Did you know that knee pain is one of the most common complaints of Americans of all ages?

Did you know that knee pain can lead to problems with your hip, ankle, and back?

Imagine being able to reduce/stop knee discomfort as it’s happening, returning you to activities that you thought you may miss. This article will explain 3 things you can do to avoid knee pain and prevent surgery.

1. Things You Should Do With Knee Pain

• For those that are active, people don’t take the time to properly warm-up and stretch. Remember to warm-up with light cardiovascular exercise for at least 5-15 minutes prior to stretching your muscles. Make the thighs, calves, and buttocks a priority for stretching pre-activity.
• Lack of exercise and activity will also lead to knee trouble. Going to the gym or being active 1x week is not going to get you anywhere. Being consistent with the right amount of exercise will lead to improved strength and decreased pain.
• The older we get, the longer it takes for our muscles to recover. Give your muscles and your joints time to recover and repair. Recovery time for a 20 year old is not the same for a 40 year old!

2. Too Much Exercise or Too Little Exercise With Knee Pain

• Knee pain can be caused due to the frequency of a specific activity or exercise. Make sure you listen to you body for the amount of rest time between exercises. Muscle soreness is one thing but joint pain needs to be respected. Break up your activity throughout the week instead of clumping exercises or activities together all at once.
• On the contrary, stopping an activity or exercise all-together does not always lead to resolution of symptoms. More importantly, this will not fix the problem. The correct exercises prescribed by a Doctor of Physical Therapy will reduce knee symptoms even when knee pain is at its worst. Stopping all activity should never be the answer.

3. Change Your Activity to Avoid Knee Pain

• Wear a knee brace. A simple elastic knee brace will go a long way. It will help remind you about proper positioning and provide pain and swelling relief without compromising muscle stability.
• Reduce your emphasis on quadriceps strengthening and balance out your knees with hamstring and gluteus strengthening. Creating a force balance between your quadriceps and hamstrings will improve posture and positioning. Engaging your glutes during activity improves knee mechanics and reduces the forces on the knee.
• During times of increased pain, shift exercise focus to non-weight bearing or partial weight bearing exercises. Remember that the right activity and exercise will reduce knee pain and improve knee flexibility and range of motion.
• Finally, supervised exercise through a qualified athletic trainer or physical therapist will produce quicker results and direct you to the best exercises/activities for your specific needs. Utilizing qualified individuals will help guide you through your pain and let you exercise through injury.

Choose Bodywise Physical Therapy

Look to Bodywise Physical Therapy & Wellness in Stratham, NH and Epping, NH for all your physical therapy needs.  We have helped thousands with knee pain return to their normal lives again.