Knee Pain

TOP 6 WAYS to DECREASE your KNEE PAIN.

1. Move - Knee pain typically gets worse as your knee gets stiffer. Make sure you not only work on bending your knee, but make sure you can straighten it all the way out. The full range of motion of your knee is important for walking, squatting and going up and down stairs.

2. Squat - DO NOT STOP squatting. This is a motion you must do every day. You will need to get out of a chair, off the toilet, or out of the car. You may even need to pick something up from the ground that you dropped. If you need to you can modify your squat. This can be done by decreasing how deep you squat, or by putting one leg out in front of the other. It is CRITICAL to NOT STOP squatting. 

3. Shoes - Make sure you have good supportive shoes that are not worn out. Check the treads of the shoes. If they have been worn thin, then it is time to get a new pair. If you find you can twist your shoe or fold it in half easily, this would show that the shoe has broken down and is no longer giving you the support, you need. 

4. Work on Balance - By focusing on your balance you can help decrease the load on your knee throughout everyday activities. If you are weak in your hips or ankles, it will cause increased pressure in your knee. More pressure on your knee can cause more pain in your knee. When walking if you are having difficulty with balance it can cause your knee to twist and turn more, which can also increase pain. If you find yourself losing your balance, please check out our Fall Prevention Quick Guide and take out FREE: FALL RISK Quiz. Falls can be a scary thing, and we want you to be able to prevent them.

5. Ice/heat - When your knee is really sore, calm it down with ice. Ice helps take the inflammation and swelling out. It will, also, help numb the area to decrease pain. Be sure to check your cold pack or hot pack before use. It can be easy, with either, to cause skin irritation or further injury. 

6. Physical Therapy - As movement experts, a physical therapist will assess the root of your problem, and direct you on how to get back your strength and reduce your pain.  Too often, knee pain is not just caused by an issue in the knee. With the help of a physical therapist, you can rest assured that they will take a look at the whole picture and develop a plan of care specific to you. The goal of therapy is not to just fix the problem, but help you get back to the things you love. No more guessing, and no more wondering if a certain exercise is going to help or hinder you.