Knee pain is caused due to the swelling or discomfort arising as a result of injuries or other medical conditions. Knee pain can be the aftereffect of a type of damage, for example, a burst tendon or a torn ligament. Ailments such as joint inflammation, gout, and other diseases can cause knee pain too. Minor knee pain can be treated using self-care measures. Additionally, exercise-based recovery techniques and knee support can help calm knee pain. But, at times, you might need quick fixes to curb knee pain.
The cause of knee pain can be determined by the symptoms one experiences. Numerous reasons can cause or add to interminable knee pain. Everyone experiences knee pain differently, some people suffer from inner knee pain that is caused due to ageing and other health-related problems.
Temporary knee pain is different from permanent knee pain. Numerous individuals experience brief knee pain because of internal damage. Often this type of knee pain fades away without medical treatment, and the reason for it cannot be deduced easily from a single occurrence.
The cause of knee pain can be diagnosed when it frequently occurs, as it can be the consequence of internal health-related problems. Physical conditions or ailments can also cause knee pain.
Knee pain can be caused due to the damage of tendons, ligaments, or liquid-filled sacs (bursae) that enclose the knee joint. Sometimes the damage caused to the bones, ligaments, and tendons can affect the structure of the joint. The more common knee injuries that cause knee pain are:
The bones of the knee, especially the kneecap (patella), tend to break while falling or could be the result of an injury caused by accidents. Individuals whose bones have been debilitated by osteoporosis can, in some cases, prolong or worsen a knee fracture just by walking or moving incorrectly.
The meniscus is a rubbery ligament and is situated between the shinbone and thighbone. This ligament can tear due to a sudden turn, pivot, or deep squatting. Heavy lifting can also lead to this injury.
ACL damage is a tear of the foremost cruciate tendon (ACL), one of the four tendons that connect your shinbone to your thighbone. It is a common type of damage that is often caused by playing basketball, soccer, etc.
Some knee wounds cause irritation in the bursae, the little sacs of liquid that offers padding to the knee joint. Knee bursitis is caused due to inflammation in the bursae.
Tendinitis is the disturbance and aggravation of any one of the ligaments, the thick, sinewy tissues that connect muscles to bones. Sprinters, skiers, and cyclists are often victims of this type of damage. Some exercises also cause irritation in the patellar ligament.
Knee pain can either be temporary or permanent. One prevalent issue with knee pain is that you cannot be completely sure about its cause. To this end, we have compiled some reasons that are known to cause temporary or chronic knee pain.
This happens when the triangular bone (patella) that covers the front of your knee moves or dislocates itself from its position. Sometimes, the kneecap may remain dislodged that causes pain under the kneecap.
Most common knee injuries, hip and foot damage, can be excruciating at times. Issues in the hip or foot can also lead to knee pain. However, you can change the manner in which you walk to save yourself from this pain.
At times, the damage or degeneration of bones or ligaments can cause them to sever and slip in the space between the joints. This may not lead to any issues except if the severed part meddles with knee joint development.
This happens when the band of tissue that stretches out from the outside of your hip to the outside of your knee (iliotibial band) turns out to be tight to the point that it rubs against the external part of your femur. Sprinters and cyclists are particularly vulnerable to iliotibial band disorder.
Call your primary care physician in case you:
Mentioned below are various natural remedies for knee pain that you can try to alleviate your pain.
But, please bear in mind to exercise caution while carrying out these measures on how to heal knee pain as sometimes it can worsen your condition. It is advised that you consult your physician immediately if you feel that your knee pain has gotten worse.
If you find yourself searching for what to do for knee pain, the answer lies in exercises for knee pain. There are a lot of exercises that can help alleviate the stiffness that you feel in knees, or due to their incorrect positioning. These exercises also help reduce pain caused due to flat feet, poor form, and weak muscles of the hip and knee.
[Read: Stretches for Treating Knee Pain]
Named for the manner in which your legs and hips take after a clamshell. This exercise will reinforce your hips and thighs, while additionally settling your pelvic muscles and conditioning your glutes. You can do this exercise anywhere or whenever you feel knee pain.
Do this exercise twice or thrice every week.
Bridging exercises help maintain your posture. This exercise requires you to move your hips upwards. It doesn’t matter which bridge exercise you choose, it will be a good exercise for your core, hamstrings, hips, and glutes.
Repeat this activity twice or thrice a week.
Undertaking side-lying hip abduction is a great way to work your lateral glute muscles. These muscles are knee stabilisers, and this exercise makes these muscles firm.
Repeat this activity twice or thrice a week.
[Read: 9 Essential Oils to Treating Knee Pain]
The straight leg raise is one of the primary exercises that is performed after a hip or knee replacement surgery. The straight leg raise is additionally utilised by specialists and physical advisors to survey lumbar spine impingement, herniated plates, and sciatic pain. It can help differentiate wounds of the hip from that of the lumbar spine.
Do this activity twice or thrice every week.
Fire hydrants, are also called quadruped hip kidnappings, are a type of bodyweight workout. They basically work the gluteus maximus, and a few varieties work on the core. At the point when done normally, fire hydrants can shape your glutes, improve back pain, and lower the hazard for damage.
Play out this activity 2-3 days of the week.
Yoga is one of the ancient practices that have proven to improve the health of both body and mind. Certain yoga asanas help relieve knee pain and discomfort caused due to other medical conditions. Yoga helps loosen the muscles and hence, promotes the smooth movement of the joints.
It is important to concentrate on breathing while practising Yoga, as this helps regulate the blood flow and improve the posture of our body.
Mountain Pose is a stance for relief from discomfort. Begin by keeping the toes and heels in contact with each other. Breathe in and tighten your lower abs and stretch your fingertips towards your toes. Open up your chest and take full breaths. Pay more attention to your feet and work on spreading your toes and squeezing them into the floor.
Ensure that your weight is focused on the curve of the foot. Lift yourself up from the inward curve through the lower leg and up through the knees. Draw your thighs together and lift them over your knees. If you feel knee pain when bending, or if you feel that you are locking your knees, avoid bending them completely.
[ Read: Get Rid of Fluid on the Knee Pain ]
Triangle pose reinforces the quadriceps, inward thighs, and abs while extending the midsection, hips, and hamstrings.
Begin with the standing position, open your legs, keeping them three feet apart. Turn the right toes to the right side and left toes slightly inwards. Exhale and rotate the arms raising the left arm and resting the right arm on the right leg. Make sure that the palms are facing forward. Press into your feet, keep the legs strong and pull up the knee caps. Bring the arms in a straight line and hold the position for three to six breaths.
Turn your right toes forward by ninety degrees, and your left toes by around seventy-five degrees. Pivot directly over to your leg and place your hand on your lower leg, shin, upper thigh, or a yoga square. Envision you’re between two tight dividers and carry your body back to the space between your hips. Connect the legs, and your knees. Hold for five to eight breaths at that point and then switch sides.
Stand in the Mountain Pose. With an exhalation, jump slightly to open your legs three feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the ground and stretch them as far as you can. Turn your right foot to the right side and left foot to the left side in a 90-degree angle. Align your right heel to the left heel. Keep your thighs firm and bend your left knee forward. Hold this pose for thirty seconds to one minute.
Warrior stances, and particularly Warrior II, is a safe posture for individuals with knee issues. Warrior II extends, fortifies, and balances the knee.
Begin standing sideways on your ankle with your legs open three feet apart. Turn your right toes out ninety degrees, and your left toes in seventy-five degrees. Twist your right knee until it is over your right lower leg.
Use your leg muscles to continue following the knee and ensure that it doesn’t roll inwards. You need to continue making space. This exercise will help you fortify the external gluteal muscles, inner thighs, and quadriceps as you hold the posture for eight to ten breaths. After that, stand up and turn the feet the other way for the opposite side.
Hero’s Pose is a definitive knee pain reliever. Start by kneeling on the floor, place a blanket beneath your knees, so that you feel more comfortable. Keep your thighs perpendicular to the floor and slide your feet apart. With your feet flat on the floor, place them slightly wider apart than your hips.
You can sit on a block that will raise your body from the floor. Make sure to maintain your posture while doing so. Keep your shoulders upright and firm, like a warrior. Hold this pose for about one minute.
Begin bowing and draw your lower leg muscles out to the sides as you rest the weight of your hips between your lower legs. Draw your buttocks back. Hold for five to eight breaths or more.
From Hero’s Pose, you need to change to the Downward Facing Dog position to expand the knee muscles. Ensure your feet are separated in this posture. Lift the kneecaps, and hold in the quadriceps, pull in the lower abs, and feel the stretch in the hamstrings and behind the knees. Press solidly into your hands, and lift your shoulders. Hold this pose for two to three breaths and then loosen up.
If the questions of how to get rid of knee pain and how to reduce knee pain plague your mind consistently, and if you are looking for home remedies for knee pain, then it is a good idea to facilitate your treatment with the help of essential oils. There are numerous essential oils that contain anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties that make them a good fit to be able to treat knee joints and provide joint pain relief. Mentioned here are some essential oils for knee pain that can help you relieve knee pain.
Initially local to Australia, eucalyptus trees are currently developed everywhere throughout the world and utilised for their restorative properties. Their recuperating force originates from eucalyptus oil, extracted from the leaves.
The leaves are dried and refined to discharge the essential oil. After the oil has been separated, it must be diluted before it is utilised as medication.
Eucalyptus oil has various mitigating and pain-relieving properties. This oil improves blood flow.
In a recent report(1), specialists assessed the impact of eucalyptus fragrance based treatment on the pain during post knee replacement surgery. The examination inferred that breathing in eucalyptus oil can essentially bring down aggravation, agony, and circulatory strain. If you have rheumatoid joint pain, you can topically apply this to the affected area to diminish irritation and mitigate pain.
You can also make a mixture or an ointment of eucalyptus essential oil by mixing it with a carrier oil by utilising the procedure given below:
Apply Eucalyptus essential oil or the mixture of it at least two times in a day for knee pain relief.
Ginger oil has been prescribed as medicine for pain relief since times immemorial. The part of the plant that is utilized for pain-relieving purposes is known as the rhizome. While it might resemble a root, the rhizome is an underground stem off of which roots branch out. It tends to be found throughout the world, particularly in Asia and Africa. The scientific name of the plant is Zingiber officinale.
Ginger oil is removed from the ginger rhizome after a refining procedure. Like other essential oils, it’s potent.
Ginger is a typical recuperating component utilised for its pain-relieving properties. A 2001 report(2) assessed the impact of ginger oil on joint and knee pain in Osteoarthritis patients.
To utilise ginger oil for knee pain, you can apply a couple of drops topically on the influenced zone. For a better outcome, utilise a hot pack on the affected area as well. Try doing a patch test before applying ginger oil topically, especially for those who have sensitive skin.
Ginger oil can be sensitive when applied topically, so you should consistently complete a little test on a small territory on your skin first.
Apply ginger oil to the affected area at least two times a day until the pain subsides.
Turmeric is a type of herb with a multitude of healing properties. It contains curcumin, an anti-inflammatory compound. As an essential oil, turmeric can be utilised to diminish irritation, animate blood dissemination, and flushes out the toxins of the body.
Truth be told, it’s incredible to the point that it matches the viability of some anti-inflammatory medications, without the reactions. In an examination(3) in individuals with rheumatoid joint inflammation, curcumin was significantly more viable than a mitigating drug. Numerous different reports(4) have contemplated the effects of curcumin on joint pain and noted upgrades in different side effects.
To treat rheumatoid joint inflammation, you can apply turmeric oil topically to the influenced territory. Turmeric is a flavour that is well-known, and it can be added to dishes.
Apply turmeric essential oil once a day.
[Read: Turmeric for Knee Pain]
Referred by some as the ‘king of oils,’ frankincense is the sap derived from the trees of the Boswellia variety. It’s found in the Boswellia sacra tree. These trees are generally found in Middle Eastern nations, such as Oman and Yemen, and other African nations, such as Somalia and Ethiopia.
This sap has various restorative properties, making it a staple in numerous pain-relieving treatments. It has been utilised since ancient times. It’s additionally known for its antiseptic, regenerative, and anti-inflammatory properties. A recent report(5) confirmed that frankincense oil has the capability of treating Osteoarthritis.
To treat knee pain, to one to two drops of frankincense oil, add a few drops of carrier oil, such as coconut or jojoba oil. Carrier oils help diminish the strength of essential oils to keep your skin from not having an allergic response.
Utilise this method of applying frankincense oil to your knees at least once a day to gain the benefits of it.
Here are some alternative treatments and home remedies for knee pain for those wondering how to strengthen knees. These treatments can not only facilitate quicker recovery from joint pain, but these are also organic and natural and have no side effects.
If you’ve twisted your leg, taken a hard fall, or generally stressed your knee, medical aid at home can be useful. Keep in mind the abbreviation “RICE” for treating strains and sprains.
Get off your feet and apply a cold compress or an ice bag to the knee. Frozen vegetables, for example, peas, will likewise work on the off chance that you have no ice. Wrap your knee with a pressure gauze to reduce swelling. Always keep your foot raised, while lying down.
Tai Chi is a martial art form practised for defence training as well as for its health benefits and meditative properties. It helps lessen the pain in joints and relieves knee pain. Moreover, Tai chi sharpens the mind, helping one to be more susceptible to pain. Tai chi helps one to become physically and mentally strong. In a study(6), it was found that Tai Chi has helped patients suffering from Osteoarthritis, to relieve pain and strengthen their bones.
Tai Chi is an antiquated Chinese mind-body practice that improves flexibility. In an examination distributed in Arthritis and Rheumatism(7), scientists found that rehearsing kendo was particularly useful for those with Osteoarthritis. It lessens pain and builds scope of movement. The psychological control it instructs could likewise help in adapting to constant pain.
Regular exercise is essential to smoothen the movements of joints, this helps diminish knee pain. For those with joint inflammation, keeping the leg stationary or decreasing the scope of movement can solidify the joint and can worsen the situation. Being overweight worsens the situation, as knees are under more stress. Hence, it is crucial to maintain your weight and have a healthy lifestyle.
Utilising a heating pad to rest your knee when leaning back can shield the joint from becoming firm. Wrapping a gel-style cold pack or cool pack around it can decrease pain and swelling. Shift back and forth among cold and warmth. Utilise cold pads during the initial 24 hours after the damage. You can either use cold or hot treatment for knee pain
In an examination distributed in the Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences(8), analysts researched an ointment made of cinnamon, ginger, mastic, and sesame oil. They found the balm was as effective as over-the-counter joint pain creams containing salicylate, that helps combat discomfort.
A study(9) in 2001 found that a few people with joint inflammation experienced relief from discomfort utilising willow bark. The concentrate is additionally utilised by cultivators to treat fever and other types of joint pain. Try not to take willow bark if you are sensitive to ibuprofen or if you’re taking blood thinners. Try not to give willow bark to kids under four years of age.
Ginger is an all-in-one spice that has a plethora of uses. It is easily available and can be used to treat various types of ailments. Ginger is a flavouring agent in many dishes from all over the world. It can be used to treat fever, stomach pain, and much more. A study proved that Ginger could be used to treat joint pain, as well. It helps reduce inflammation and hence reduce the pain and discomfort caused due to injuries.
Ginger is obtainable in numerous forms. Not only can it be found as a supplement in pharmacies, but it can also be added to foods. Ginger root or tea can be found at the market. Its flavor is utilised in numerous cuisines. Medical advantages include alleviation of upset stomach and sickness. An investigation of individuals with joint pain found that ginger decreased agony when utilised in blend with a solution treatment for joint inflammation.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are two supplements that have seen growing popularity over the previous decade because of the fact that they can quicken joint treatment. Research(10) has demonstrated that the mix had a great impact on those with Osteoarthritis. In any case, the two supplements appeared to profit individuals who had progressively extreme pain.
Japanese chiropractor, Dr Kenzo Kase invented Kinesio tape that is made from a mix of cotton and nylon. It’s intended to impersonate the skin’s flexibility so that it facilitates mobility. The tape’s restorative glue is water-safe and can be used for three to five days, even while you work out or scrub down.
One investigation(11) demonstrated that when kinesiology tape was connected over the knee, it expanded the space in the knee joint. Another report(12) demonstrated kinesiology tape additionally expanded the space in the shoulder joint. Despite the fact that the rise in space is little, it decreases the chances of joint disturbance.
At the point when the tape is connected to your body, it withdraws a little and tenderly lifts your skin. This creates a minute space between your skin and the tissues underneath it.
A physical advisor will tell you the best way to apply the tape based on the issue you are facing. The tape can be connected in an X, Y, I, or fan design, depending upon your requirement. You may require adjustment and decompression strips. Here are a few hints for getting the tape off without harming your skin.
[Also Read: KT Tape for Knee Pain Relief]
Acupuncture or Needle therapy is a type of alternative medication. This type of treatment is prevalent in China and is part of its rich heritage. At the same time, it is considered as pseudoscience, as its theories and implications are yet to be proven.
Needle therapy is a customary Chinese medication technique that dates back many centuries. Acupuncturists utilise fine needles which are used to focus on different parts of the body. This helps release endorphins. This hormone diminishes discomfort and pain. It also lessens irritation and improves the blood flow, thus loosening the muscles. This treatment is said to:
In an investigation(13) from the University of Ottawa, members with knee pain because of RA had some help with electroacupuncture. This kind of needle therapy utilises an electric flow that throbs through the needles. Needle therapy focuses on the pressure points that your acupuncturist decides upon.
The acupuncturist may embed the needles in your legs, knees, arms, shoulders, or anywhere required. Concentrating on these focus points, it diminishes irritation, releases endorphins, and helps unwind. Truth be told, numerous individuals doze off during the sessions.
[Also Read: Benefits of Acupuncture for Knee Pain]
Given here are a few dos and don’ts of knee pain that can be effective in helping you mitigate the symptoms and the severity of the agony that results from it.
Any individual who is encountering knee pain repeatedly and those who are wondering how to reduce knee pain should visit a specialist.
Always get a proper assessment from your physician before opting for any of the home remedies. It is better if you get an X-ray or MRI scan before coming to conclusions. A proper diagnosis can help understand what type of treatment you require or what type of ailment you suffer from.
The physician will gather knowledge about the signs and symptoms, complete a physical assessment, and may recommend imaging tests, for example, an X-ray or MRI examination. In the wake of finding the reason, they will examine the treatment alternatives.
Some types of knee pains are caused due to chronic health problems. Sometimes, if temporary knee pain isn’t treated properly, it could lead to permanent impairment. Before using a home remedy, it is important to understand the root cause of the pain and then act accordingly. Furthermore, some types of knee pain may require more extensive diagnostic procedures to understand the cause completely. Based on the type of damage, the doctor can provide the right type of treatment that is catered for you. By doing so, you can avoid unnecessary complications or other undesirable conditions.
Proper treatment may counteract an abrupt or momentary knee issue from ending up becoming chronic. Before you attempt any home remedy, regardless of whether a dietary supplement or other elective treatment, you should consult with your primary care physician about it.
It’s equally essential to discover the reason behind the pain. You may need X-rays and blood tests to determine if you had any underlying issues. The sooner you get to the base of the issue, the sooner you’ll be able to start making progress towards recuperation.
[Also Read: Benefits of CBD Oil for Knee Pain ]