How often does knee pain put you out of action?
Knee pain is actually a common issue felt amongst adults, it is most often associated with general wear and tear from daily activities like walking, bending, standing and lifting.
Your knee is a major weight-bearing joint and is one of the most frequently injured joints in the human body. If you’ve hurt your knee, you may feel one or more of these common symptoms: pain, stiffness, aching, locking, swelling, limping and difficulty fully straightening or bending the knee.
What are common causes of knee pain?
- Ageing
- Injury (strains, sprains and tears)
- Repeated stress on the knee.
Knee pain can have several different causes and can be painful and debilitating, and although some conditions may require surgery, many can be helped with the right advice, exercise and treatment.
The following exercises can be performed at home and will help you to build strength in your knee and to prevent further injuries.
Sit-to-stand exercise
This exercise, also known as the chair stand or chair rise exercise, strengthens your lower body and helps you maintain or improve your mobility. The end goal is to do the sit-to-stand exercise without using your hands. This will be easier as you become stronger. This exercise is especially helpful if you suffer from knee pain, as well as if you have had knee surgery.
- Sit toward the front edge of a sturdy chair without armrests
- Place your hands lightly on each side of the seat
- Breathe in slowly and breathe out as you slowly stand up
- Stand and pause for a full breath in and out
- Do this exercise 10–15 times
- Rest for 1 minute, then do another set of 10–15 repetitions.
Lunges
This movement works many of the muscles of the lower body in a single exercise. It is particularly beneficial for injury prevention, as well as rehabilitation after injuries occur. Lunges are often included within rehabilitation exercise programs as they can help to prepare you for movements needed in daily life. One of the many positive aspects of lunges is that they’re very easy to perform.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart
- Step forward and bend both knees, lowering until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle
- Shift forward onto the lead leg
- Push off on both legs and step through, lifting your back leg and bringing it forward so your rear foot lands ahead of you in a lunge position.
Quadriceps stretch
These stretches are a great way to reduce knee pain, improve flexibility and to help you prevent injuries.
- Lie on the floor on one side
- Grasp your ankle and gently pull your heel up and back until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh
- Tighten your stomach muscles to prevent your stomach from sagging outward, and keep your knees close together
- Hold for about 30 seconds
- Switch legs and repeat.
As well as consistently performing strength and mobility exercises, visiting an osteopath can also help to aid your knee pain.
How can osteopathic treatment help your knee pain?
Your osteopath will determine what is causing your knee pain by using a hands-on approach, and then they will plan a course of treatment to correct the problem. By gently working on the muscles and ligaments in the knee, your osteopath can help to improve circulation. This will help to reduce swelling and relieve tension. If your knee is painful while sitting down and not moving, it may result from osteoarthritis. If this is the case, your osteopath will recognise this and, if needed, refer you to a medical professional who specialises in joint replacements.
Your osteopath will provide you with mobility exercises that you can perform in the comfort of your own home which will ultimately help to strengthen your knees and decrease the pain and discomfort that is disrupting your life.
If you’re ready to eliminate knee pain from your life, the Enfield Osteopathic team would love to hear from you. We will work together to get you in the best shape possible so you’re able to lead a pain-free and comfortable life.
