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Home Remedies For Knee Pain Relief
Table of contents:
- Symptoms of knee pain
- Causes of knee pain (patellofemoral pain)
- Conventional treatments for knee pain
- Fear of surgery
- Immediate Natural Treatments For Knee Pain
- Natural Remedies for Knee Pain Relief and Prevention
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
- 2-Steps Knee Pain Relief: Emu Tracks Pure Emu Oil Capsules and Balm
- Exercises for Knee Pain Relief & Stretches
- Frequently Asked Questions
Do you experience knee pain when walking, bending your knees, or climbing stairs?
Has your lifestyle been affected because of joint pain or stiffness?
Do you recently feel a lack of confidence when you engage in your favorite sport due to knee weakness?
What is complementary and alternative medicine?
We attempt to answer the causes of knee pain and home remedies you can implement to get immediate and lasting relief.
Knee pain, also known as patellofemoral pain, is one of the most common problems besides back pain. It is prevalent among active young athletes and older adults.
Symptoms of knee pain include:
Tenderness
Stiffness
Swelling
Restricted range of motion
Inflexibility
Weakness
Causes of knee pain (patellofemoral pain) are:
Injuries from contact sports like rugby, basketball, soccer, or risky sports like MMA, martial arts, skiing. Knee injury can be caused by a torn meniscus, inflammation, iliotibial band (IT band) inflammation, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, and knee fracture or dislocation.
Female athletes are more prone to knee problems attributed to the anatomy of the female pelvic region and leg muscles.
Arthritis or Osteoarthritis. Autoimmune disorders especially rheumatoid arthritis can cause swelling and severe knee pain. Deformities at the knee joint or muscular compensation can unwittingly cause an unnatural gait leading to pain around your knee.
Age-related conditions due to wear and tear like knee osteoarthritis and osteoporosis can make one prone to knee problems like weakened bones, fractures in the pelvis and legs.
Obesity can add extra stress and load to the muscles around the hip and knee.
Repetitive movements and overuse. Long-distance and endurance athletes are in this category. Lots of jumping, walking uphill or downhill can add strain to the knees. Repetitive work that requires weight-bearing, lifting, and twisting motion of the knees.
Accidents such as a cycling or vehicle-related collision. Falling or tripping over obstacles.
Posture and proper techniques, frequency, and intensity of movements that involves the knees.
Gout causes the formation of uric acid or calcium crystals leading to severe pain in the knee joint.
Lifestyle habits such as being sedentary can cause knee weakness and loss of flexibility. During the current COVID-19 pandemic and work from home (WFM) arrangements, people are doing less physical activities. It requires a conscious effort to stretch, stand and walk at intervals throughout the day.
As can be seen from the list above, one can stop knee pain by choosing healthier lifestyle habits.
There are also many causes of knee pain without injuries.
Conventional treatments for knee pain:
Physiotherapy
Steroids
Painkiller medication
Knee braces
Custom insoles from a podiatrist
Knee replacement surgery as a last resort
Fear of surgery
Chronic knee pain is a cause for a substantial reduction in a person’s quality of life. It is important that one should get advice, diagnosis or treatment for knee pain from a physical therapist or doctor.
However, there’s some interesting research that provides valuable insights into how individuals make decisions about treatments to relieve pain.
It was found in studies that the most important deciding factor when choosing a treatment was the risk of adverse side-effects.
Interestingly, people would actually opt for a less effective treatment that carries a lower risk of side-effects.
6 factors why knee pain sufferers do not prefer surgery:
- Willingness to try natural remedies
- Fear of negative outcomes of surgery
- Belief in divine intervention
- Bearable current state of pain
- Communication ability (or inability) of specialists to provide medical advice, diagnosis
- Fear of surgery or complications
In summary, patients prefer “not to be cut” and would rather put up with pain than risk the possible complications of surgery.
Immediate Natural Treatments For Knee Pain
It may seem over-simplistic, but R.I.C.E. is what professionals who provide medical advice & diagnosis often recommend when someone has knee injuries and requires immediate medical intervention.
Rest
Ice the affected part of the knee or leg using ice packs.
Compression by wearing a knee sleeve reduces movement, adds warmth and support to the knee.
Elevating the knee helps to drain excess fluids to the knee and reduce blood flow and swelling of the knee quickly.
Natural Remedies for Knee Pain Relief and Prevention
- Exercise. Doing proper warm-ups, and warm downs, slowly increasing intensity, length, and mileage for workouts can prevent knee injuries. Adopt proper lifting techniques to strengthen the muscles and stretching can help prevent minor injury even for physical work-related tasks.
- Rest. Enough rest gives the body time to heal for better health and wellness.
- Choose low-impact exercise over contact and high-risk sports. Swimming, water aerobics, brisk walking, or pilates are good options.
- Physical therapy. Performing muscle strengthening exercises for the leg, lower back, and hips can help to support the knees. A hot or cold compress may help reduce pain and support recovery. A compression bandage or sleeve around the knee may reduce swelling and pain.
- Proper footwear. If you experience pain during exercise or workouts, have a podiatrist analyze your posture and gait. Sometimes wearing a brace or custom insoles stabilizes the ankles and may help the knees.
- Foam rolling. There are lots of Youtube instructional videos on foam rolling for quadriceps, IT bands, and gluteus maximus (buttock muscles) that may help ease the pain.
- Diet. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is very good for overall joint health. This is a huge topic and we cover it further down this article. Also, read the following excerpt of a study that a high percentage of people found special diets help to treat pain. Diet is part of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), which are considered ‘risk-free’, cost-effective, and widely used.
- Anti-inflammatory supplements. There’s a lot of literature about certain herbs and supplements like turmeric, glucosamine, bone broth, collagen protein, and especially Omega-3 fatty acids which support recovery from injuries, helps with degenerative diseases, and fighting inflammation.
- Exercise & Stretches. This is one of the most frequent pain management advice, diagnosis or treatment. Typically, it is about strengthening the supporting muscles like the quadriceps, IT band, hamstring, calves, and gluteus maximus (buttocks). Daily stretches can help maintain more flexibility and prevent stiffness and help relieve pain. Follow AskDrJo Youtube videos
By the way, you are not alone in exploring the above natural remedies for knee pain. As the following segment will show, you are among many who are wary about conventional and invasive treatments because of the risks and known side-effects.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
It must be emphasized that if you have knee pain, it is highly advisable to give a doctor or physical therapist your health information to diagnose your symptoms.
The lack of a cure for acute and chronic knee pain and its unpredictable nature can lead to a sense of helplessness in some patients and depression in others.
For other patients, they are wary that conventional therapies for knee treatments also carry additional risks of side effects long term and high costs. As a result, CAM is considered to be “risk-free”.
Are you one of them? Perhaps that is what prompted you to search for this write up in the first place 🙂
Definition of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/0003-4819-131-6-199909210-00003
CAM can be any intervention not usually prescribed by physicians. Examples are herbal remedies, chiropractic adjustments, vitamins in high doses, and elimination diets.
Pain management is differentiated from CAM such as relaxation techniques, exercise programs, or over-the-counter topical applications, salves & balms.
Patient Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Of 146 patients in the above study, the following chart shows why most patients are opting to use CAM to treat their conditions.
87% used CAM to control pain
87% heard CAM can help their condition
62% knew CAM someone else with the same condition as theirs
46% said prescribed medication is not working for them
71% of patients said their physicians were okay for them to use CAM
Table 2. Patient-Reported Reasons for Using Complementary and Alternative Medicine or Disclosing Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine to Their Physicians
What types of CAM are considered effective?
Since studies show that CAM is considered ‘risk-free’, cost-effective, widely used by patients to help relieve pain and western-trained doctors are less likely to frown upon or disapprove, which type of CAM should be considered?
The chart highlights treatment like seeing physical therapists for chiropractic adjustments, diet supplements, salves (or balms, topical applications), and special diets.
2-Steps Knee Pain Relief: Emu Tracks Pure Emu Oil Capsules and Balm
Consuming Pure Emu Oil capsules supplements your body with Omega 3, 6, & 9 essential fatty acids that promote a healthy body, strengthen joints and improve blood circulation.
Emu oil also contains vitamins A, D, E, F & K2 to maintain joint mobility and supports your immune system.
Emu Oil Balm combines the highly penetrating emu oil with natural herbs to gently warm up stiff muscles and soothe muscle tightness. The effects of improved blood circulation are felt almost immediately.
Since only natural ingredients are used in Pure Emu Oil and Balm, it is safe to use anytime, even several times daily, whenever there is knee pain, discomfort, or stiffness. There are no known side effects from additives, harsh chemicals.
Exercises for Knee Pain Relief & Stretches
We enjoy AskDoctorJo Youtube exercising and stretching videos but we are not affiliated to or receive any payments from Ask Doctor Jo, LLC.
Please consult your healthcare professional before starting any exercise program or physical therapy including what you learn from this video. If you feel any discomfort or pain due to the exercises, you should stop immediately. You agree to use this content at your own risk.
Best Knee Stretches for Knee Pain Relief.
Dr. Jo does a great job of explaining, demonstrating the hip and knee exercises and stretches.
Knee Pain Relief Exercises You Can Do Before You Get Out of Bed!
Best Knee Pain Strengthening Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why do old people’s knees hurt?
Studies found that knee pain was more common in the older age groups, in particular, the odds of knee pain were two times higher among older women than younger women.
The most frequent cause of knee pain in older individuals is knee osteoarthritis (OA). Arthritis pain affecting the knee impacts their quality of life causes physical disability as well as limits their daily functions.
Does knee pain occur more in the lower educated?
It was found that those with lower educational levels to no formal education, especially men, report more instances of knee pain. It might be due to a lack of awareness and knowledge about healthcare and treatment services for the prevention of knee osteoarthritis (OA).
Besides, it could be the types of strenuous jobs undertaken by those without tertiary education that placed more stress on their knees long term.
How do I know if my knee pain is serious and need to see a doctor?
If you’ve injured your knee joint, it’s a good idea to try self-care first. Minor sprains and cartilage damage can recover if you treat with self-therapy recommended earlier.
However, major cartilage damage is unlikely to improve on its own and if untreated, can eventually wear down the joint.
Consult a doctor for knee pain if you:
- cannot move your knee joint properly
- cannot use ordinary painkillers or it doesn’t help
- cannot support any weight on the injured limb or feels weak
- knee area looks misaligned, has unusual lumps or swelling
- experience numbness, redness, heat, or coldness of the injured area
- tried self-therapy for a few days or weeks without results
What are the symptoms of cartilage damage in the knee?
Symptoms of cartilage damage in a joint includes
- joint pain even after rest and feels worse when you put weight on the joint
- swelling could develop after a few hours or days
- stiffness
- clicking or grinding sensation
- knee joint locking, catching or giving way
The above symptoms are similar to the pain caused by a sprain, so it is best to consult a doctor.
Conclusion
Knee and joint pain are a common complaint among the young and especially older people. With more knowledge and awareness, more people are opting for natural remedies and physical therapy to relieve knee pain. There are natural prevention measures like diet, supplements, and consulting a physical therapist to support healthier and stronger knees.