain and leads to weak quadriceps, says Laura Bray-Prescott, PT/LATC, a physical therapist/athletic trainer at Shelbourne Knee Center. Thats why the research-based Knee Rehabilitation Program for osteoarthritis focuses on improving range of motion , primarily extension.

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Use Your Knee Brace And Crutches

If youve been fitted for a knee brace or had one recommended to you, make sure it fits properly. You should be able to insert two fingers under the strap. If its difficult to fit two fingers or if you can fit a third finger, youll need to adjust the tightness. Usually youll wear the brace for two to six weeks.

Use crutches if theyve been given and avoid putting any pressure on your knee until your doctor says its okay. Wait at least two weeks or until your doctor gives you the go-ahead before you bathe, swim, or use a hot tub. Follow a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids. Eat high-fiber foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure you have regular bowel movements. This will help while you may not have the benefit of moving around as much as usual.

Know When To See Your Doctor

While many conditions that cause knee pain can be helped by exercise, in some instances it may not be appropriate, says Dr. Lauren Elson, an instructor in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. You should stop exercising and see a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• fever

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Start The Stiff Knee Treatment

Stiff knees are a result of arthritis, knee injuries, and increased age. But that doesnt mean you need to live with the stiffness. There are plenty of treatment options such as exercise, stretching, compression, and physical therapy. We always recommend that you get proper medical advice from a doctor to address your concerns before you begin treatment.

How To Treat Arthritis In The Knees

This article was medically reviewed by Troy A. Miles, MD. Dr. Miles is an Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Adult Joint Reconstruction in California. He received his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2010, followed by a residency at the Oregon Health & Science University and fellowship at the University of California, Davis. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is a member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the North Pacific Orthopaedic Society.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 63,035 times.

Research suggests that treatment may slow down arthritis and relieve your symptoms, though there’s no cure for it.XTrustworthy SourceNational Health Service Public healthcare system of the UKGo to source Arthritis occurs when your joint becomes inflamed, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling. Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage in your joint wears away, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where your body attacks your joints. Experts say arthritis in the knee is very common because it’s a weight-bearing joint, but you can get arthritis in any joint.XResearch source Although arthritis may interfere with your life, you may be able to manage your condition.

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Why Do People Get Stiff Joints

Many people get joint pain and stiffness as they age.

When you use your joints for many years, it takes a toll on them.

A lot of people get stiffness upon waking.

When you lie down overnight, the inactivity causes less lubricating fluid to be released into the joints.

This can make it more difficult to move your joints upon waking.

Stiffness in the joints might trouble you only for a brief period each day.

On the other hand, the stiffness might be a larger problem that impacts your mobility to a greater degree.

Sometimes pain and inflammation accompany the stiffness.

This can make using your joints very difficult.

Stiff joints are not always caused by aging.

Medical conditions such arthritis and lupus, as well as a persons weight and diet, also can impact joint mobility.

The most typical cause of joint pain is arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that afflicts around 1.5 million Americans.

People usually are affected by this condition between the ages of 30 and 60.

RA is a chronic inflammatory condition.

It is also an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system attacks your body scientists havent discovered the reason why.

In this case, it attacks the lining of your joints. This results in inflammation, soreness, and stiffness.

It also can result in joint deformity and bone erosion.

RA has no known cure. The only option is managing the symptoms through regular treatment.

As the condition progresses, not much can be done to prevent disability.

• knees

Joint Pain And Stiffness: You Guide To Keeping The Pain At Bay

You dont have to live life with joint pain and stiffness. If these symptoms sound familiar, consider giving physical therapy a try. PT can improve your strength and reduce your likelihood of injuries.

With help, you can improve your mobility and quality of life.

Interested in physical therapy to reduce your joint stiffness? We can help.

Contact our team today to learn more.

About one in five American adults experience chronic pain. Thats about 50.2 million people across the US. Lost productivity due to chronic pain has reached $300 billion annually, too.

In fact, chronic pain is now among the most common chronic conditions in the company. If youre struggling with joint pain and stiffness, youre not alone.

You dont have to keep living with your joint problems, though. Instead, read on to discover what causes joint pain and stiffness. Then, use the tips weve included below to ease your pain.

Understanding the root cause of your symptoms can help you choose the right treatment options.

Read on to learn more about stiff joints today.

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Osteoarthritis Vs Rheumatoid Arthritis

The two main types of arthritis have a few key differences. Here’s how to tell them apart.

Osteoarthritis

Cause: Wear-and-tear damage to the cartilage that causes its breakdown over time.Symptoms: Pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling in the joint also, loss of flexibility in the joint.Another sign: Osteoarthritis tends to show up in a single joint or in a pair .

Rheumatoid arthritis

Cause: The body’s immune system attacks the lining of the joints, causing swelling and inflammation.Symptoms: Tender, warm, swollen joints also, joint stiffness that lasts a long time.Another sign: Rheumatoid arthritis shows up in multiple joints over time.

Rachel Nania writes about health care and health policy for AARP. Previously she was a reporter and editor for WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. A recipient of a Gracie Award and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, she also participated in a dementia fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

More on Joint Health

Are There Benefits Of Walking With Knee Pain

It may seem counterintuitive to increase your activity level when you have chronic knee pain or arthritis, but walking can actually provide a number of benefits, including:

• Lubricating the joints
• Increasing blood flow to the tissues
• Building muscle strength to support the knee

Before beginning or resuming any fitness routine, it is essential that you obtain clearance from your physician to ensure the health and safety of your joints. Walking is a fantastic option for many patients with knee arthritis because it is a low-impact activity that does not put undue stress on the joints. Furthermore, walking can increase the knees range of motion and keep it from becoming overly stiff.

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How To Reduce Swelling After Knee Surgery

This article was medically reviewed by Erik Kramer, DO, MPH. Dr. Erik Kramer is a Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado, specializing in internal medicine, diabetes, and weight management. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and is board certified.There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 32,352 times.

Swelling may be moderate to severe in the first few days after knee replacement surgery, but it will gradually subside as you recover. Still, you might experience some mild to moderate swelling in the weeks and months following your recovery. Luckily, there are several strategies you can try to reduce swelling, such as following your doctors instructions after surgery and trying out exercises meant to reduce swelling. If you experience an increase in swelling, tell your doctor right away.

Why Did I Get Sciatica After My Knee Replacement

You likely have Sciatica after your knee replacement because you arent moving around as much, your circulation is a little limited and you have swelling. Our bodies are made to move, this allows our muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons to move, too. It allows everything to stretch and glide and not get stuck. Movement also improves your circulation. If youre moving less because you just had surgery then your blood is still circulating, just slower, so it means that different parts of your body arent getting the same amount of new blood to them. New blood to the area brings nutrients to help heal and takes away toxins and inflammation. If you have swelling in any part of your leg it means that those areas have more pressure on them. There is only so much room under your skin for all the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, arteries and veins. So, if swelling is taking up some of that space it just means that there will be more pressure on everything, which also means pressure on the Sciatic nerve. Pressure on the Sciatic nerve then sends the Sciatica symptoms.

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Malpositioning Of The Implants

Surgeons make an effort to balance the knee at the time of surgery. This means finding the proper size and alignment of the knee replacement so that the knee joint is not too tight, and not too loose, and so this balancing is the same with the knee straight and bent.

This is precisely why a knee replacement is a difficult procedure, and the art of perfecting this takes many years. Errors in the positioning of an implant may not be apparent on the operating table and only become evident when the recovery is stalled.

Newer patient-specific knee replacements are tailor-made and may reduce the risk of malpositioning.

Get Rid Of Stiff Knees

While joint stiffness of the knees is quite common, you dont have to settle for living with constant tightness in your joints. Taking the time to give your knees what they need with a little movement can slowly change the way your knees function and feel. As you have now learned, exercises for knee stiffness dont have to be complicated, just consistent. If your knee stiffness is affecting your quality of life, its time to try some exercise and other home treatment modalities.

If that exercise doesnt seem to be helping, then its definitely time to talk to your orthopedic doctor, physical therapist, or another healthcare provider for further medical advice. They may need to order an x-ray or other tests to rule out more serious issues like a fracture or autoimmune disease.

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Ways To Prevent Joint Stiffness

Do your knees crackle and pop? Are your joints stiff when you get out of bed or when you rise from a chair? You arent alone. By the time were in our 60s and 70s, most of us will experience some joint pain and stiffness. How do you prevent and relieve joint stiffness?

As we age, the connective tissue and cartilage that provide cushioning between the joints wear down and become thinner, leading to conditions such as osteoarthritis that can cause pain and inflammation. Genetics and age are primary factors in joint deterioration, but there are steps you can take to extend the life of your joints and protect knee or hip replacements.

What Causes Knee Pain

For those of you that are sick and tired of googling stiffness knees after sitting, weve got everything you need to get you back on your feet. While it might be hard to discover the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis before it gets too late, there are a few ways that you could spot the signs. And the best part is that the sooner you see a professional about your stiff knee pain symptoms, the better.

You might not be surprised to find out that knee pain is one of the most popular forms of knee pain. For example, your knee pain could be super intense at first, fade away, and come back again with a vengeance.

In other cases, your knee pain may continue has a low, dull, throb that irritates you day and night. Sharp and intense, the pain that comes with knee pain only gets worse over time. If youre someone who spends a lot of time on your feet at work, chances are that wear and tear or a minor workplace injury could be to blame for your arthritic knee joints.

Are you wondering if your hard labor has caused your knee injury? Surprisingly enough, doctors are still unsure of what exactly causes knee pain, particularly since the reasons change from patient to patient.

What we can say for sure is that the symptoms that youre experiencing with knee pain are real and should be treated seriously, including swelling and stiffness. Lets take a moment to talk about swelling.

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Possible Cause #: Osteoarthritis

Another common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis . OA is sometimes called degenerative arthritis. It affects nearly 27 million Americans. Its most common in people over age 65.

This type of arthritis results from wear and tear on your joints. Cartilage, the thin tissue that protects the bones in your joints, wears away with use. Over time, the cartilage can no longer protect your bones.

OA can affect any joint in the body, but it most often affects the:

• knees

As OA progresses, it can begin to cause symptoms other than stiffness. These include:

• pain
• swelling
• cracking sounds when the joint is in motion

As the condition worsens, your bones may break more easily, and you could develop bone spurs. In advanced stages of OA, the cartilage disappears. Bones rub against other bones in your joint. This can cause extreme pain, stiffness, and disability.

Treatment for OA can help replace some of the lost cartilage and fluid in your joints. Lifestyle treatments aimed at reducing weight and pressure on joints can be effective too. In severe cases, joint replacement surgery may be necessary.

Your Guide To Stiff Knee Treatment

Stiff knees can slow you down causing pain and decreased movement. Whether caused by osteoarthritis, overuse, poor flexibility, or muscle imbalances, an adequate stiff knee treatment plan usually includes stretching, exercise, compression therapy, and more. In this article, well discuss how you can reduce your knee pain and loosen up any stiffness that you are experiencing in your knees.

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Possible Cause #: Bone Cancer

This is rarely a cause for joint pain and stiffness, but it is a possibility. People with bone cancer may experience joint pain or bone pain. You may also experience swelling or sensitivity near a bone.

Not everyone will have pain, which is why bone cancer may advance and begin causing other symptoms before its discovered.

Cancer is treatable, but the outcome depends on several factors. These factors include the size, location, and type of tumor. Treatment options for bone cancer include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery.

Increased Sensitivity To Pain

Sleeping poorly is notorious during menopause and research has proved that sleep deprivation increases our sensitivity to pain: a study from the University of California found that sleep deprivation can change the circuitry in the brain in ways that amplify pain.3

Low magnesium can also impact your pain perception,4 as well as causing sleeping problems. Poor levels of this essential nutrient are very common during menopause due to stress and digestive weakness.

Magnesium is also needed to keep your muscles relaxed, so low levels can cause them to tense up and become tight and stiff, which can impact the muscles that the control movement of the joints.

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