Most of us will encounter and try to eliminate knee pain in some form as we move through life. Recognizing the difference between acute knee pain, and arthritic pain from a life of activity is key to managing them.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP
Some degree of joint stiffness and discomfort is inevitable throughout the course of our day and throughout our life. Which type of symptoms are “red light” symptoms that indicate a serious acute injury that necessitates examination by your doctor? And which symptoms are “yellow light” symptoms that would point to proceeding with caution?
The following symptoms could be the sign of a potentially serious injury to the knee joint. If you are experiencing these symptoms, check with your doctor before resuming physical activity: sharp pain, swelling, locking of the knee, diminished range of motion or feeling significant pain when taking the knee through a normal range of motion.
Minor stiffness, soreness and discomfort that is present at the beginning of a bout of exercise but goes away once you start is usually more indicative of normal arthritic changes that can be worked through. In this situation, moving the joint through a full range of motion, placing healthy stress on the joint and the accompanying bone and muscle will improve symptoms, the longevity of the joint and the quality of your life. Examples include strength training, cardiovascular exercise, yoga and simply walking.
WAYS TO HELP YOURSELF
There is also another variable within our locus of control over the state of our musculoskeletal system. Conservative rehabilitative treatments for reducing pain in our knees and other joints. Skelehealth is your resource for affordable, effective and easy to use at-home treatments for achy joints and muscles. Here are just a few examples of simple, non- invasive at-home treatments that we offer:
- TENS Device for reducing pain
- EMS Device for strengthening and revitalizing weak, atrophied muscle
- Cold Therapy Machine for reduction of joint pain and swelling
- Functional OA Knee Bracing to support patients with osteoarthritis of the knee
- Functional Knee Ligament Bracing for patients returning to activity after an ACL injury
- Knee Sleeves for use during exercise or activities of daily living (ADL)
In most cases, simply avoiding activity is not an effective long term strategy for coping with arthritic changes in our body and maintaining our health. Once you have a diagnosis regarding the affected joint, you can get proactive. We hope Skelehealth can be you your partner in your efforts to eliminate knee pain.
