Every day, thousands of people type this search phrase and similar ones into their devices, desperately hoping for some relief. What is disturbing is that knee pain is often treated improperly.
Key knee pain research from 2014 found that 1 in 3 arthritis total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries were inappropriate, per international guidelines. Clearly knee surgery is not necessary for all cases of knee pain; and clearly those who are seeking that “knee pain treatment near me” are looking for a way to get better, preferably nonsurgical given the inherent risks of an operation. Even the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) lists various alternative methods – although suggesting they can be used in conjunction with rather than as a replacement for surgery.
Factors that can increase your risk of knee pain and functional issues include previous injuries, participation in high-impact sports, muscular weakness, and excess weight. In light of those and other risk factors, here are a few top ways you can both alleviate some of your excruciating knee pain and improve your joint function:
Exercise
It will help you to build your muscles so that your knee joint and the rest of your skeleton has more support (key since correct alignment naturally reduces pain). While the AAHKS noted that working out can “increase your range of motion and flexibility,” the association also cautioned that those with advanced conditions should seek help from a physical therapist (see below) to design their program. The lesson with this first item is not to get so caught up in finding that professional “knee pain treatment near me” that you lose sight of what you can do at home.
Weight loss
Building your muscles through exercise will help you with your weight, but consider weight loss in its own right too. Strengthening your muscles will help naturally with support, while getting your weight down will reduce joint stress. Consider a landmark Wake Forest study from 2005, published in Arthritis & Rheumatism. The authors found that every 1 lb of weight lost by an overweight person is equivalent to a 4-lb reduction in knee pressure.
Physical therapy
Another recommendation from the AAHKS is physical therapy. As noted above, your therapist is helpful for designing an exercise program. Through that guidance and numerous treatments, therapists can help you increase the functionality of your joint. It may also “reduce the pain, swelling, and stiffness” of OA, per the association.
Viscosupplementation
One primary reason for knee pain is depletion of the lubricant that assists the joint in moving without friction. The naturally occurring compound that provides this lubrication in the body is hyaluronic acid – and viscosupplementation introduces that compound directly. The objectives of viscosupplementation, as described by Vijay B. Vad in Arthritis-health, are to “temporarily lubricate the knee joint, thereby decreasing pain improving function and perhaps even slowing the degeneration process.”
Relieve your knee pain
Do you have chronic knee pain and think surgery is the next step? Are you in search of that “knee pain treatment near me”? At Health Star Clinic, our knee pain injections are normally coupled with our physical therapy treatments to provide you with long-term pain relief. Contact us today to learn more.