Knee Pain Treatment
Let’s face it, injuries happen. And when you’re working out hard and exercising regularly, they’re even more likely to happen!
But they don’t have to. When it comes down to it, there’s a lot you can to do prevent injuries and manage the pain when they do occur.
Knee injuries are one of the most common injuries I’ve seen in my experience as a personal trainer (second only to shoulder and back injuries). Runners have to be especially cautious when it comes to injuring their knees, as the impact can wear on the joint over time.
And knee injuries can really interfere with daily living. Not only do they throw a major wrench in your fitness routines (especially if you’re a cardio buff), but they can also take a long time to heal because we use our knees whenever we’re active.
So I thought I’d review some of the common treatments of knee pain, and also follow up with some basic steps you can take at the gym (or outdoors) that will help you prevent strain and injury to these critical joints.
It’s also important to understand that there are a number of potential causes of knee pain. Knee pain can be caused by a sudden injury, an overuse injury, or by an underlying condition, such as arthritis. Treatment will vary depending on the cause, and symptoms of knee injury can include pain, swelling, and stiffness.
So what can you do to treat knee pain?
Believe it or not, depending on the nature and cause of your knee pain, exercise can actually help you treat and/or manage the pain. First, exercise can strengthen the ligaments and muscles surrounding the knee joint, allowing your body to better cope with (or heal from) the underlying cause. Exercise can also raise your pain threshold, allowing you to better manage your pain on a daily basis.
Here are some powerful tips to take into consideration when you are exercising but wanting to treat (or avoid) the pain:
- When squating: make sure your knee never goes over your toe. That means your feet should be shoulder width apart, and as you come down you feel your quads and do your best to push your butt out. If you have knee pain you should avoid going down too far.
- For those who are runners, I hate to say it but you simply need to stop running especially on pavement until your knee pain subsides. Instead try low-impact cardio like elliptical machines, biking or even rowing. These exercises will help you strengthen the ligaments surrounding your knees.
- Massage and physiotherapy are other effective treatments for knee pain (or pain of any kind). The best thing you can do is to see a physiotherapist as soon as possible following your injury or onset of pain.
- Aside from this, doctors may prescribe over-the-counter medications or recommend surgery depending on the severity and source of your knee pain.
How can you prevent knee pain and injury?
Treatment of pain should be taken seriously, but I’m a huge proponent of preventing pain and injury in the first place. If your workouts are intense, or you run regularly, the first thing you need to do is make sure you’re using proper form and equipment.
When it comes to the gym, I’ve seen many people injure their knees during heavy leg workouts, simply because they don’t know proper form. Shoes are also critical, when it comes to the gym or running outdoors. I’m a big fan of the Nike Men’s Air Zoom and Nike Zoom Air Women because of their supportive structure and great cushioning to reduce impact on your joints.
Recovery supplements are also extremely helpful in preventing injury and repairing the muscle and other tissues that surround and support your knee joint. Here are some top sellers that I have read great reviews on:
- Scivation Xtend – An effective blend of BCAA’s, some of the most effective amino acids for muscle recovery and repair.
- Advanced ALLFLEX – An incredible formula of natural joint-support ingredients (I personally found this to be quite effective).
- MHP Probolic-SR Muscle Feeder – A fantastic sustained release protein supplement for maximum amino acid support.
- AllMax Nutrition Omega 3 – Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to help with lubrication of joints.
- NOW Acai – antioxidant rich acai berries are great in fighting free radicals and helping the immune system with recovery.
Last but not least important to knee pain treatment is a smart flexibility training plan. Make sure you are spending at least 10 minutes each day after your workouts working on stretching out all muscles of your legs. If you haven’t yet you can read my flexibility training routine for some ideas of powerful and effective stretches.
Knee Pain Treatment – Conclusion
Remember, do things smart and safe, no matter your workout goals. You don’t need to hurt yourself to make significant gains. But remember, if you do find yourself with a lot of knee pain, see a doctor first.
Have any questions or feedback about knee pain treatment? Please leave a comment below…
