How can you protect your knees from injury. What are the most common types of knee injuries. Which prevention strategies are most effective for maintaining knee health. How does proper exercise technique contribute to knee injury prevention. Why is it important to address knee pain early.

Understanding the Anatomy of the Knee

The knee, being the largest joint in the human body, plays a crucial role in weight-bearing and facilitating movement. To fully grasp the importance of knee injury prevention, it’s essential to understand its complex structure. The knee comprises three bones: the femur (thighbone), tibia (shinbone), and patella (kneecap). These bones are supported by various soft tissues, including:

• Meniscus: Cartilage that acts as a shock absorber
• Ligaments: Connective tissue linking bone to bone
• Muscles: Tissue responsible for knee movement
• Tendons: Tissue connecting bone to muscle

This intricate network of components works in harmony to provide stability and mobility. However, this complexity also makes the knee susceptible to various injuries.

The Four Most Common Knee Injuries

Knee injuries can range from mild discomfort to severe, debilitating conditions. Understanding the most frequent types of knee injuries is crucial for effective prevention. Here are the four most common knee injuries:

1. Fractures

A knee fracture refers to a break in one of the bones that make up the knee joint. The patella, or kneecap, is particularly vulnerable to fractures. These injuries often result from direct trauma, such as falling directly onto the knee. How do fractures typically occur? They’re often the result of high-impact accidents or sports-related incidents where the knee absorbs a significant amount of force.

2. Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains affect the ligaments of the knee. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) are most commonly affected. A sprain occurs when a ligament is stretched beyond its normal range of motion, while a strain involves both stretching and tearing of the ligament. These injuries frequently result from sudden twisting motions or rapid changes in direction, common in sports like soccer and basketball.

3. Meniscus Tears

The meniscus, a C-shaped piece of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber in the knee, can tear due to unnatural twisting movements. Sports that involve quick directional changes pose a higher risk for meniscus tears. However, these injuries aren’t exclusive to athletes; aging can also increase the likelihood of meniscus tears, even from seemingly innocuous movements.

4. Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries encompass a variety of conditions resulting from repetitive stress on the knee joint. Activities like running, which involve repeated impact on the knees, can lead to overuse injuries over time. These injuries develop gradually and may include conditions such as patellofemoral pain syndrome or tendinitis.

Effective Strategies for Knee Injury Prevention

Preventing knee injuries is often easier and less painful than treating them. By implementing the following strategies, you can significantly reduce your risk of knee injuries:

1. Warm-up and cool-down routines
2. Regular strength training for leg muscles
3. Gradual intensity increases in workouts
4. Proper footwear maintenance
5. Use of appropriate protective gear

How do these prevention strategies work? Let’s delve deeper into each one.

The Importance of Proper Warm-up and Cool-down

Preparing your body for physical activity and allowing it to recover afterward is crucial for injury prevention. A proper warm-up increases blood flow to the muscles, improves flexibility, and prepares the body for the demands of exercise. Similarly, cooling down helps the body transition back to its resting state, reducing the risk of muscle soreness and injury.

Strengthening Exercises for Knee Health

Strong leg muscles provide better support and stability for the knee joint. Incorporating exercises that target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles can significantly reduce the risk of knee injuries. What are some effective exercises for knee strength? Squats, lunges, and leg presses are excellent options when performed with proper form.

Gradual Intensity Progression in Workouts

Sudden increases in workout intensity can put excessive stress on your knees. Gradually increasing the intensity, duration, or frequency of your workouts allows your body to adapt and reduces the risk of overuse injuries. How can you implement progressive overload safely? Aim for small, incremental increases in weight, reps, or duration every 1-2 weeks.

The Role of Proper Footwear in Knee Protection

Your shoes play a crucial role in supporting your entire leg, including your knees. Worn-out shoes can lead to improper alignment and increased stress on the knee joint. How often should you replace your athletic shoes? For runners and those engaged in high-impact activities, replacing shoes every 300-500 miles or every 4-6 months is recommended.

Protective Gear for High-Risk Activities

In sports or activities with a high risk of knee injuries, wearing appropriate protective gear is essential. Knee guards or braces can provide additional support and protection against impacts. When choosing knee guards, ensure they fit properly and are suitable for your specific activity.

Understanding the Impact of Knee Injuries on Different Age Groups

Knee injuries can affect individuals of all ages, but certain age groups are more susceptible to specific types of injuries. Understanding these age-related risks can help tailor prevention strategies more effectively.

Knee Injuries in Adolescents and Young Adults

Statistics show that individuals between the ages of 15-24 have the highest rates of knee injuries. Why is this age group particularly vulnerable? Several factors contribute:

• Higher participation in high-impact sports and activities
• Rapid growth spurts that can affect coordination and balance
• Potentially underdeveloped muscle strength relative to body size

For this age group, focusing on proper technique in sports, gradual training progression, and comprehensive strength training programs is crucial for injury prevention.

Middle-Aged Adults and Knee Health

As individuals enter middle age, the nature of knee injuries often shifts. Overuse injuries and the early stages of degenerative conditions become more common. How can middle-aged adults protect their knees? Maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in low-impact exercises, and focusing on flexibility and strength training can help preserve knee health.

Knee Concerns for Older Adults

In older adults, the risk of degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis increases. Additionally, age-related decreases in balance and muscle strength can increase the risk of falls, potentially leading to knee fractures. What strategies can older adults employ to maintain knee health? Regular, gentle exercise, balance training, and proper nutrition to support joint health are key components of knee injury prevention in this age group.

The Role of Nutrition in Knee Health and Injury Prevention

While physical activity and proper biomechanics play a significant role in knee injury prevention, nutrition should not be overlooked. A balanced diet can contribute to overall joint health and reduce the risk of certain types of knee injuries.

Essential Nutrients for Knee Health

Several nutrients are particularly important for maintaining healthy knees:

• Calcium and Vitamin D: Essential for bone strength
• Omega-3 fatty acids: May help reduce inflammation
• Vitamin C: Important for collagen production
• Protein: Necessary for muscle and tissue repair

How can you incorporate these nutrients into your diet? Dairy products, fatty fish, citrus fruits, and lean meats are excellent sources of these essential nutrients.

Hydration and Joint Health

Proper hydration is crucial for maintaining the synovial fluid that lubricates your joints, including the knees. Adequate water intake helps ensure that your joints remain well-lubricated, reducing friction and the risk of wear and tear. How much water should you drink for optimal joint health? While individual needs vary, aiming for 8-10 glasses of water per day is a good general guideline.

The Impact of Body Weight on Knee Health

Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress on your knees. Excess weight puts additional pressure on the knee joints, increasing the risk of injuries and accelerating wear and tear. How much does weight affect knee stress? Studies suggest that each pound of excess weight adds about 4 pounds of extra pressure on the knees when walking.

Advanced Techniques for Knee Injury Prevention in Athletes

Athletes, due to the high demands placed on their knees, often require more advanced prevention strategies. These techniques go beyond basic injury prevention and focus on optimizing knee function and resilience.

Biomechanical Analysis and Correction

Professional athletes often undergo biomechanical analysis to identify any irregularities in their movement patterns that could lead to knee injuries. This process involves using advanced technology to analyze gait, jumping, and landing techniques. How does biomechanical analysis help prevent knee injuries? By identifying and correcting movement inefficiencies, athletes can reduce unnecessary stress on their knees and improve overall performance.

Sport-Specific Training Programs

Different sports place unique demands on the knees. Sport-specific training programs focus on developing the strength, flexibility, and neuromuscular control necessary for particular activities. For example, a basketball player might focus more on exercises that improve jumping and landing mechanics, while a soccer player might emphasize lateral movement and quick direction changes.

Plyometric Training for Knee Stability

Plyometric exercises, which involve rapid stretching and contracting of muscles, can significantly improve knee stability and reduce the risk of injuries like ACL tears. How do plyometrics benefit knee health? These exercises enhance the neuromuscular control of the leg muscles, improving reaction times and overall knee stability during dynamic movements.

The Importance of Early Intervention in Knee Pain Management

While prevention is ideal, early intervention is crucial when knee pain or injuries do occur. Recognizing the signs of knee problems and seeking prompt medical attention can prevent minor issues from becoming major injuries.

Recognizing Warning Signs

Being attuned to your body and recognizing potential warning signs of knee problems is essential. Some key indicators to watch for include:

• Persistent pain or discomfort
• Swelling or inflammation
• Reduced range of motion
• Instability or a feeling of the knee “giving way”
• Unusual sounds (clicking, popping, or grinding) during movement

Why is early detection so important? Addressing knee issues in their early stages often leads to simpler, less invasive treatments and faster recovery times.

The Role of Physical Therapy in Knee Health

Physical therapy plays a crucial role in both preventing and treating knee injuries. A skilled physical therapist can:

• Assess knee function and identify potential risk factors
• Develop personalized exercise programs to improve strength and flexibility
• Teach proper movement techniques to reduce stress on the knees
• Provide manual therapy to improve joint mobility and reduce pain

How can physical therapy prevent future knee problems? By addressing underlying biomechanical issues and strengthening supporting muscles, physical therapy can significantly reduce the risk of recurrent knee injuries.

Non-Invasive Treatment Options

When knee pain or minor injuries occur, several non-invasive treatment options can be effective:

• RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
• Bracing or taping for additional support
• Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises

These approaches can often resolve minor knee issues and prevent them from progressing to more serious conditions. However, persistent or severe pain should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

The Future of Knee Injury Prevention: Emerging Technologies and Techniques

As medical science advances, new technologies and techniques are emerging that promise to revolutionize knee injury prevention and treatment. These innovations offer exciting possibilities for enhancing knee health and reducing the incidence of injuries.

Wearable Technology for Real-Time Monitoring

Wearable devices that can monitor movement patterns, muscle activation, and joint stress in real-time are becoming increasingly sophisticated. How can these devices prevent knee injuries? By providing immediate feedback on potentially harmful movements or excessive joint stress, wearables can help individuals adjust their activities to reduce injury risk.

Regenerative Medicine Approaches

Emerging regenerative medicine techniques, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and stem cell treatments, show promise in promoting healing and potentially preventing certain types of knee injuries. While more research is needed, these approaches may offer new ways to strengthen and repair knee tissues before injuries occur.

Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation and Training

Virtual reality (VR) technology is being explored as a tool for both rehabilitation after knee injuries and for training to prevent future injuries. How does VR contribute to knee health? By creating immersive environments that allow for precise movement analysis and engaging exercise programs, VR can enhance both the effectiveness and adherence to knee health routines.

In conclusion, preventing knee injuries requires a multifaceted approach that combines understanding of knee anatomy, awareness of common injury types, implementation of preventive strategies, and utilization of emerging technologies. By incorporating these elements into your lifestyle and fitness routine, you can significantly reduce your risk of knee injuries and maintain optimal knee health throughout your life. Remember, your knees play a crucial role in your mobility and overall quality of life, so investing in their health is an investment in your future well-being.

How to Prevent the 4 Most Common Knee Injuries

Knee injuries are extremely common and oftentimes preventable. In this article, we’ll go over the most common knee injuries and explain some easy ways to avoid them.

First, you need to know a little bit about the knee. The knee is the largest joint in the body and is responsible for bearing weight and facilitating movement. It’s made up of three bones (the femur, tibia, and patella), meniscus (cartilage), ligaments (tissue that connects bone to bone), muscles (that help the knee move), and tendons (tissue that connects bone to muscle).

4 Most Common Knee Injuries

1. Fracture

   AKA a broken bone. The patella (i.e., the kneecap) is the most likely of the three bones to fracture. Falling directly on your kneecap is often the culprit for knee fractures.

2. Sprain/Strain

   This injury affects the ligaments, most often the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL). A sprain occurs when a ligament is stretched past its normal range of motion. A strain occurs when the ligament is stretched and torn. These injuries can come as a consequence of twisting the knee or a rapid change in direction, such as during soccer or basketball.

3. Meniscus Tear

   Meniscus (or cartilage) tears happen as a result of the knee turning unnaturally. This can come from playing sports that involve rapid changes in directions that can twist the knee, or even as a result of aging and accidentally moving in an awkward way.

4. Overuse

   Certain activities such as running can be tough on your knees, especially when the action is repeated often. Overuse is a general term referring to several injuries that can come in response to prolonged activities that are harsh on your knees.

Prevention Tips

• Always take time to warm up before physical activity and cool down afterwards.
• Keep your leg muscles strong with regular exercise.
• Avoid any sudden changes in the intensity of your workout. Give your body (and your knees specifically) time to adjust whenever you begin more rigorous activities.
• Replace worn out shoes regularly. Running and workout shoes don’t last as long as everyday shoes do. Depending on the shoe and your activity, shoes should be replaced every few months or so. This helps ensure there’s ample support for not only your foot, but your entire leg.
• Wear knee guards, as needed. If you’re playing a sport in which knee guards are necessary, make sure to wear properly fitting guards at all times.

To Take Away

As was mentioned earlier, knee injuries are very common, especially in teens and young adults. In fact, people ages 15-24 have the highest rates of knee injuries. A little bit of thought beforehand can prevent several painful injuries, some of which can take months to recover from.

Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine is proud to have the most comprehensive Joint Center in the area. We’ve got a team of highly trained knee specialists that are passionate about helping people get back on their feet and doing the activities they love.

If you’d like to learn more about knee injuries and how to prevent them, talk to your orthopaedic specialist today.

Paul Roettges, MD
A member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Association of Knee and Hip Surgeries, Dr. Roettges performs hip and knee replacements as well as complex unresolved hip and knee pain.

Sina Kasraeian, MD 
Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has extensive training in arthroscopy and sports medicine reconstructive procedures.

Knee pain – Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor is likely to:

• Inspect your knee for swelling, pain, tenderness, warmth and visible bruising
• Check to see how far you can move your lower leg in different directions
• Push on or pull the joint to evaluate the integrity of the structures in your knee

Imaging tests

In some cases, your doctor might suggest tests such as:

• X-ray. Your doctor may first recommend having an X-ray, which can help detect bone fractures and degenerative joint disease.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan. CT scanners combine X-rays taken from many different angles to create cross-sectional images of the inside of your body. CT scans can help diagnose bone problems and subtle fractures. A special kind of CT scan can accurately identify gout even when the joint is not inflamed.
• Ultrasound. This technology uses sound waves to produce real-time images of the soft tissue structures within and around your knee. Your doctor may want to move your knee into different positions during the ultrasound to check for specific problems.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI uses radio waves and a powerful magnet to create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is particularly useful in revealing injuries to soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, cartilage and muscles.

Lab tests

If your doctor suspects an infection or inflammation, you’re likely to have blood tests and sometimes a procedure called arthrocentesis, in which a small amount of fluid is removed from within your knee joint with a needle and sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Treatment

Treatments will vary, depending upon what exactly is causing your knee pain.

Medications

Your doctor may prescribe medications to help relieve pain and to treat the conditions causing your knee pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout.

Therapy

Strengthening the muscles around your knee will make it more stable. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy or different types of strengthening exercises based on the specific condition that is causing your pain.

If you are physically active or practice a sport, you may need exercises to correct movement patterns that may be affecting your knees and to establish good technique during your sport or activity. Exercises to improve your flexibility and balance also are important.

Arch supports, sometimes with wedges on one side of the heel, can help shift pressure away from the side of the knee most affected by osteoarthritis. In certain conditions, different types of braces may be used to help protect and support the knee joint.

Injections

In some cases, your doctor may suggest injecting medications or other substances directly into your joint. Examples include:

• Corticosteroids. Injections of a corticosteroid drug into your knee joint may help reduce the symptoms of an arthritis flare and provide pain relief that may last a few months. These injections aren’t effective in all cases.
• Hyaluronic acid. A thick fluid, similar to the fluid that naturally lubricates joints, hyaluronic acid can be injected into your knee to improve mobility and ease pain. Although study results have been mixed about the effectiveness of this treatment, relief from one or a series of shots may last as long as six months.
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP contains a concentration of many different growth factors that appear to reduce inflammation and promote healing. Some studies have found that PRP may benefit certain people with osteoarthritis, but more studies are needed.

Surgery

If you have an injury that may require surgery, it’s usually not necessary to have the operation immediately. Before making a decision, consider the pros and cons of both nonsurgical rehabilitation and surgical reconstruction in relation to what’s most important to you. If you choose to have surgery, your options may include:

• Arthroscopic surgery. Depending on your injury, your doctor may be able to examine and repair your joint damage using a fiber-optic camera and long, narrow tools inserted through just a few small incisions around your knee. Arthroscopy may be used to remove loose bodies from your knee joint, remove or repair damaged cartilage (especially if it is causing your knee to lock), and reconstruct torn ligaments.
• Partial knee replacement surgery. In this procedure, your surgeon replaces only the most damaged portion of your knee with parts made of metal and plastic. The surgery can usually be performed through small incisions, so you’re likely to heal more quickly than you are with surgery to replace your entire knee.
• Total knee replacement. In this procedure, your surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from your thighbone, shinbone and kneecap, and replaces it with an artificial joint made of metal alloys, high-grade plastics and polymers.
• Osteotomy. This procedure involves removing bone from the thighbone or shinbone to better align the knee and relieve arthritis pain. This surgery may help you delay or avoid total knee replacement surgery.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Over-the-counter medications — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) — may help ease knee pain.

Some people find relief by rubbing the affected knee with creams containing a numbing agent, such as lidocaine, or capsaicin, the substance that makes chili peppers hot.

Self-care measures for an injured knee include:

• Rest. Take a break from your normal activities to reduce repetitive strain on your knee, give the injury time to heal and help prevent further damage. A day or two of rest may be all you need for a minor injury. More severe damage is likely to need a longer recovery time.
• Ice. Ice reduces both pain and inflammation. A bag of frozen peas works well because it covers your whole knee. You also can use an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel to protect your skin. Although ice therapy is generally safe and effective, don’t use ice for longer than 20 minutes at a time because of the risk of damage to your nerves and skin.
• Heat. You may experience temporary pain relief by applying a heat pack or hot-water bottle to the painful area on your knee.
• Compression. This helps prevent fluid buildup in damaged tissues and maintains knee alignment and stability. Look for a compression bandage that’s lightweight, breathable and self-adhesive. It should be tight enough to support your knee without interfering with circulation.
• Elevation. To help reduce swelling, try propping your injured leg on pillows or sitting in a recliner.

Alternative medicine

Research suggests that acupuncture may help relieve knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Acupuncture involves the placement of hair-thin needles into your skin at specific places on your body.

Preparing for your appointment

You’re likely to start by seeing your family doctor. Depending on the cause of your problem, he or she may refer you to a doctor specializing in joint diseases (rheumatologist), joint surgery (orthopedic surgeon) or sports medicine.

What you can do

Before your appointment, you may want to write a list of answers to the following questions:

• When did you begin experiencing symptoms?
• Did a specific injury make your knee start to hurt?
• Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
• What medications and supplements do you take regularly?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask some of the following questions:

• Do you exercise or play sports?
• Was the pain caused by an injury?
• Do you experience any swelling, instability or locking of the knee?
• Are you experiencing symptoms in other areas, or just in your knee?
• Have you ever had knee pain before? If so, do you know what the cause was?

Knee Pain: How to Prevent It – Consumer Health News

More people in the United States visit an orthopedic surgeon because of knee problems than for any other complaint. Knee pain affects approximately one quarter of adults, and its prevalence has increased almost 65% over the past 20 years. Pain in the knees accounts for nearly four million primary care visits a year.

Down the road, many of these folks seeking help will end up with osteoarthritis in their damaged knee joints, facing knee replacements and other surgeries. But this doesn’t have to happen. A little prevention now can save considerable pain later.

How do knees get injured?

Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in the joint gradually wears away. The condition may result from a deformity in the joint, repeated injury, or the stress of excess body weight, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). This form of arthritis most often affects middle-aged and older people, but knee injuries as a teenager or young adult can make you more likely to develop the condition later in life.

The knee is the largest joint in the body and one of the most easily damaged. Ligament sprains and cartilage tears are the most common knee injuries. Ligaments help control motion by connecting bones and bracing joints against abnormal impact. Cartilage cushions your knee and helps absorb shock when the joint is in motion.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in front of the knee and the medial collateral ligament (MCL) connecting the tibia and femur bones inside the knee are common injury sites; less common is damaging the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) behind the knee.

Many ACL tears are caused by quickly changing direction, twisting, slowing down when running, or landing from a jump, according to the orthopedic surgeons’ organization. Skiers and people who play basketball, volleyball, soccer, or football are susceptible to this kind of injury. Often people will feel a “pop” in their knee at the time of the injury, and they may have trouble with knee stability afterward. They may report that their knee seems to be “giving way” underneath them.

MCL injuries are often caused by a blow to the knee and are common among football players. PCL tears or strains are also often the result of contact sports. A simple misstep or twist can tear knee cartilage.

Inflammatory disease can also cause knee problems. Certain autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus can damage the knee.

Although musculoskeletal injuries are usually not gender specific, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons notes that women appear to be more susceptible to ACL injuries than men. Women basketball players are twice as likely as their male counterparts to experience this kind of ligament injury. Women soccer players are four times as likely as men to experience an ACL tear.

Surgeons note that women tend not to bend their knees as much as men when turning, pivoting, or landing from a jump. Learning to crouch and bend at the knees and hips when playing sports could reduce pressure on knee ligaments, the group advises.

Preventing knee damage

NIAMS has this advice for anyone, young or old, on how to avoid knee injuries:

• Before exercising, warm up by walking, riding a stationary bicycle, or doing some other low-impact activity. Then stretch the muscles in front of the thigh (quadriceps) and the back of the thigh (hamstrings) to reduce tension on your tendons and relieve pressure on your knee.
• Strengthen your leg muscles to help maintain stability in your knees. You could try walking up stairs or doing a supervised workout with weights.
• Avoid sudden changes in exercise intensity. Increase or decrease the force and duration gradually.
• Wear shoes that fit properly and are in good enough condition to help maintain balance and leg alignment when you walk or run. Knee problems can be caused by flat or overpronated feet (feet that roll inward). Special shoe inserts (orthotics) custom-molded to the shape of your foot can help.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you’re overweight, lose those extra pounds. Being overweight or obese stresses joints and increases the risk of degenerative arthritis.
• If you ride a bicycle, make sure that the seat is high enough so that pedaling won’t put too much pressure on your knees. Ask the people at your local bike shop if you’re unsure how high it should be.

Recognizing and treating knee injuries

If you injure a knee ligament, you may hear a popping noise or feel your knee give out from under you. You may feel excruciating pain and be unable to walk. But after some types of knee injuries, you may not feel the pain right away. Within two to 12 hours, you’ll probably experience pain and swelling.

It’s important to get treated as soon as possible. For minor knee injuries, doctors often recommend following the RICE method of rest, ice, compression, and elevation for the first 24 to 72 hours after the injury. Try to take it easy immediately after you injure yourself. Ice your knee for 15 minutes every two hours to reduce inflammation and pain; anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can be very helpful as well. Wrap the affected area with an elastic bandage to provide compression and reduce swelling, and elevate your leg. This also will help take down swelling.

Taking care of your knees now will go a long way toward avoiding problems that could take you out of the game for good.

References

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

“Knee Pain in Adults and Adolescents: The Initial Evaluation,” American Family Physician.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, “Questions and Answers About Knee Problems,” booklet.

Australian Physiotherapy Association, “Knee Injuries,” Physio-net.com.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Knee Ligament Injuries.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeron. Public Service Announcement: Joint Pain Knee.

How to Prevent Knee Pain for Workers: Tips and Exercises

Last Updated on November 30, 2020 by Jack Sanders

If you are reading this article, chances are that you or someone you know is a construction worker, or another type of tradesman, who is suffering a lot from knee pain. And, because of this increasing fear of yours, you are looking for ways to prevent knee pain.

Well, if this is your case… let me tell you that you are reading the right article!

There are two main locations from where you could do great advancements to prevent knee pain, especially if you are a worker.

The first place is at the worksite, and the second location is at your home. I’ll give you exact tips and exercises to do in those places to effectively prevent knee pain.

REMEMBER: I am not a doctor, and this article is not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you are suffering from knee pain or other related conditions you should consult a doctor. This article is based only on my experience and knowledge.

3 Tips to Prevent Knee Pain at The Work Site

Tradespeople engage in a lot of physical activity and they need to work hard to prevent knee pain as a result of that hassle.

Much of what they do puts tremendous stress on their knees, but there are things workers can do at the worksite to prevent knee pain.

1. Do Not Overload Your Knees:

Vary your movements hourly. Try to change the work flow to give your joints a much needed rest. Otherwise, a lack of rest of your body means your joints can not recover which wrecks havoc on your knees. And so, the worst your knees, the more likely you are to have an injury.

Reduce the pressure on your kneecap by keeping your knees over or behind your toes when kneeling. That means not taking such a deep bend that your knees go over your toes. This increases the pressure on your knee cap and makes injury more likely.

Try to work only on level surfaces. Uneven surfaces contribute to imbalance, adding unnecessary stress to your knee joint, and this increases knee pain.

2. Use the Right Equipment:

You can learn a lot from seasoned, older workers. But that does not mean you have to listen to everything they say. Especially if they say that being preventive is for p*#$ies.

Help is not for the weak; it is for the smart. You will not regret your choices when your knees still work well at the end of your life and theirs don’t.

Use orthopedic inserts: They reduce stress by correcting your gait, redistributing your weight, and stabilizing your foot.

Use knee pads: A cushioned pad keeps your knee off of hard surfaces, which alleviates pressure and reduces the chance of injury.

Use the appropriate work boots: The proper footwear is already designed to protect your feet on the job. And they are the work boots, which are a worthy investment. Also, don’t wear high-heeled work boots because they change your balance distribution and increase the pressure on your knees.

3. Navigate Smartly Around the Worksite:

Also, knowing what to do and not to do at the worksite is essential for preventing knee pain.

These are among the best advice I’ve received in those terms…

Give your body a break in between work tasks: This allows your muscles, ligaments, and joints to relax.

Use your body properly: Keep your back straight and do not bend past your toes when kneeling. This will help in the distribution of your weight evenly between both feet to reduce the chance of knee injury or pain.

Do not kick things on the job: The sharp impact can injure your foot or knee, even making your knee pop. You don’t want that, do you?

3 Tips to Prevent Knee Pain to Follow Outside the Worksite

1. Be Preventive

Stretch Regularly to Prevent Knee Pain

Stretching improves blood flow to muscles and joints, which allows some rest from the intense activities workers do at the worksite. This is essential in preventing knee injuries.

Moreover, they can recover even faster if they stretch right after the physical activity, instead of before, given that muscles stretch better and provide a greater result than stretching cold muscles.

Take Breaks Between Exercise Sets

Again, resting your joints, muscles, and ligaments reduce the risk of knee pain or injury.

If you have knee pain, do not push your body too far or too fast. Breaks are important for even the most intense workers because muscles and joints get stronger when they repair themselves, which makes them endure a tough workday without busting the knees.

2. Exercise the Right Way

Having knee pain does not mean you can’t exercise. This is a common misconception that is the opposite of true.

In fact, proper exercise can strengthen the right muscles, the ones used to stabilize your knee joints. The only bad exercise is the one done incorrectly.

Most gyms offer at least one session with a personal trainer if you need help knowing how to exercise the right way to prevent knee pain.

Strengthen your Core

Your core is responsible of the main trunk of your body. It includes your abdominal muscles and plays a primary role in stabilizing your body.

Exercises for your core will increase your balance and help prevent knee pain and injury.

For this reason, any quality exercise program for workers should focus on the core as the center of your overall strength and balance. In fact, hitting the bench press, shoulders, and back is an essential step in these gym plans.

Strengthen the Muscles Around your Joints

The major muscles around your knee and hip joints are the gastrocnemii, quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus.

Exercises that make those muscles stronger make it easier for your knee to bear greater burdens, as they will make the knees sturdier. And as you know, this is vital for workers that work all day standing on their feet or kneeling.

Following a gym program that exercises these muscles is fundamental for decreasing the chances of knee pain and injury.

Do Low Impact Exercises

Low impact exercise reduces the shock on all your joints. In fact, if you do high impact exercises you will end up raising the chances of getting your knees completely hammered.

Walking is a popular low-impact exercise that can be augmented with either free weights or work on weight machines.

Which is why I think is one of the first exercises that most people should do at the beginning of their exercise plans, as it makes your joints stronger without causing your knees to get injured.

By limiting high impact exercises, like jogging and high-energy step aerobics, you can continue to exercise without causing additional stress to your knees.

3. Lose Weight

If you really want to lose weight, and you are down for the effort it requires, there are a number of diets for you to choose from.

Once you find one that works for you, sticking to it will result in weight loss.

Reducing your weight also diminishes the amount of work your knees have to do, thereby lowering your chance of knee pain or injury. Nice deal, huh?

5 Tips for Preventing Knee Pain and Injury : Apex Medical Center: Pain Management Physicians

Common causes of knee pain occur from everyday wear-and-tear, injury, and overuse. From repetitive work tasks to sports injuries, our knees can take a beating throughout our life. Whether it’s from a strain, ligament tear, break, or osteoarthritis, knee pain can be very debilitating. Here are some general prevention tips to avoid knee problems.

Don’t Carry Too Much Weight

Carrying objects that weigh too much puts stress on your joints. Even being overweight and carrying too much body weight can strain your knees.

Properly Warm Up Before Physical Activities

Stretching and warming up before exercise or physical activity can reduce the risk of knee injury and pain. Stretching keeps your knee muscles flexible and less tense.

Try Low Impact Exercises

High impact exercises, like running, can injure the knee if done too much. Opt for low impact exercises like swimming to give your knees a break.

Wear Shoes With Good Support

The type of shoe you wear can impact the load placed on the knee joint. A well-cushioned shoe will help absorb the impact of your foot hitting the ground. If you are a runner, replace your shoes every 300-500 miles. Also, avoid wearing high-heels, as these place a greater force on the joint. In fact, a study found that high heel wearers experienced a 23% greater force on the knee than barefoot walkers.

Find a Physical Trainer

If you exercise, consider working with a physical trainer to ensure you are performing your exercises correctly. Lifting weights improperly or over exerting yourself can lead to knee injury and pain.

Chronic Knee Pain vs. Acute Knee Pain

Acute knee pain usually occurs after trauma or an injury. It’s your body letting you know that you’ve been hurt. As the injury heals, the pain lessens. However, when the injury heals and you still experience pain, this becomes a condition called chronic pain. Chronic pain can last for months and years. Usually, pain is diagnosed as chronic after about 3 months.

If you are experiencing chronic pain, it is recommended that you seek out a pain doctor. Pain doctors specialize in diagnosing and treating chronic pain. Contact Apex Medical Center to learn how our Las Vegas and Henderson pain doctors can help you.

Image courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Author

Apex Medical Center

How to Prevent Knee Pain: Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine: Pain Medicine

Prevention is the most important alternative to pain management. Learning how to prevent common injuries, and taking the time to stretch appropriately can save you from years of dealing with pain. That’s why we’re happy to present this information – in hopes that it will help you live pain free.

Knee pain is a common symptom with many causes. The most common cause of knee pain is arthritis, but there are a variety of other causes such as muscle pulls, ligament damage, and injuries to the cartilage. Treatment for knee pain depends on the underlying cause and can include medication, physical therapy, injections, and surgery. Prevention, however, is the best way to avoid developing pain in the first place.

The best ways to prevent knee pain are:

• Weight loss
• Exercise
• Proper footwear
• Improving your posture

WEIGHT LOSS

Losing weight isn’t easy, but it can have a major impact on preventing and even relieving knee pain. Studies have shown that a 10 pound weight loss results in 20% less knee pain.

EXERCISE

Exercise is important for weight loss, but there are specific exercises you should do if you have knee pain. The goals of the exercises are to improve the strength and increase the flexibility of the muscles around the knee. These exercises can be done in 5-10 minutes and require no equipment.

• Butterfly stretch – Sit with your knees bent and the bottoms of your feet pressed together in front of your body. Hold your feet with your hands and lean your body forward. Hold the position for 30 seconds. Try to prevent your knees for raising too high off the ground
• Hip flexor stretch – Stand like you are about to start running with one front in front of the other and both feet facing forward. Keep your body straight up and tighten your stomach muscles. Keep your front knee bent and you back leg straight while you lean forward lean forward. You should feel the stretch in the front of the back leg. Hold the position for 30 seconds
• Step ups – Stand at the bottom of a flight of stairs and step up on to the first step with your right leg. Lift your body weight off the ground without putting your left leg on to the step. Put the left leg back down on to the ground and then step off the step with the right leg. Do this 15 times with one leg then repeat with the other leg. If a step is too easy try a stable stool or exercise bench. For safety reasons, don’t try this in the middle of a staircase.
• Straight leg lifts – Lay on your back with your legs straight out. Keeping your knee straight, lift one leg off the floor. Repeat that 15 times on one leg then switch to the other leg.
• Hamstring curls – Lay on your stomach with your arms and head in a comfortable position. Start with both legs straight. Bend one knee and bring your heel to your buttock for 15 reps. Repeat with the other leg.

FOOTWEAR

Proper footwear is important during exercise, but is often overlooked in everyday life. Supportive shoes help to keep the entire leg in proper alignment and reduce stress to the knee. High heels move your body weight forward, which causes the muscles in your knees to work harder to keep your knees in the right place.

POSTURE

Incorrect posture can cause the same issues as wearing the wrong footwear. If you lean forward your weight moves out in front of your knees causing them to work harder. Keep your head, neck and shoulders back so your body is in a straight line.

These are just a sample of the most beneficial ways to prevent development or worsening of knee pain. There are many other exercises, stretches and treatments we recommend for our patients who either have or are at risk of developing knee pain. To learn more about how to prevent and treat knee pain, talk to one of our doctors or physical therapists at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine today by calling (201) 962-9199.

At Progressive Spine and Sports Medicine, we specialize in nonsurgical pain management, and knee pain is just one of the many conditions we diagnose and treat in our Ramsey, NJ medical center. For more information, please see our full list of our nonsurgical services, or to schedule a consultation, contact us today.

We look forward to being your #1 solution for nonsurgical pain treatment.

Five Tips for Preventing Runner’s Knee

Dr. Marx offers these helpful tips to prevent runner’s knee.

90,000 Knee pain

Knee pain is a very common complaint

The knee joint is the largest joint in the human body. Every day he is subjected to repeated stress. Over time, this can lead to wear and tear of the joint or, in medical terms, to degenerative changes. Plus, our knees are very vulnerable to injury. It is therefore not surprising that knee pain complaints are very common.

Anatomy of the knee joint

Knee

Knee joint – the largest joint in the human body . The knee joint is blocky in shape and complex in structure, since it contains several articular surfaces. There are two types of movement possible in the joint: flexion / extension and rotation (with the knee bent).

Causes of pain in the knee joint

The causes of knee pain are manifold. However, they can be divided into pain of traumatic origin and pain as a result of degenerative changes.

Knee injuries are more common in physically active young people, especially during sports. Degenerative changes are typical for older and elderly people. However, only a thorough medical examination can determine the exact cause of knee pain on a case-by-case basis. Indeed, even young people may have congenital anomalies in the development of connective tissue, and in older people, ruptures of degeneratively altered ligaments can occur.

Kinds of pain in the knee joint

Knee pain can start acutely or be chronic:

• Acute pain is intense and occurs suddenly, for example after an injury.
• Chronic pain appears gradually. At first, it may be discomfort or mild pain that gradually builds up.

Feeling of pain in the knee joint

• The nature of the pain can vary greatly: pulling pain, a feeling of fullness, stitching pain, paroxysmal pain and dull aching pain – these are only a small number of complaints of pain in the knee joint.
• On physical examination, you can find effusion, redness, swelling, local temperature rise, limitation of mobility.

Localization of pain

• Pain on the inner side of the joint occurs with damage to the medial collateral ligament and / or medial meniscus, O-shaped deformity of the knee joints
• Pain on the outer surface occurs when the external collateral ligament and / or external meniscus is damaged, X-shaped deformity of the knee joints
• Anterior pain may indicate apex of the patella syndrome, Osgood-Schlatter disease, patellofemoral syndrome
• Pain behind the knee is typical of Baker’s cyst

Triggers

• Pain can occur during exertion (eg, running, climbing stairs),
• after prolonged rest or rest (eg, prolonged lying or sitting),
• and also in the morning or at night.

Treatment of knee pain

The tactics of treating knee pain depends on the cause. methods of conservative treatment include:

• Anti-inflammatory and pain relieving pills and ointments
• Exposure to heat or cold
• Orthotics (insoles, bandages, orthoses, orthopedic shoes)
• Physiotherapy
• Physiotherapy
• Physiotherapy (strengthening and stretching)

In case of ineffectiveness of conservative treatment, surgical treatment is carried out.Nowadays, many knee operations are performed using arthroscopy , which significantly reduces the trauma of surgical access.

Physiotherapy and muscle training

medi knee braces and orthoses

Source

¹ Klein, Dr Christoph (2014): Orthopedics for patients. Understanding medicine. Remagen: Published Michels-Klein

Prevention of knee pain

I think that some people know the pain in the knees after active skiing, cycling, and other strength activities in which the legs are involved.

Literally two years ago, a similar problem appeared for me: after skiing, pain in my knees appeared. The pain was especially acute when standing up from a sitting position.Then the pain appeared when riding a bicycle, when after a fracture I decided to restore my leg. Naturally, I went to the Internet to look for solutions to the problem.

However, I would like to point out an extremely important point: the Internet will never replace a doctor. The causes of discomfort can be different and the techniques that you, after subtracting, begin to apply, can either temporarily muffle the consequences of the injury, or aggravate the situation. Therefore, I strongly recommend not to ignore doctors.

So, looking for solutions to the problem that had arisen led me to the following rules:

1. Keep your knees warm.I draw your attention to the fact that it is not said here about rewinding the knees with an elastic bandage or putting on a bandage. If your knees are healthy, then a bandage or brace can only do harm.
2. Any load on the knees should increase gradually. Prepare your joints, ligaments, muscles for heavy loads from small ones. For example, you should not take a route of 50 km on the first day after a long break in cycling. Start at 10 km per day. Then gradually increase the mileage, the complexity of the road.
3. Warm up before loading. This can be done in different ways. For example, it can be exercises, squats, light jogging (there is a controversial point about running, because they began to write about its dangers), stretching, walking up a small hill, as I did in Kirovsk before skiing. In the case of a bicycle, this can be a steady pedaling pace at low speed: i. e. you need to set the speed to 2/3 and, without slowing down, drive at this speed for a couple of kilometers. Then the speeds can be set higher.However, I want to point out that the pace of pedaling at any speed must be maintained. Thus, you will save your knees from excessive force overload. If you feel that the pace is slowing, or it becomes more difficult to pedal, reduce the speed.
4. Joints need water. Drink water at least once every 20 minutes. it is necessary for the formation of lubrication in the knees, which protects them from abrasion.

In general, these are the basic rules that I try to adhere to.In addition, for prevention, it is good to drink mineral water after or during outdoor activities to restore the water-salt balance.

And, of course, do not forget about a balanced diet, since it is a source of essential vitamins and minerals.

Read also a more complete and detailed article from AnalyzeR’a “If your knees hurt .. . A practical guide for the ski boarder in 3 parts. ”

If you are traveling with us for the first time, we recommend starting with the Basic Course in Nechkino.Dates can be any non-holiday, new dates are assigned at least 2 months in advance. Now only the dates already in demand have been appointed. Children’s groups are assigned after the interested parties communicate the vacation dates, and if there is a quorum for the required dates. That is, write as early as possible – and everything will be. Vacation dates can be found at your school in the spring, you just need to ask. If children are preschool age, write even earlier.
2020
November	Nechkino – from 15 to 20 (holidays) for children and their parents (postponed due to the weather) Nechkino – from 22 to 27 Nechkino – from November 29 to December 4
December
2021
January
February
March
April	Khibiny – from 11 to 16, incl. h. snowboard and childrens Khibiny – from 18 to 23, incl. snowboard
May
Classes in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod >> – as instructors are present
May-Sep	Summer training for skiers and snowboarders
May – November
These are travel projects with distant dates – through the season, that is, 2022-23:

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Progress-Ski winter program, details

Regular (all season) traveling Progress-Ski school in Nechkino, alpine skiing and snowboarding.

Russian “small” resort on the banks of the Kama, coniferous forest on the slopes. A full 12 hours skating day – from 10 am to 10 pm. Perfectly prepared slopes. Snow making. Fast chair lift.

Convenient transport accessibility for Moscow and the middle lane. Most budget trip of the season. Recommended for work on technical excellence, and those new to it.

A wonderful place to stay – and mega-favorable prices. A wonderful, beautiful place. Good conditions for skiing and snowboarding!

Dates: November, January, February, March, more on request. Alpine skiing and snowboarding groups. Children’s groups .

Seat | Slope map | How to get there | Dates | Budget | Training and Sensei | Contacts | Reviews | Discussion | Sign up

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Khibiny, Kirovsk, April 2021

Closing of the season – still real snow !!! The charm of northern nature.

Dates: two courses – from April 11 and April 18.

Seat | Slope map | How to get there | Dates | Budget | Training and Sensei | Reviews | Contacts | Questions and discussion | Sign up

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Elbrus, May 2021

Dates: May 2-7

Elbrus is huge, the Alps are quite toy compared to the place where you can climb.Even just going up on the ski lift, you will feel yourself somewhere at the very top of the world, when there are only mountains below you. And above the deep blue sky.

A variety of relief and snow conditions in the Elbrus region make it possible to study and practice a variety of skills: a hard slope, soft hills, untouched virgin lands, absolute plain, couloirs, drops, etc.

Place | Slopes map | How to get there | Dates | Budget | Training and Sensei | SEO thefreak.com Reviews | Contacts | Questions and discussion | Sign up

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90,000 KEEP YOUR KNEES! – GBUZ LO “Vsevolozhskaya KMB”

KEEP YOUR KNEES!

Dear readers, it’s time to talk about our knee joints, which bother us so often and so much! The overwhelming majority of patients come to me for a consultative appointment with just this problem.Today we will focus on situations not related to knee injury. The majority of people suffering from knee pain cannot clearly indicate the fact of injury. In the vast majority of cases, arthrosis is the main culprit in our suffering. A special case will be GONARTHROSIS – arthrosis of the knee joint.

The word “arthrosis” is quite popular today. It is used by doctors, patients. It often sounds from TV screens, where they advertise “miraculous” pills, ointments, devices in order to completely cure this “terrible disease”, which can only be worse than caries and dandruff.Let’s figure out what it is? And, is the devil as terrible as he is painted.

Today, I will tell you a little secret: arthrosis is not an independent disease that some unlucky person can suddenly get sick with. Arthrosis is a natural, programmed by nature, irreversible process of aging and wear and tear of our joints, which inevitably overtakes each of us to one degree or another. Whether you want it or not, all joints of our body are subject to this process.But why are the knees most often disturbed? There are explanations for this from a purely mechanical point of view. Man is a bipedal creature, and carries the weight of his body on his lower limbs. The main load falls on three large joints: hip, knee, ankle. The knee joint connects two long segments: the thigh and the lower leg. These two levers exert tremendous force on the weakly reinforced hinge. And the knee joint is really less strengthened than other supporting joints of the lower limb.For example, the hip joint is a ball placed in the deep bony cup of the pelvic bone; the ankle is the talus bounded on both sides by two ankles. The knee joint is two wide articular surfaces connected by several ligaments. In addition to the passive component that fixes the joint (joint capsule, ligaments, relief of the articular surfaces), the active component also participates in stabilization, that is, the muscles that embrace the joint from all sides and balance the action of the anatomical levers (thighs and lower legs) with their traction.Muscles perform two types of activity: static work – holding a limb in a certain position; and dynamic work – the displacement of levers relative to each other and the movement of our body in space. Dynamic work trains and nourishes the muscle. Static tension drains the muscle, causing ischemia and pain. So we come to the heart of our problem. What hurts with arthrosis?

There is essentially nothing to hurt inside the joint, in its cavity. Neither cartilage, nor ligaments, nor menisci have pain receptors.Some ordinary people, and sometimes even doctors, say that the cartilage is worn out to the bone, and the bone hurts. Nonsense! Painful nerve endings are present in the periosteum, but it is absent in the knee joint. The joint is surrounded by a synovial membrane, which contains mechanoreceptors that respond to pressure and stretching. They tell our muscles when to stop moving so as not to injure the joint. With synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane), accompanied by excessive production of synovial fluid, a person experiences aching bursting sensations in the knee joint, limitation of mobility due to excess fluid in it.Pain does not arise in the joint itself, but around it, in the places of attachment of muscle tendons and in the muscles themselves surrounding the joint. Most often, these painful areas are located on the inner surface of the knee joint, below the joint space, in the popliteal fossa and around the patella.

The following question arises: why do muscles, tendons and the places of their attachment to the bone begin to ache?

I will list the factors predisposing to the development of arthrosis:
– age over 40 years (genetically determined degeneration of bone, cartilaginous, muscle and connective tissues),

– female sex (lower bone density, anatomical features of the skeleton and less developed muscles),
– excess body weight (the mechanical load on all tissues increases, the static work of the muscles is burdened, the ligaments holding the joint are strained and torn, the articular cartilage and menisci are crushed),
– hypodynamia (muscles atrophy and hardens, the volume of movement in the joints decreases),
– viral, bacterial infections, oncological processes (reactive inflammation of the synovial membranes, muscle fascia, periosteum occurs),
– smoking and alcohol (as a result of chronic vasospasm and microthrombosis, the nutrition of the joints is disturbed).

Let’s trace the most typical variant of arthrosis of the knee joint.

As a rule, a woman over forty years old comes to the appointment, overweight, with X-shaped deformity of the knee joints, complaining of pain in the knees when walking, when getting up from a chair or bed, when going downstairs. On examination, she has swelling and soreness around the patella, along the inner and posterior surfaces of the knee joint. When you try to straighten the leg at the knee joint, a pulling pain appears under the knee.On radiographs, as a rule, the presence of arthrosis of the knee joint is confirmed. Such patients come to the doctor, having already tried a lot of medicines, ointments, warming up, wrapping, rubbing, miraculous devices advertised on TV. Nothing helps! But, all the same, they ask the doctor for a “magic” pill or a “miraculous” injection. And if the doctor “follows the lead” of the patient, then the second round of treatments and torments begins. Your doctor may prescribe pain relievers. But their effect is temporary – this is symptomatic treatment (the main symptom, pain, is temporarily eliminated).He can prescribe widely advertised chondroprotectors (drugs supposedly protecting and restoring cartilage) – this is a DELICIOUS.
A “synovial fluid prosthesis”, a silicone-like substance that creates a hydraulic cushion, can be pumped into a joint. Perhaps this will work in conjunction with other activities, but in isolation, it is unlikely.
There are still many recipes and “magical” actions similar to the dances of a shaman with a tambourine around a fire. But there is also “heavy artillery” – hormonal steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (hydrocortisone, kenalog-40, diprospan and others), which are injected into the most painful points, or directly into the joint.And… lo and behold! After a few days, the pain was gone. A week pass, another, a third – there is no pain! The rescue! The disease has receded!

Ha! …. figurines !!! The pain has receded, but the process cannot be stopped! They poisoned the “watchdog of the organism”, which with his barks warned of danger and called for active action. Six months later, the patient again comes to the doctor and declares: “It hurts again, and even more than it was!” And here the doctor proposes the most radical – to replace the biological joint with an artificial one.But the muscles remain the same. And pain in arthrosis occurs just at the points of attachment to the bones of muscle tendons, and are caused by muscle weakness. Endoprosthetics is indicated only in the third stage of arthrosis, when the muscles can no longer adapt to changes in the anatomical relationships in the joint. And before that, “only the drowning man himself can help a drowning man”!
What can the patient do himself?
Reduce the stress on the joint: get rid of excess weight, use a cane or crutches as additional support.
Stabilize the joint: wear a special orthosis (knee pad) or strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint, i.e. do physical education. For the knee joint, this is an exercise bike and swimming.
Avoid hypothermia, viral and bacterial infections.
Give up alcohol and smoking.

This is where difficulties arise in communication between doctor and patient. As soon as a woman is invited to take a cane in her hands, her eyes become round, filled with tears, and her lips say: “Yes, what am I – an old woman, or what?” The recommendation to get rid of excess weight is most often met with the phrase: “Yes, I don’t eat anything !!!” The call to sit on a stationary bike, sign up for the pool, pick up sticks for “Nordic walking”, sometimes can cause a response: “What is this? I’m going to curry, but what are you doing? ”!

But, fortunately, most patients are sympathetic to such recommendations.And if they follow them, then the result is felt within six months.
CONCLUSION : the main physician is the patient himself, suffering from arthrosis. Compliance with medical recommendations and a reasonable lifestyle will help to live with arthrosis with the least suffering.

Head of the trauma department, traumatologist-orthopedist,

Gulev Yu.N.

Prevention of arthrosis in the knees

Arthrosis of the knee joint, also called gonarthrosis, is a disease of the musculoskeletal system in which the cartilage of the knee is affected…

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Arthrosis of the knee joint, also called gonarthrosis, is a disease of the musculoskeletal system in which the cartilage of the knee is affected. As a result, it is difficult and painful for a person to walk, he cannot play sports and lead a full life. Basically, elderly women suffer from pathology, but the disease also occurs in young people. There are certain preventive measures that can prevent the development of the disease. To know what kind of prevention of arthrosis of the joints is needed, it is important to understand the reasons for its occurrence.

What leads to arthrosis

Doctors identify several main factors:

• Overweight. It puts too much stress on the lower limbs.
• Injury. This is especially true for athletes. Active or overwhelming training, enthusiasm for extreme sports increases the risk of injury and subsequent tissue problems.
• Sedentary lifestyle. If you move a little, the microcirculation of blood around the cartilage worsens, it receives less oxygen and nutrients, and becomes fragile.
• Incorrect power supply. An excess of sweet, starchy foods and other junk food negatively affects the health of the joints.
• Alcohol and smoking. These two points are the enemies of all body systems.
• Lack of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
• Genetic predisposition.

Unfortunately, if the disease is inherited, it is unlikely that something can be done about it. In other cases, everything is only in your hands.

Prevention of arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint

Important: Preventive measures are designed to prevent the development of the disease. If the diagnosis has already been made, you should not rely on prevention, be sure to start the treatment that the doctor prescribes.

Recommendations for maintaining joint health:

1. Moderate training . Sign up for fitness, be sure to take lessons with an instructor. Improper exercise or increased stress can lead to the opposite effect.Swimming in the pool is also good, as the water reduces stress on the joints.
2. Proper nutrition . Avoid foods high in fat, red meat. Be sure to make it a habit to eat fruits and vegetables, seafood. Gelatin and cartilage are also very beneficial for bones. As for liquids, you should drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
3. Taking vitamin complexes . Healthy joints need calcium, vitamins D, A, B and other substances.They are found in sufficient quantities in the preparation Orthomol Arthro Plus. This means of German production, which has a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system, is sold here. It nourishes and restores cartilage tissue, slows down the aging of cells, prevents the development of diseases, and relieves pain. It also contains: amino acids, hyaluronic, folic, pantothenic acids, selenium, manganese, copper, zinc, protein, etc. It is necessary to take the drug regularly and for a long amount of time to get a noticeable effect.It comes in powders and capsules.
4. Comfortable body position in motion and at rest . Many people like to sit cross-legged. This posture is a sure way to arthrosis, as well as wearing tight shoes and high heels. Of course, from going for a walk on stiletto heels once a month, the disease does not develop, but the constant use of uncomfortable shoes can lead to disastrous results.
5. Comfort temperature . Hypothermia negatively affects the joints, so always dress for the weather, use special knee pads, especially during training.

To maximize the effect, prevention of arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint must be comprehensive. Take Orthomol Artro Plus, eat right, exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle in general – this will help you stay active and young for longer.

10 methods to relieve pain during play and training

Football is a wonderful sport that is not only fun, but also an excellent method of maintaining good physical shape, however, despite all the advantages of football, in some cases the game can bring discomfort to the life of not only a professional, but also an amateur, as well as newbie.It is not uncommon for players to complain of knee pain after football. What contributes to the onset of pain and how to effectively get rid of it? Are there any proven methods to avoid future joint problems, or are you likely to forget about this sport? In this article we will try to provide answers to all your questions.

Knee pain is a really common problem faced by football players, and attacks of soreness can begin both for beginners and experienced professionals who have been in this sport for several years.Most often, we recommend our athletes to warm up their muscles and joints as much as possible before training and be sure to use an orthopedic knee pad. It supports the knee joint and prevents cartilage from erasing, so the efficiency of the game is instantly increased. – Andrey Kononenko, coach of the youth football team.

Why does knee pain occur during or after football?

The main physical effort that prevails in such a sport as football is running, that is, football can be equated with athletics.In the process of running, the bulk of the body is assigned to the athlete’s lower limbs, which, over several hours of training, makes the joints work as actively as possible. If a person previously has any chronic diseases of the joints, there is not enough calcium in the bones, and the legs are not protected in any way – pain in the knees after football is a completely natural process. Natural but wrong. A process that needs to be treated, because if you start these symptoms, then it can turn into the development of chronic diseases of the lower extremities, and in the future you will have to forget about doing such sports.

When there are predisposing factors – during prolonged physical exertion, the cartilages present in the biological structure of the knee joint begin to touch each other. Their smooth contact is usually provided by a special fluid called synovial fluid. With normal release, the knee functions normally, and the friction of the articular cartilage is minimized. At the slightest violation of the production of this substance, pathological processes begin to occur in the knee, namely:

• Insufficient amount of synovial substance leads to friction of the cartilage;
• With prolonged non-treatment, cartilage begins to rub against each other;
• Prolonged friction leads to degenerative-dystrophic processes of cartilage tissue;
• This further leads to a malfunction of the knee;
• Symptoms appear in the form of pain, swelling, a feeling of “stiffness” in the knee;
• In advanced situations, this may require surgical interventions, in particular arthroscopy.

Additional factors that cause knee pain during football are the presence of curvature of the spine, overweight, genetic predisposition to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, healed injuries, fractures, dislocations, etc.

How to get rid of knee pain after football?

If you felt pain in your knee during football or it began to bother you after the game – you need to act, and the sooner the better.To prevent acute pain from turning into chronic, it is very important to take timely methods to eliminate this problem, as well as preventive methods that will help prevent the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the joints.

Western methods of treating acute joint pain use a method called “R.I.C.E” Translated from English, this means:

• “R” – “Rest”
• “I” – “Ice”
• “C” – “Compression”
• “E” – “Elevation”

Other methods are also effective in eliminating pain, which we will talk about further:

“Rest”

The first thing to do if you have knee pain is to reduce and sometimes even eliminate physical activity.This will give time for self-regeneration of cartilage tissue and prevent the aggravation of pathological processes.

“ Ice ”

Next, it is necessary to provide a cooling analgesic effect at the site of pain. This reduces inflammation, relieves swelling and prevents bruising if, for example, an injury, dislocation or any other mechanical damage to the lower limb is the cause of knee pain.

“ Compression ”

The term “compression” means the use of compression products, namely: sports knee pads, knee braces, elastic bandages, elastic bandages, orthoses, etc.e. Football knee pads are an excellent method to prevent and relieve knee pain during and after training. The knee pad provides support for the joint and is accompanied by an even distribution of the load on the lower extremities. You can buy knee pads for sports in the Medtekhnika Ortosalon chain of stores or order online on the website of our Ortosalon online store.

“ Elevation ”

To prevent the appearance of edema, it is necessary to ensure the normal functioning of the blood and lymphatic substance.To do this, for some time after training, the legs must be held in an elevated position, so that they are above the level of the heart muscle.

Use of medicines

Very often, when knee pain occurs, doctors prescribe pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs to patients, which help to eliminate pain and inflammation in the knees. Also, an effective group of drugs includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral NSAIDs, ibuprofen, or topical diclofenac ointment.However, remember that any use of medications requires mandatory consultation with a doctor. Only a doctor, after an individual consultation and identifying an accurate diagnosis, prescribes the appropriate treatment and necessary medications for the patient.

Massage

Any physiotherapy procedures, including massage, have a beneficial effect on the condition of muscles and joints. After an intense workout, it is recommended to visit the massage therapist’s office, which will help disperse the blood and lymph in the body.Moreover, it is a good preventive method against varicose veins and just excellent and high-quality rest.

General muscle strengthening

The knee joint is surrounded by muscles and ligaments, which provide a kind of support “corset”. If the muscles in the legs are weak, the ligaments and cartilage of the knee joint become more vulnerable. It is necessary to work on strengthening the muscle tissue so that it tightly and resiliently supports the bones and other biological components of the knee.

Diet therapy

Our body daily needs vitamins, minerals, proteins and other chemical elements that help maintain normal life and performance. If you experience knee pain during any physical activity, you need to revise your own diet, which should be dominated by fruits, vegetables, proteins and offal. Jellied meat is perfect. The by-products contain collagen and substances that contribute to the production of synovial fluid, which was discussed earlier.It helps the joints to function properly and ensures their quality work.

Complexes of vitamins, calcium tablets and dietary supplements

You can also take additional dietary supplements and vitamin complexes. Consult with your doctor about the most suitable and effective drugs for you, and be sure to start treating your joints and the whole body from the inside.

Use orthopedic insoles for sports

During training, you should be as comfortable as possible, so take care of the correct and comfortable shoes in which you train, as well as the use of orthopedic insoles.First, they will help absorb odors and perspiration, and second, they will help distribute the load on the joints and improve heel cushioning, which will help prevent pain during football training.

Orthopedic knee pads for sports

If you go in for sports – football, jogging, wrestling, cycling or rollerblading – you definitely need to buy an orthopedic knee pad for sports.This will protect your joints from overwork and prevent the inflammation that often causes soreness during and after exercise. If you want your workouts to be always effective, and not to bother you with discomfort, pay attention to orthopedic knee pads with a silicone ring. Such models are specially designed for additional stabilization of the joints, especially important for athletes with chronic instability of the knee joint.

If you are planning to buy a knee pad for sports for prophylactic purposes, an elastic knee pad of soft or medium compression will suit you. Depending on how strongly your joints are susceptible to pathological effects, there are three main degrees of stiffness of the knee pads:

Product compression ratio	Purpose
Soft	prevention
Medium	treatment and prevention
Rigid	treatment and rehabilitation period after injuries and operations

Before buying orthopedic knee pads – consult your doctor so that the specialist will prescribe you a knee pad of the appropriate degree of rigidity and with the required number of ribs.For advice, you can also contact the sales consultants of the Medtekhnika Ortosalon chain of stores. We employ professionals in their field who will answer all your questions, as well as help in the selection and fitting of bandages.

Where to buy sports orthopedic knee pads?

You can buy knee pads for sports in the network of stores Medtekhnika Ortosalon. Why do we not recommend that you go to pharmacies and any other non-specialized stores for similar products? Firstly, no one will give you guarantees for the goods offered for purchase, secondly, most likely you will be left without proper consultation, and thirdly, the quality of the products you purchased can easily disappoint you, since the modern market is teeming with budget fakes.Accordingly, such a knee pad is unlikely to bring you the expected results and effectiveness. What to do in this case? Contact only specialized stores, where you will be able to provide all the quality certificates and guarantees for the purchased products.

Medtekhnika Ortosalon store cooperates with both domestic Ukrainian manufacturers and foreign leaders. Among the main representatives we work with are such brands as: Thuanse, Aurafix, Tiana, Alcom, Pani Teresa, Orliman and many others.These are the leading manufacturers of bandages that provide certified products of confirmed quality.

You can also order a knee pad for sports online on the website of our Ortosalon online store.

Massage for knee pain

Sore knee massage is a procedure aimed at improving muscle tone and blood circulation in the area of ​​the affected joint. Massaging allows not only to prevent the disease and reduce the level of pain, but also to help in getting rid of knee disease.

After a knee injury, massage in most cases is prescribed to each person, but it should only be performed by a trained specialist who knows special massage techniques. With self-recovery, it is possible to harm the not yet strengthened knee joint.

During the procedure, the knee joint is warmed up, due to which the blood supply normalizes, and the synovial fluid (it fills the joint cavity) increases. Knee massage has a good effect on the functioning of the ligamentous apparatus – it improves its physical activity and flexibility.

Knee massage in case of ligament tear and after fracture

Knee massage in case of ligament tearing helps to restore its lost functions by reducing swelling around the damaged muscle. A trained massage therapist will be able to carry out the procedure only 2 to 3 days after the injury, since previously it was strictly forbidden to touch the knee because of the possibility of increasing internal bleeding. If, after a rupture of the ligaments, pain remains after a few days, then massage the damaged area is allowed, but this should be done with extreme caution.

Massage after a knee fracture is required throughout the entire recovery period. With the help of massage, the fastest process of developing the knee joint occurs due to the reflex reaction that occurs. This is due to the fact that the nerve receptors in the skin perceive massage techniques as a pathogen and transmit impulses to the brain. The normal function of the joints with this effect is restored several times faster.

Knee massage after surgery

Massaging the knee after surgery is the most important stage in the recovery and rehabilitation of the knee joint.During the rehabilitation period, it is important to resume knee mobility and return to previous physical activity. The specific massage technique after the operation is selected by the doctor based on the type of intervention performed, and acts very carefully on the damaged area itself, gradually developing the sore spot.

Massage of knees for arthrosis

Massage of knees with arthrosis is carried out in order to return the joint to its normal position, get rid of swelling, and also eliminate spasms and relax muscles.Massaging for arthrosis is one of the most effective and safest methods, which is used as an adjunct to medical treatment when a disease is detected. During the procedure, special techniques are used, including the initial treatment of the area around the affected area, followed by the treatment of the diseased limb.

Be sure to consult your doctor!

Massage procedures should only be performed by trained professionals.Some massage techniques use simulators to work out individual joints of the lower extremities. Thanks to the professionalism of the masseurs and the correctly selected techniques, you can achieve a good result in a short time, however, if the recommendations of the attending physician are not followed, a number of undesirable consequences can be achieved.

You can take a course of knee massage at the branches of the State Budgetary Healthcare Institution “Toksovskaya MB” at the addresses:

Toksovo village, Bulanova st., 18, in-patient department of the State Budgetary Healthcare Institution “Toksovskaya MB”, physical therapy department, phone number for appointment:

8 (81370) 57-171

Tsymbalova Evgeniya Alekseevna

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New Devyatkino, st.Energetikov, 4, polyclinic Novoe Devyatkino, you can sign up by phone:

+7 (81370) -43-154, 383-59-95

or at the posts of the polyclinic

90,000 Treatment of arthrosis in Krasnodar – Clinic “Zdrava”

Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that affects the joints. It usually develops in the hands, knees, hip, or spine. Osteoarthritis causes pain, inflammation, and interferes with normal movements such as squeezing an arm, climbing stairs, or walking.

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the bone joint, where two bones that form a joint meet, such as the knee joint. It consists of cartilage and fibrous connective tissue. When tissues and cartilage degenerate, it is called arthrosis. Over time, cartilage degeneration leads to a loss of free movement in the joint.

You may also have heard another term for arthrosis – osteoarthritis. This condition is most common in older people because cartilage depletes with age.Osteoarthritis can be very painful, but there are ways to reduce pain and increase mobility.

According to the World Health Organization, about 28 percent of the world’s population over 60 years old suffer from osteoarthritis, and 80 percent of them have movement restrictions. Increasing life expectancy and an aging population will lead to osteoarthritis becoming the fourth leading cause of disability in 2020.

Over time, the cartilage that flattens the bones in the joint wears out, causing bone to rub against bone.This is what causes the pain experienced with osteoarthritis.

When cartilage is damaged or destroyed, it cannot repair itself, therefore it is important to follow the preventive recommendations of the doctor in order to minimize wear and tear of the cartilage.

Repetitive movements, insufficient physical activity and being overweight all contribute to arthrosis. This puts additional stress on the joints, accelerating the wear of the cartilage.

Risk factors for the development of arthrosis include old age, gender – women are much more likely to suffer from this condition, overweight or obesity, joints injured in the past, deformed joints, professions that include repetitive movements, heredity.

The main measure that risk groups must take into account to prevent the development of the disease is a healthy and balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, for moderate exercise, age-appropriate activities. It is necessary to maintain normal physical activity and avoid obesity.

At the same time, it is advisable to limit intense physical efforts, such as carrying heavy objects or work associated with overexertion.Experts are calling for caution when practicing contact sports such as soccer, as they are not recommended for patients with arthrosis. The reason is that such sports are one of the factors that can cause illness. In fact, many footballers suffer from knee osteoarthritis due to the meniscus injuries they have suffered.

In case of illness, you should avoid movements that cause pain, without completely immobilizing the affected area.

Today in medicine there are four main types of arthrosis.

Pain and lack of mobility are the main factors affecting the quality of life of patients and reducing them. Although arthrosis is not a very serious disease, it significantly reduces the quality of life of patients. The prognosis of its treatment is very different depending on the affected joint and the development of the pathology.

In addition, factors such as early diagnosis and timely preventive measures can help to significantly slow down the development of arthrosis. Arthrosis treatment is pain relief that allows the patient to lead a more comfortable and active life.

Clinic “Zdrava” – was originally created as a sports medicine center in Krasnodar. That is why we have concentrated advanced experience in the treatment of any injuries, the latest technology and unique specialists! We successfully treat even advanced cases of arthrosis of the knee joint, arthrosis of the hands, arthrosis of the hip joint.