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What To Do For Sore Knees

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by Alison Gwinn, AARP, September 20, 2019| 0

En español | Oh, my aching knees! If that’s your daily refrain, whether you’re walking the dog, climbing stairs or just sleeping, you’re not alone.

For many, the culprit behind that nagging soreness is osteoarthritis, which affects an estimated 31 million Americans quite often, in this particular joint according to the Arthritis Association.

But there are other common causes of knee pain, stemming from the fact that knees are our largest, most complex joints. Knee joints allow you to stand up straight, walk stairs and get up and down from sitting, says Daniel Saris, an orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic and professor of orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Medical School. But they are also the most difficult joint because they’re not stable. Hip joints and ankles are both pretty stable by themselves, but the knee is just three bones trying to be good friends, and they need muscles and ligaments for stability.”

Knee pain is not to be taken lightly. A Japanese study, published last year in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found a link between the onset of knee pain in people 65 or older and depression. And a recent study from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Thurston Arthritis Research Center and Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that knee pain in men and women over age 45 correlated with higher rates of death.

How Are Knee Problems Diagnosed

In addition to a complete medical history and physical exam, other tests for knee problems may include:

  • X-ray. This test uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to make images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.

  • Magnetic resonance imaging .;This test;uses;large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to make detailed images of organs and structures within the body; can often determine damage or disease in a surrounding ligament or muscle.

  • Computed tomography scan .;This test uses;X-rays and computer technology to make horizontal, or axial,;images of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general X-rays.

  • Arthroscopy.;A minimally-invasive diagnostic and treatment procedure used for conditions of a joint. This procedure uses a small, lighted, optic tube , which is inserted into the joint through a small incision in the joint. Images of the inside of the joint are projected onto a screen; used to evaluate any degenerative or arthritic changes in the joint; to detect bone diseases and tumors; to determine the cause of bone pain and inflammation.

  • Radionuclide bone scan.;A nuclear imaging technique that uses a very small amount of radioactive material, which is injected into the patient’s bloodstream to be detected by a scanner. This test shows blood flow to the bone and cell activity within the bone.

Knee Pain And Problems

Knee pain is a common complaint among adults and most often associated with general wear and tear from daily activities like walking, bending, standing and lifting. Athletes who run or play sports that involve jumping or quick pivoting are also more likely to experience knee pain and problems. But whether an individuals knee pain is caused by aging or injury, it can be a nuisance and even debilitating in some circumstances.

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Willow Bark For Pain And Arthritis Relief

Willow bark is commonly known for treating inflammation, fever and pain. An osteoarthritis treatment study proved willow bark extract works by providing analgesic effects to patients.

Its OK to consume as long as you limit yourself to 240 milligrams every day. Be careful not to take too much, which sometimes leads to gastric ulcers.

Years Of Wear And Tear Can Take A Toll On Your Knees But There Are Strategies To Relieve Pain

Exercises for Sore Knees

Whether it’s a sharp pain or a dull ache, knee pain is a common problem in women particularly older women. One study of women ages 50 and older, published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, found that nearly two-thirds had some type of knee pain during the 12-year study period.

Dr. Rebecca Breslow, a sports medicine doctor and an instructor in orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School, says many of the active older women and the female athletes she sees in her practice have knee pain. While there are numerous pain-inducing knee conditions, three seem to be the most common culprits in older women:

  • patellofemoral pain

Below is a guide on how to recognize these conditions and how to treat them.

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When You Should See A Doctor

As we said before, pain in your knees usually goes away without medical treatment with these at home knee pain treatment measures.;

However, there are a few reasons you should see the doctor.

See your doctor if:

  • your pain doesnt get better after a few weeks
  • you cant move your knee at all
  • you cant put weight on your knee
  • your knee locks, clicks painfully or gives way

Your doctor can usually diagnose your knee pain from your symptoms and a physical examination of your knee.;

Sometimes tests or a scan will help confirm a diagnosis, especially if they think further, more specialized treatment may be needed.

How Do I Know If I Have Runners Knee

Runners knee is characterized by knee pain after running in a very specific location. Like lateral knee pain being correlated with IT Band Syndrome, theres a particular location for knee pain that makes it highly probable you have runners knee.

If your pain is directly on or along the outside edges of the kneecap, you most likely have PFPS. The pain is typically a dull ache but can occasionally be sharp; it feels like its located deep underneath the patella.

Along with the location of the pain, PFPS sufferers typically have more pain when theyre

  • walking up stairs
  • after prolonged periods of sitting down
  • while pushing on the kneecap

Its important to note that PFPS is different from patellar tendonitis, which is an entirely separate injury characterized by pain in the patellar tendon. This is the thick tendon that connects your patella to your shin. This is a more rare injury, particularly among runners.

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Why Do My Knees Hurt After Running

Why do you run? Because it feels good. Because it relieves stress. Because it enables you to eat cake. I get that, because running is also important to me. Im a 32-time marathoner who knows how frustrating it is to be injured. Its the reason I became a sports doctor. Ripping my anterior cruciate ligament playing football when I was in medical school was devastating, but it was the single most important event to influence my work. Its what drives me to help my patients. Almost every day I treat runners with achy knees. Many are freaked out: can I still run? Will I have to switch to swimming? Thankfully, most knee problems wont keep you off the road for long. Heres what you need to know about common knee injuries.

Other Injuries And Conditions

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Because the knee is the largest joint in your body, it is prone to injury and strain. If you fall or bump your knee, you may experience pain from bruising. If youve fractured any of the three bones in your knee, you may experience weakness, sharp pain, or deep throbbing sensations.

Rheumatoid arthritis can present similar symptoms to osteoarthritis, but this autoimmune condition may require different treatments than joint damage caused by the wear-and-tear typical of aging.

If you are experiencing knee pain that interrupts your daily life and persists after several days of rest, consider consulting with a doctor.

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Olive Oil For Arthritis Pain Relief And Joint Lubrication

Olive oil will ease arthritis pain and moderate knee soreness with the help of its anti-inflammatory enzymes. The natural oil can work as effectively as aspirin or Advil.

Rubbing two to three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil is enough to get relief. Alternatively, you may take two to three tablespoons of it daily. Do yourself a favor, and stop wasting money on bottled salad dressing. Buy your own olive oil, make your own salad dressing and get a better healthier salad dressing while treating your knees is a free bonus.

What Else Can Help With Knee Pain

Finding relief from knee pain depends on the cause or issue thats making it difficult for you to go about your daily activities. Carrying excess weight puts extra stress on your knees, which may lead to osteoarthritis.

In this case, the most effective treatment, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is weight loss. Your doctor may recommend a combination of diet and exercise to help you lose weight and strengthen the muscles in your lower body, especially around your knees.

A 2013 study found that adults with overweight and knee osteoarthritis experienced a reduction in weight and knee pain after 18 months of a diet and exercise program.

But if overuse is the culprit, your doctor will likely suggest RICE which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation and physical therapy. A physical therapist can work with you to develop a program that includes range of motion exercises, stretches, and muscle strengthening movements.

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Natural Treatments For Knee Pain Relief And Prevention

1. Exercise and Proper Time to Recover

Weak muscles and stiffness are two of the leading problems associated with knee injuries. So while exercise is important for keeping your knees healthy, you also need to rest enough and give your body time to heal. Some people will need to take a break from most exercise or several weeks to heal a damaged knee, or at least limit high-impact activities for a period of time. Before trying more drastic treatments, see if taking a few days off from your usual exercise helps. If you see improvements with rest, then you should plan to decrease your mileage/length of workout when you return.

To protect yourself from injury, always warm up lightly and stretch before exercise. Before engaging in running, biking or another knee-bending exercise, walk a quarter- to a half-mile.;After your exercise, be sure to stretch again and then to give yourself enough time to recover properly, at least 12 days .

Doing low-impact exercises is best for people with chronic knee pain or conditions that affect the joints. Examples of low impact workouts include:

  • Activities that involve repetitive movements of the legs
  • High-impact sports

2. Physical Therapy

3. Good Footwear, Insoles and if Needed, a Knee Brace

In general, people with knee pain should try to avoid wearing sandals, flip flops, Crocs, boat shoes, high heels and boots. These types of shoes are not very supportive and can aggravate back, knee or hip pain.

4. Foam Rolling

  • Turmeric
  • Omega-3 fatty acids

Why Does My Knee Hurt When I Straighten It

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Your knee is made up of bones, cartilage, muscles and tendons. When you extend your knee, your quadriceps muscles tighten, and your hamstrings relax. Pain on knee straightening is usually indicative of damage or overuse of the quadriceps muscles, leading to tiny tears in its tendon. Pain may also occur due to any damage to the joint itself. You may get pain specifically in the back of the knee due to cyst formation following injury of the joint.

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Be Gentler When You Exercise

Running on roads can jar your knees, while a jog through a wooded trail carries the risk of falls and twists to knees and ankles. A better way to run is on a treadmill or track, or alternate jogging with walking, Dr. White suggests. Biking doesnt put as much strain on your knees, but it can cause pain if you ratchet up the resistance too high on a stationary bike or the saddle is pushed back too far or is too low. If you bike a lot outdoors, you might want to spring for a professional bike fitting, which can help you with seat and handlebar height and pedal strokes. Whatever exercise you do, just remember to warm up.; You lose muscle strength as you get olderespecially if you sit at a desk most daysand that just increases your chances of injury when you head out to exercise.

Do Squats And Lunges Damage Your Knee

According to the experts, anyone with osteoarthritis should avoid deep squats and only do modified lunges such as:

  • Quarter lunges
  • Doing high knee walks instead

Any physical therapist will tell you that lunges and squats do not target the knees. Squats and lunges strengthen the glutes and quads. You may get some benefits from the bend and straighten motions required to perform these exercises, but the pain and damage often outweigh the benefits.

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What Can I Do For A Sore Knee

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Runners Knee Myth: My Kneecap Doesnt Track Properly

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This is the most commonly cited cause of runners knee. The idea is that the patella tracks within the groove in your femur. But when it doesnt slide evenly in this track, you can end up with PFPS.

This tracking problem is why most treatments focus on

  • strengthening the quadriceps
  • stretching the IT Band
  • using knee braces
  • taping the knee

But unfortunately, theres no clear relationship between a tracking problem and your PFPS .

The patella is more dynamic than we give it credit for: it can move all over the place. If you lie down so your leg is straight and youre not holding any tension in your knee, youll notice the patella seems to hover over the knee joint. Manipulating it in all directions is quite easy.

Like many things in biology, theres no clear definition of what normal tracking is for the patella. Several studies have shown that tilting or displaced kneecaps during activity shouldnt be construed as abnormal. Indeed, abnormal may be normal!

Healthy knees do all kinds of weird things and its virtually impossible to tell an injured knee from a healthy knee by looking at the position of the patella.

So if your treatment focuses on correcting the alignment or function of your patella, you should find better treatment.

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Cayenne Pepper For Natural Analgesic Treatment

Cayenne pepper is a sore knee natural remedy for it contains capsaicin, which provides relief from pain. It also produces a warm sensation for extra ease. You can prepare the natural solution by adding two tablespoons of cayenne pepper and a half cup of olive oil. Just apply the resulting solution to the knee twice every day for at least seven days.

How Do You Know If You Have A Blood Clot Behind Your Knee

A blood clot in the veins of your lower leg is called a deep vein thrombosis or DVT. You may have a blood clot behind your knee if you have one-sided leg swelling, pain, warmth, and redness below the knee. Sometimes these clots can occur on both sides at once, but this is uncommon. Some blood clots in the legs, however, do not present with any symptoms. A DVT requires immediate treatment to reduce the risk of embolizing to the lungs.

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Can I Train Through Runners Knee

Even though I said before that running on PFPS is a bad idea, it likely wont make the pain worse .

You wont destroy your kneecap by running through the dull ache that accompanies PFPS. You probably wont wear away the cartilage underneath your patella. Youll be forced to stop by more severe pain before you do anything truly destructive.

But there are risks. Youll prolong your recovery and you could set yourself up for more severe problems in the future. Carefully weigh these risks with your love of running.

Contact Ethos Health Group

Athletes and Pain Relief: 4 Tips for Dealing with Sore ...

If you think your knee pain is beyond home remedies, Ethos Health Group has developed its proprietary HyalRegen-CT method as a comprehensive solution for those suffering from knee arthritis and pain.;

Lubricating injections can be performed under precision imaging guidance, so we know were targeting precisely the right area.;

This advanced medical process serves to add cushioning fluid back into and around your knee, like oil for a squeaky hinge.;

Even more exciting, these F.D.A. cleared injections can help your knees stimulate more of their natural fluid, giving you long-term benefits and relief.;

If you would like to learn more about what the Ethos Health Group can do for your knee pain, click the button below to schedule a free consultation.

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What Is Sore Knees

It happens quite often that after a prolonged walking stint, or aggressive sprint, or a cross country race you feel the knee which otherwise is normal starts to become painful and hurt. Your knees may hurt to such an extent that you may find it tough to even walk for quite some time. This Knee Pain may be present for some time before it resolves either on its own or by taking some measures which is described below. This is what is called as Sore Knees.1 There are many activities which may cause knee soreness even if you are not an athlete or indulge in running or sprinting activities. Activities like standing for long periods of time like when working as a greeter or if being in a job where you have to bend the knees repetitively for long hours may cause knee soreness at the end of the day. Below mentioned are some of the common causes of Sore Knees and what to do for it.

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