If you’re an active person, you’ve probably felt the discomfort of an achy knee. Sometimes, it’s simply an overuse injury, while other times, it’s something a little more severe. No matter what the cause, there are right things and wrong things to do when your knee is hurting.
At Alpha Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, our team is ready to help you get rid of your knee pain for good. Our facility features specially trained orthopedic surgeons, and they assist you with getting a treatment plan together to take the sting out of your knee pain.
Knee pain is unfortunately a very common ailment among many people. Whether it’s from an acute injury or a chronic condition, the pain can inhibit you from your daily activities.
Your knee is a very important joint in your body. Not only does it bear a lot of weight throughout the day, it also allows you to move and walk. But because this joint is used so much, it’s prone to problems including injury. A few of the common types of injuries that lead to pain in your knee include:
Injuries such as the ones above can come from a variety of different mechanisms, including falls or car accidents. However, if you’re an athlete, knee injuries are a common occurrence in certain types of sports.
But injuries aren’t the only reason you could be having pain in your joint. Many different conditions lead to discomfort in your knee, including osteoarthritis and bursitis. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage that protects your joint to wear down, which leads to inflammation and pain.
No matter what the cause, knee pain is something you don’t want to let go. Many times, conservative measures are all you need to get back on your feet. However, sometimes, you might be doing more harm than good, which is why you should see one of our specialists as soon as possible.
When you first notice the pain in your knee, you might try to self-diagnose and treat your pain on your own. While you’re at least taking the steps to try to get better, some of the things you’re doing may actually be making your condition worse.
The following are some habits that could lead to bigger problems in your knee joint:
After an injury, it’s important to let your knee rest for a day or so. However, if you don’t get up and move within a reasonable amount of time, stiffness can set in. This not only worsens your pain, but makes it much more difficult to recover from your injury.
Movement within your knee is vital to the overall health of your joint. Even a short walk or bicycle ride can help stimulate your knee to heal.
On the other end of the spectrum, you could be pushing your body and your knees too hard in your workouts. Too much high-impact exercise can be disastrous to your knee joint. You want to make sure that you’re incorporating weights and low impact exercises into your routine.
It’s no surprise that extra weight puts added pressure on your joints — especially your knees. If you’re overweight with knee pain, the first step in getting better is shedding a few extra pounds. Eating healthier and incorporating low impact activity may help your pain ease up.
Shoes aren’t just a fashion statement; they are also very important to the health of the joints in your legs and back. Getting fitted for the proper type of shoe is just as important as losing weight and exercising. You want a shoe that has plenty of support to keep excess pressure off of your knees.
Vitamin D and calcium are two very crucial vitamins to your joints and bones. If you aren’t getting enough of these nutrients, it can negatively impact your body, including your knees. Our team may suggest supplementation if you can’t get enough of these vitamins from food.
Most importantly, you shouldn’t try to overcome knee pain on your own. Chances are, if the pain hasn’t gone away in a day or two, you could have an injury that needs attention. Our skilled orthopedic doctors help you determine the problem so you can get started on your recovery.
Get control of your knee pain now before it becomes a bigger issue. Call our team at Alpha Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at one of our three convenient locations to schedule an appointment today. You can also book a consultation with us online as well.
