Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention of Knee Problems
The largest joint in the human body and the most complicated, the knees are usually the most easily injured part of the body. They carry our weight whenever we straighten, bend, twist and rotate. All of these increase the risk of acute knee injuries such as pain while walking. Here are some information about what to do when you have knee pain.
Symptoms
Symptoms usually associated with knee problems include a locking sensation (this is where you cannot fully move your knee in a normal range of motion), and a popping or grinding feeling near the joint. Others are unstable knees and a swelling of the knees. You might feel pain when bearing partial or full weight on them. The injury might get worse as you move while performing your daily activities.
Causes
Knee discomfort due to tendonitis, which means that you have an inflamed tendon, shows symptoms like swelling and intense pain while walking or running. Another likely cause might be meniscus damage. Menisci are cartilages which diffuse friction on the knee joint between the lower leg and the thigh. Swelling, severe pain, and a locking sensation while moving may be indicative that you have injured your meniscus. One more probable cause is ligament tears in the knee, a symptom of which is the twisting of the knee or a popping sound.
Treatment
Usual home remedies are taking a rest and placing ice on top of the damaged knee. Since the latter is the easiest to do, this is a popular remedy choice. The ice dulls the pain and decreases the swelling. The problem is that sometimes people move the knee before it fully heals. Knee braces are another option for people with knee damage. Surgery is also an alternative treatment for knee injury, although usually taken as a last resort.
Prevention
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Injuries, damages, and knee pain are easily prevented with daily exercise. Try walking and stretching before you run, jog or brisk walk. Warm up before a strenuous workout and do knee exercises that strengthen muscles. These will help prevent knee injuries. Take care to wear the proper footwear, especially when doing high impact exercises, and remember to always keep your weight under control as this also reduces the stress on your knees.