Around 15-20 per cent of people suffer from knee pain and that number is increasing with our ageing population. There are lots of ideas out there around what can be done, some of them very simple, some of them with unwanted side effects and some of them quite drastic. So what can be done to help prevent knee pain and also to manage it once it is present?
The first thing you will want to do is consult a health care professional to help rule out any pathology. Things like serious ligament damage, infections and neoplasms obviously need to be managed immediately. Once those nasties are ruled out, though, there are some steps you can take to get your knees in shape.
Firstly, you will want to make sure your feet, knees, hips and pelvis are aligned properly. This may include getting some orthotics for foot support and some chiropractic to help your alignment. You will also want to make sure that the surrounding muscles are in balance as well, in particular those surrounding your patella.
Many people with knee pain will tend to avoid exercise all together due to the discomfort. What they don't realise is that mild to moderate low-impact exercise will actually help alleviate knee pain and stiffness. Exercise such as cycling and swimming is excellent, as these are low-impact and provide plenty of movement as well as resistance exercise for the knee.
Omega 3 fats are natural anti-inflammatories and have been shown to be helpful for knee pain. Our modern diets tend to be low in Omega 3 fats (in relation to Omega 6's). So eat plenty of fish, grass-fed meats and flaxseed oil to help restore the balance and reduce the inflammation in your knees.
Research has also suggested that our modern highly-processed carbohydrate diets have the opposite effect, increasing the inflammation. Refined carbohydrates like breads, cereals, pastas and baked goods should be minimised if you want to successfully manage your knee pain.
So remember that while your knee pain can be quite debilitating, the worst thing you can do is do nothing. Take these active steps and you will not only minimise your knee pain but you will start to regain some of your lost mobility.
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written by Dr Brett Hill, August 14, 2009
Whereabouts are you based? My first recommendation to you would be to see a good chiropractor. Are you already seeing one?
It sounds like you are doing a lot of other things right but if your structure is not aligned well, which it sounds like it is not. You will always have more problems than you should.
If you are not in my area let me know and I will put you in touch with someone who can help you out.
Regards