What Are the Best Treatments for Knee Pain?

Knee pain is a condition that affects crores of Indians every year and these numbers seem to increase with every passing year. For most people, it begins due to advancing age, though it may also be due to injury or medical conditions like arthritis.  When symptoms are not that bad, self-care measures may work very well. But, severe knee pain that affects your daily routine will need some extra care- which may also be surgical in nature. Some of the most common symptoms that people report include redness and swollen knees, not being able to put their full weight on the affected limb, when they hear strange crunchy or popping noises and when they cannot straighten their knee fully.

The Role of Exercise in Reducing Knee Pain-

Since moving around may be painful, many people assume that just resting may help them get better. We are here to tell you that if you continue to not move your affected knee, then you are going to be in a lot of trouble. Let us understand why exercise and regular movement help your knee recover better-

• If you continue to exercise, then you can retain range of motion with your knee joint.
• It can also provide some measure of pain relief
• Water based exercise routines like swimming, water aerobics or walking are all very helpful- water has a buoyant nature, which means it will help support your body weight and joints. 
• Inflammation and swelling also come down with regular movement
• The technique you use while exercising is super important. So, learn them from a trusted source or talk to your doctor for more pointers.

Physical Therapy Techniques for Knee Pain Management-

Physiotherapy is very helpful for restoring movement and range of motion when you suffer from acute knee pain. Some of the most helpful physical therapy techniques include-

Doing simple but super effective exercises like hamstring curls, the bridge pose, wall squats, leg lifts etc.

• You may also be asked to go in for electrical muscle stimulation for better results
• Physical therapy basically involves different forms and degrees of stretching, strengthening exercises which also teach you to walk with good balance, train your gait and to help your joints make stable movements. 
• You may also be asked to use hot or cold compresses to deal with the pain.

Benefits of Orthotic Devices in Knee Pain Treatment-

Orthotic devices are those braces or devices that can be used by arthritic individuals to help improve their balance, reduce pain and help them move about with ease and stick to a daily routine. These devices are normally recommended for conditions like tendonitis, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, sprained ankles, etc. They are normally recommended when you have swelling pain and gait abnormalities. Examples include heel liners, foot pads, arch supports, braces and insoles. These are available readily, or you can go to a clinic which will take an impression of your feet and give you customised devices. It is important to remember that orthotic devices are not equivalent to treatments but just help you manage your symptoms effectively.

Conclusion

Dealing with knee pain can be challenging and there are some days when it can be much more painful and harder to get around. We think making sensible lifestyle changes to prevent knee pain recurrence may actually help a lot – you will need to ensure that you move around, learn to exercise in the right way and take it easy when you have an episode or bout of symptoms. Rest is the best medicine after all!