The smart way to treat knee pain to avoid surgery
March 6, 2012 at 6:00 a.m.
Have you ever crawled out of bed with achy knees? Congratulations! You have officially joined the senior knee pain club. Knee pain can be caused by all kinds of unfortunate ailments, including osteoporosis, arthritis and tendonitis. The good news is, with a little knee pain management, getting out of bed does not have to be a huge battle. Knee pain treatment often helps sufferers avoid painful and expensive surgeries. The Mayo Clinic recommends the following forms of knee pain treatment for seniors:
Orthotics
Seniors suffering from osteoarthritis typically experience quite a bit of pressure on the side of the knee. Some of that pressure can be alleviated with the help of specialized orthotics. These orthotics can be added to your favorite pair of smelly sneakers for a perfect fit.
Physical Therapy
An injured knee can be stabilized with the help of exercises targeting the quadriceps and the hamstrings. Physical therapists are great at teaching these exercises without making you feel like a 98-pound weakling. Practicing these exercises may not turn you into the next big bodybuilder, but it will help you stave off knee surgery.
Weight Loss
Overweight seniors put a lot of extra pressure on their knees. Dropping a few pounds may help to reduce that pressure. Weight loss rarely eliminates knee pain on its own, which is why it is best used in combination with an alternative knee pain treatment.
Yoga
Once cast off as something for deranged quacks, yoga is now a very popular form of knee pain management. Like physical therapy, it can be used to strengthen the leg muscles and shift pressure away from the knee. If performed incorrectly, yoga poses can actually increase knee pain. As such, it is very important to begin by taking a yoga class with a trained professional.
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