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Things to Do and Avoid When Your Knees Hurt

Going to a doctor when one is experiencing knee pain is of the utmost importance for you to figure out the best treatment options. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t things you can do to keep issues (and pain) at a minimum.

Don’t Rest Too Long

Not moving can have a bad impact on your body for many reasons, but one of them is that it weakens muscles, which can make hurting in the joints much worse. As such, the best thing to do is find a type of exercise that is safe for your joints, and keep at it. If you aren’t sure of what you’re allowed to do, talk to a doctor specializing in knee pain.

Indeed, things like cardio exercise, stretching and weight training can all work to improve muscles, which increases flexibility while offering added support to the joints. For cardio exercises, good options include walking, water aerobics, elliptical machines, and swimming.

Ensure Home is Safe

Falling is one of the worst things that can happen when you are experiencing joint discomfort. To avoid this, ensure your home is well lit, that there are handrails on stairs, and that clutter is removed.

RICE

RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation, and it is recommended by doctors for patients experiencing knee pain due to minor injury.

Walking Aid

Many people put off using an aid for as long as possible, but they shouldn’t, because it is of great help. Indeed, it can take some of the stress of the joints away, helping individuals walk without experiencing the same level of pain.

Take Care of Shoes

As a rule, it is a good idea to speak to a medical professional about what sort of shoes can help reduce the stress on joints.

Know the Right Temperature

After sustaining an injury, for the first 2 to 3 days, use a cold pack to ease the discomfort and reduce the amount of swelling. It’s best on the joints 15 to 20 minutes, 3 to 4 times each day. After that, use heat for the same amount of time.

Have questions?

Request a consultation with one of the knee specialists at the Orthopedic & Sports Institute. Call (920) 560-1000 or request an appointment online.

OSI has convenient locations to serve you. The campus in Appleton includes clinics, a surgery center, MRI, physical therapy, and a skilled nursing facility, as well as a walk-in clinic that provides care for new orthopedic injuries.

OSI has outreach clinics in New London, Ripon, Shawano, Waupaca, and the newest location serving the Green Bay area, inside the NOVO Health Clinic in De Pere.

OSI is a proud member of NOVO Health.