If you’ve been dealing with knee pain from an old injury or had a recent flare up, then you know that aside from being one of the most annoying things in the world to deal with, it can really put a damper on your sports performance. Don’t let your knee pain hold you back this year! In today’s article, we’re going to look at some ways that you can proactively help tackle knee pain at home, or who to see if you want a second opinion on helping you deal with it.
Start With The RICE Method
One sure-fire way to help bring some relatively quick relief to your knee pain is to deploy the RICE method.
- Rest
- Keep activities that are hard on the knees to a minimum. For example: skiing, basketball, mountain biking, and other high impact sports
- Ice
- Icing your knee two to three times a day for 30 minutes each will help to reduce swelling in and around your knee which will help it feel less painful
- Compression
- Tightly wrap your knee with athletic bandages or a specialized knee brace to help keep it isolated and in not over-extended
- Elevation
- Keep your knee up to help reduce fluid buildup and additional swelling
Exercise The Muscle Groups Around The Knee To Build Strength
One reason we keep injuring and re-injuring our knees is that the muscle groups around the knee aren’t strong enough to help prevent injury by over extension and excess wear. By building up the surrounding muscle groups, you can greatly reduce the chances of re-injuring your knee and lowering the amount of damage done if an injury does happen.
- Quadricep strengthening exercises (eg straight leg raises)
- Hamstring stretches and hamstring curls
- Glute exercises like bridges
Dietary Influences
Another way you can help reduce the severity of your knee pain is to avoid high inflammatory foods. If you can do everything in your power to help reduce inflammation in your body, then your knee will start to feel a lot better because a majority of knee pain is caused by inflammation. Try to include more anti-inflammatory foods and joint friendly foods in your diet like: turmeric, fatty fish, leafy greens, Walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds and colorful fruits and citrus fruits.
Consult A Local Medical Practitioner
If you’re still looking for answers or maybe a fresh approach to dealing with your knee pain, then it may be time to locate a professional for a second opinion. We suggest your local chiropractor or integrative medicine specialist. We would love to help you diagnose and treat your knee pain! Just contact us today to set your first appointment.
For The Road
We hope you enjoyed learning about dealing with knee pain. If you would like to know more about this or anything else along these lines, we are happy to help. Just contact us and we can go over your options and help you find the best path for your health and nutrition goals. Schedule a consultation for any of our amazing services by reaching out to us here. We look forward to hearing from you.
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