Meniscus Pain, Stabilize Your Knee & Help Reduce Discomfort

Do you ever suffer from pain that is due to a meniscus injury?

1.) A Meniscus Injury & Braces For Support

Of the many injuries that can occur, there are few worse than having a meniscus injury. This can be extremely painful and it can also take a long time to recover. Most people will find that using a brace for meniscus injury can help to contain the debilitating pain that is associated with this injury while providing them with meaningful support without being heavy or cumbersome..

What Exactly is the Meniscus & How Does it Get Injured?

2.) Meniscus Description

The meniscus is made of fibrous tissue found in the knee joint between the ends of the two leg bones that meet at the knee. This meniscus is constructed of cartilage and is smooth, allowing the joint to flex or extend without the two bones grinding against each other. The meniscus also helps to absorb the impact of walking, running, jumping and other physical activities that requires your knee joint to move.

Meniscus injuries are often times described as a tear in the tissue. This occurs when your knee twists into an unnatural position. Many times, this is caused by a sudden fall or a strong impact to the body. As the body falls, the leg can become twisted and the tears appear in the meniscus. More mature individuals are particularly susceptible to this kind of an injury, because the meniscus tends to decrease in health as we age.

3.) Symptoms of A Meniscus Injury

The first and most major symptom of a meniscus injury is the searing pain. When the meniscus is torn, the ends of the two leg bones can begin to grind against the injured area, as well as against each other. This causes severe pain in the joint area.

In addition, another commonly seen symptom is that of swelling. When an injury happens to the meniscus, our knee joint can swell up. This can cause edema and a flare up of pain in the knee joint. Without medication or ice to help stop the swelling, the knee will remain swollen for quite a while, causing further discomfort.

4.) Stabilize Your Knee & Help Reduce Discomfort

Whether the injury has happened already, or you want to avoid knee problems, then it is a good idea to invest in a knee brace. The support that they provide will still allow a healthy degree of motion. while also helping you to avoid certain movements that will make your pain or instability flare. A well designed knee brace can definitely help promote healing.

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Below knee amputation

As David sat in the podiatry examination chair, he listened closely as I explained all of the potential problems he could get with his feet from diabetes. I talked about how the nerve damage makes it difficult for him to feel when he is getting a blister or an open sore. I explained how his immune system is unable to fight off an infection. I talked about how his wounds would heal much slower because of the decreased blood flow related to his diabetes.

From my left I heard a faint sniffle. I noticed that his wife Doris was crying. She told me that she had a diabetic uncle who had died after he had gotten an ingrown toenail. She said she wasn't sure of all the details but remembered it all started as an ingrown toenail that got so infected he had to go to the hospital, and he died in spite of an amputation. Clearly she was worried that the same would happen to her husband.

This is a scenario that I have seen over and over while practicing podiatry. Although the newly diagnosed diabetic patient seems to understand that they have to do something different in order to avoid complications, the spouse always seems to be more concerned. I'm not sure why this is, but it seems to consistently be the case.

Many times when a male diabetic does get a foot ulcer or infection, it is usually the wife, who calls attention to the problem. For this reason, it is critical that the spouse serve as a guardian and protector the husband's diabetic feet. By following some simple guidelines, anyone can make sure that their husband does not develop a diabetic foot problem that leads to an amputation.

One of the easiest ways to make sure that a diabetic foot problem does not lead to an amputation is simply checking the feet every day. For most patients, this is actually a very difficult task. Diabetic patients become less flexible. This makes it nearly impossible for them to actually look at the bottom of the foot.

Many of these patients also have diabetic retinopathy, which causes vision problems and makes it difficult for them to see from very far away. Although some people suggest using a mirror in order to look at the bottom of the feet, those with any diabetic eye problems find it impossible to really evaluate the skin and even notice a problem when its beginning.

This however is very easy for a spouse to accomplish. All you have to do is check the bottom of the feet and make sure there are no areas of injury or redness. Discoloration such as red spotches or streaks in the skin may be the first symtom or sign of a diabetic foot infection. You should also check between the toes to make sure there's no cracking or that the skin is not starting to turn white. Both of these can lead to openings in the skin that can allow bacteria to cause a diabetic foot infection.

As simple as it sounds you should always make sure that your spouse is wearing shoes. The vast majority of diabetic foot infections that start with the patient stepping on somethong sharp and leading to amputation actually occur within the home. Wearing shoes, even in the house is the easiest way to prevent this.

Another way to decrease the chances of a diabetic foot infection is by making sure that your diabetic husband only wears white socks. Clinical studies have shown that diabetics who wear white socks are less likely to become hospitalized for a diabetic foot infection than those who wear dark colored socks. The study found that diabetics wearing white socks were much more likely to notice discoloration or drainage on the white socks that could signify an open sore. For this simple reason patients would see a foot doctor sooner and faired much better.

Go for a walk together. It is a well researched fact that walking for 30 minutes five days per week can dramatically decrease the chances of a diabetic foot amputation. We know that when a diabetic goes for walks, the blood flow to the feet and legs improves, the immune system begins to become stronger, and the blood sugar becomes better controlled. It will also give you a good chance to spend some quality time together.

Always go to your husband's doctor appointments. If you are concerened enough to see the doctor for a diabetic foot problem, you likely have many question you need to have answered. Unfortunately, because of changes in the way Medicare and insurance companies are trying to control health care costs, doctors get paid much less for office visits than they ever have in the past. You have likely notice that doctors usually seem to be very rushed and anxious to get out of the room.

It's not that doctors don't care about you and your problems, it's just that there are only so many hours in the day and so many people they need to see. By having a spouse present in the room it's much easier to make sure that all of your questions get answered. In addition, a spouse can usually supply a great deal of useful information to the doctor, because they're the one looking at the feet. Just by you being there, there is a much greater chance that all of your needs will be met.

Diabetes can be a frightening disease when you start hearing about all the potential problems. However, with a few simple actions every day, your spouse will never end up with the diabetic foot amputation. Enjoy life on your feet together!

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Patellofemoral pain, causes, treatment and prevention

Anatomy and Function

The knee is a large and complex joint that includes the thigh bone (femur), shin bone (tibia) and knee cap (patella). The patella is a large sesamoid bone within the tendon of the thigh muscle (quadriceps femoris muscle group) as it crosses over and in front of the knee joint to attach onto the upper front portion of the tibia. The kneecap sits within a "groove" (the trochlea) at the bottom end of the femur and forms its own joint that is referred to as the "patellofemoral joint". When the knee bends (flexes) and straightens (extends), the kneecap glides up and down this groove. The function of the patella is to provide leverage and increase the mechanical advantage of the quadriceps muscle; without it we would lose 50% of our knee extension strength. The patella also helps protect the front of the knee from trauma.

Symptoms

Symptoms of PFP are typically described as a ‘dull' or ‘sharp' ache or pain ‘under' or ‘around' the kneecap. Activities most commonly associated with PFP pain include squatting, walking up or down stairs, running, and sitting for long periods of time. Localized pain above or below the kneecap is often tendonitis/osis and instability of the knee may be symptoms of a cartilage or ligament injury. Other diagnoses that need to be considered and ruled out include chondromalacia patellae (a "softening" or degeneration of the cartilage under the knee cap), arthritis, and plica among others so it is important to see a qualified medical professional for accurate diagnosis.

Causes

Patellofemoral pain is believed to be caused by abnormal tracking of the kneecap and can be the result of a number of factors including muscle tightness, weakness and "overuse". Individual anatomical factors and improper equipment fit also contribute to PFP.

Muscle tightness and/or weakness can alter the line of pull directly or by promoting excessive adduction and internal rotation of the femur. The muscle group affecting patellar tracking most directly is the quadriceps (femoris) but the iIiotibial band, hip extensors, abductors, adductors, hamstrings, and calf muscles also influence patellar tracking. Tight and weak musculature of the lower leg muscles and/or excessive foot pronation can also stress the patella via excessive internal rotation of the tibia.

"Overuse" simply refers to "doing too much too soon" or continually performing a movement or activity the body or body part isn't prepared for. When the physical demand is greater than tissue tolerance without adequate recovery, inflammation, pain and injury often results. This applies to any repetitive activity as well as sports and training.

"Training errors" are probably the number one cause of overuse injury among athletes or anyone participating in a regular training program. The more common "errors" that lead to injury involve the mismanagement of the frequency, volume, intensity and recovery within a training program. These variables are a part of every training program and need to be manipulated individually and as a group in a way that allows the body to develop a "tolerance" to the activity so progression can occur without injury.

Other training errors commonly seen with patellofemoral pain are lower extremity workouts that don't utilize proper warm up, flexibility, strength, and technique. For example, if you are new to strength training start light, not heavy; if you perform squats, start with partial squats, not full. If you're a beginning runner, start with a walk/jog program and progress mileage slowly. Don't start with sprint workouts or hill repeats until you have built a solid foundation of strength and endurance. If you miss more than a few workouts, don't start where you left off, but instead reduce the volume and intensity appropriately and work your way back into shape. Learn proper technique with all exercises and be consistent with your training program.

Anatomical risk factors that contribute to PFP include leg length discrepancies, flat feet (pes planus), high arches (pes cavus), and a knee cap that sits either too high or too low in relation to its optimal position in the femoral groove. A wide pelvic girdle can create a patellar alignment problem by pulling the kneecap too far to the outside and "off track". This is known as the Q-angle effect and is more common in females than males. Improper equipment fit such as footwear and bike fit also contribute to excessive stress on the patellofemoral joint.

Treatment and Prevention

As with any injury, effective treatment starts with proper diagnosis. Treatment of patellofemoral pain starts with activity modification or total rest and ice, depending on the severity of the injury. Ice is an effective, inexpensive natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic and can be used whenever there is pain, no matter if it's a day or few months after the injury.

If you spend most of the day sitting, try to frequently change the position of your knees from straight to no more than 90 degrees of bend. Any one position for a prolonged length of time can aggravate PFP. During acute periods of pain, try to avoid stairs and (frequent) squatting. Whether or not you're a runner, replace worn shoes. Consider a replacement insole in all shoes as improved shock absorption and support has been shown to reduce PFP. If you're a cyclist a bike fit will help reduce unnecessary patellofemoral stress while maximizing efficiency and power.

Gentle stretching and mobility exercises should be started as soon as tolerated and include most muscles of the hip, thigh and calf. Stretching improves patellar alignment and reduces compression forces on the kneecap. Follow this with appropriate strengthening of the same muscle groups and a gradual return to training.

Before you resume training, analyze your program and identify and address any mobility and strength imbalances that might contribute to dysfunctional movement patterns and poor mechanics and be sure to include muscles of the core, hip and lower leg as well as the thigh. Evaluate and address the variables of frequency, volume, intensity and recovery within your program to avoid any training errors that might have contributed to the injury.

When you start training again, be careful not to resume training where you left off. Depending on how much time you missed, you may need to start at 25% – 50% or more of your usual program and increase 10% or so a week from there or as instructed by your physical therapist, doctor or coach. Be sure to include adequate warm up and recovery within and between workouts.

Prevention

As with most injuries, the best preventive advice can be summed up in what I refer to as the PETR Principles© which includes proper Preparation, Equipment, Technique and Recovery.

Preparation: The goal of preparation is to increase the bodies' physiological tolerance so the demand of any particular sport or activity does not break it down to the point of injury. The better prepared the body is, the more resistant it is to stress and injury. Preparation includes appropriate warm up, flexibility, strength, endurance and balance training and is a must for those that participate in any sport. Adequate flexibility and strength of the hip, thigh and calf muscles are important because these help control patellar alignment and reduce excessive adduction and internal rotation of the thigh (femur) and internal rotation of the shin (tibia). The hip adductors, abductors and external rotators are important because they control adduction and internal rotation of the femur and tibia, which also influence pronation of the foot.

Equipment specific to patellofemoral pain includes footwear and bike fit. Activity specific footwear is important for appropriate support, shock absorption and fit. For example, don't jog in a shoe designed for tennis or basketball because ‘court' shoes are not engineered for the mileage and steady state impact of jogging. If you're on your feet all day be sure to wear a shoe that also offers good support, shock absorption.

Cycling involves repetitive movement of the legs through a relatively large range of motion, against a resistance, and takes place while sitting on a fixed seat leaning forward. This posture creates a specific geometry between the body and the bike and if not fit correctly can cause excessive stress on the knees, hips and back. On the other hand, when fit correctly, this geometry can be optimized to produce the least amount of stress while maximizing force production.

Technique refers to movement patterns required to perform an activity or sport efficiently and successfully. Generally speaking, the better the technique, the less the risk is of injury and the more successful the result.

For runners, a good example of technique is cadence. Simply stated, cadence is the number of steps taken per unit of time, usually one minute. Runners with a higher cadence (~180 steps per minute and higher) have a shorter stride and a foot-strike that that is more beneath their hips. This improves efficiency and creates less impact forces (in the knees) than those with a lower cadence (~160 to 170 steps per minute). Beginner and less experienced runners tend to over-stride which produces more impact force and stress on the knees as well as the feet, hips and back. Proper technique is important and can be learned with any movement or sport.

Recovery is necessary for physiologic adaptation to occur. Adaptation is how the body develops strength and endurance and it is during rest and recovery the body repairs and regenerates. Recovery can include easy training days, complete days off and sleep. As the volume and intensity of the workouts increases, so do our sleep and recovery needs. Without adequate rest and sleep we lose fitness. Recovery is the key to getting stronger and faster. Strength is gained during recovery periods, not during the actual work out.

Bottom line: the principles of proper preparation, equipment, technique and recovery will help prevent overuse and potential injury of the patellofemoral joint.

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Hyperextended knee, How can you treat?

The term "hyperextended knee" refers to an injury in which the knee joint is somehow forced into a position that is beyond what is considered to be its normal fully straightened position. When someone hyperextends their knee, the lower leg is excessively positioned forward in relationship to the upper leg (ie. the tibia is pushed excessively forward compared to the femur.)

Can you relate to this kind of incident?

You have seen the pictures of a hyperextended knee. The ones that make you cringe. This knee injury can easily occur due to an awkward landing after a jump, or an impact to the anterior aspect of your knee. It can also happen as a result of trying to stop running to abruptly. In sports such as basketball, soccer, gymnastics, volleyball or rugby, you can imagine for yourself scenarios that would cause the knee into an overly straightened position.

How can you treat a hyperextended knee?

Sometimes the damage is nominal. You can have passing pain and/or swelling that subsides with time. Unfortunately, a hyperextended knee may lead to a ligament tear (partial or complete). These kinds of ligament tears may include your ACL. Unfortunately, if it is bad enough, surgery may be needed to reattach the ACL.

A physician may evaluate your injury by reviewing your past medical history, or by doing manual tests. X-rays of the knee or MRIs can also be used to evaluate your knee condition.

Rest, applying ice, and taking over the counter pain relievers have all been used to help treat a hyperextended knee injury. (Whenever taking any drugs consult your physician). These can all be used to help, along with the use of a knee brace.

Knee braces can help control the degree to which the knee is allowed to be hyperextended. The support that they can provide can reduce your knee pain and decrease the chance of this kind of knee injury from every happening in the first place. Do not look back months from now wishing you would have done something to help protect your knee. A knee brace can help promote healing of this kind of knee injury.

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Fluid in knee, why you may have

Obviously I do not have fluid on top my knee, so why did my physician tell me I have fluid on the knee? - The term "fluid on the knee" is a generic term that describes the accumulation of excess fluid (edema) in or around the knee joint. Underlying issues like arthritis, trauma, or overuse are a few reasons why you may have "fluid on the knee".

We are sure you may be wondering what this term means, although you have heard it before...The term "fluid on the knee" is a generic term that describes the accumulation of excess fluid (edema) in or around the knee joint. As a result of a trauma, overuse, or other underlying conditions or disease, fluid on the knee may exist.

Arthritis is often times an underlying condition when a person has "fluid on the knee". The term arthritis means "joint inflammation". People also refer to arthritis as being "joint pain" as well. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA), which effects over 27 million people a year (mostly women), while rheumatoid arthritis (RA) effects over two million adults. Most of them being women over the age of 45. There are over 100 different types of arthritis, and these two aforementioned types effect millions of people each year.

When this fluid is removed from the joint, an individual can have pain relief. Pain can return when the fluid returns to the knee joint. It is always important to see your physician regarding this procedure.

You also may have "fluid on the knee" due a traumatic injury. Fluid or blood can accumulate in the knee joint as a result of a meniscus tear or ligament injury. Moreover, when an individual suffers an ACL tear, they may have also torn small blood vessels which can cause fluid to accumulate in and around their knee joint. Prepatellar bursitis can also cause fluid on the knee.

To avoid having fluid on the knees, individuals should consider seeing their physician on a regular basis, to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is also important to make sure individuals are avoiding activities that result in physical contact with their knees. Acetaminophen is a pain medication that you can use to reduce swelling. It is important to speak with your physician before taking any medication. Weight management can also take the stress off of your joints, which could result in fluid on the knees. Ice and elevation of your legs can also help to reduce the fluid build up.

The aforementioned options can help address the irritating pain and swelling in your knee, and should be considered; they can be of service to you. A useful adjunt in your care should involve the use of a low profile knee brace. Knee braces have been proven to decrease knee pain, and increase knee stability. The meaningful support you need, can be provided by a knee brace during exercise or activities of daily living.

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Knee pain when bending, what you should do

When your age begins to catch up to you, it seems like the pain from all the injuries that have accumulated throughout the years do too.

I like most was once more head strong than smart, with my eyes on the prize during sporting events, and causing trouble to the neighbourhood with my incredible stunts, but lately, with everyday that goes by, my body doesn't seem to think the same anymore, especially with the knee pain when bendingthat I now suffer through.

Don't get me wrong, my body may have aged, but my heart hasn't. I still want to experience canoeing in the outdoors, climbing Mount Everest, or playing soccer with the boys, but my body doesn't seem to have the same thoughts as I do.

Nowadays particularly, it appears as if I experience knee pain when bending just doing ordinary tasks Every step up the stairs, or every time I want to pick up things from the ground, the pain becomes too much to handle.

Normally, I would use it as an excuse to escape from the cleaning and vacuuming that my wife believes is so important even at this age, but lately, it has become so serious that I can't even seem to concentrate or get any work done let alone go out for soccer with the boys due to the knee pain.

The tenderness of the muscle ligaments come alive during the night, and my knee caps feel like they're exploding in spurts of pain. It hurts so much that even trying to bend my knee when I get up becomes a problem. The knee pain when bending gets so bad that sometimes I have to just lie in bed for the whole day. It is such a waste of time, especially when the weather's good and I would so much rather be out in it.

The pain and injuries accumulated through youth stays with you even when you're old; even though, it appears as if the injuries have healed, the side effects still linger. This is particularly true for knee injuries.

It was becoming such a big deal that my wife started talking to her friends. They may be yappy, but boy, do they have great remedies for pain relief especially for knee pain when bending. I have to thank them all for the pain-free life that I lead today, and the fact that Sundays is now Boys' Soccer Day!

Turns out the remedy for knee pain when bending was simple; in fact, I had the solution right in my backyard. The secret to easing knee pain when bending came right down to water exercises. Simple daily exercises in the pool like walking exercises can help strengthen the tendons, ligaments, and muscles in the knee, and end up easing the knee pain I was experiencing. It takes consistency, but the result was tremendous.

Regular exercising can cause a lot of strain on the knee due to the stress of your body weight, but water exercises lifts up the body weight, and allows the knee to actively exercise underwater. It really is a fairly simple concept!

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What is the patellar tendon?

What is the patellar tendon?

The patellar tendon is a thick, organized band of tissue that attaches the kneecap (“patella”) to the shinbone (tibia). It plays a crucial role in transmitting the forces generated by the muscles in the front on the thigh (“quadriceps”) to the tibia so that the leg can be straightened and support our weight with walking or jumping. The patellar tendon together with the quadriceps muscle, quadriceps tendon, patella, and its surrounding tissue (“retinacula”) make up the extensor mechanism of the knee. The patellar tendon is composed of a highly organized arrangement of collagen that are organized longitudinally to resist tensile forces like a rope.

What is patellar tendonitis?

Patellar tendonitis is defined by inflammation in the patellar tendon, and most commonly occurs at its origin just below the kneecap. The most common cause is overuse or repetitive injury, and it has been reported to occur in athletes of virtually every sport. However, jumping activities place particularly high strains on the tendon and the condition is therefore more common in basketball players, tennis players, volleyball players, track and field athletes, as well as soccer players. With repetitive jumping, small, often “microscopic” tearing and injury of the tendon can occur. The chronic injury and healing response results in inflammation and localized pain. Many well-known elite athletes, including Brandon Inge of the Tigers, Oliver Perez of the Mets, and tennis star Rafa Nadal have fought chronic battles with patellar tendonitis during their career. Rarely, an acute patellar tendonitis can develop in response to a single traumatic event and should raise concern regarding a partial or complete tendon rupture.

What are the symptoms of patellar tendonitis in athletes?

The diagnosis of patellar tendonitis is usually straightforward. Pain is usually reproduced with palpation of the area of inflammation and injury. This is most commonly at the inferior pole of the patella, but can occur anywhere along the course of the tendon. Compared to the opposite, normal knee, the tendon will often appear swollen and often warm to the touch. Depending on the severity, the athlete may have significant pain with jumping or kneeling. Walking up and down stairs can also place significant loads of the extensor mechanism and exacerbate the pain.

X-rays are sometimes useful to evaluate for other causes of knee pain, but are typically normal with patellar tendonitis. If the patellar tendon is ruptured, the kneecap will displace “upward” and the distance between the kneecap and shinbone is greater than normal (“patella alta”). Ultrasonography and MRI are both sensitive and specific in identifying patellar tendinitis and localizing the area of “micro-injury” to the tendon.

What may increase my risk of patellar tendonitis as an athlete?

The cause of patellar tendonitis in athletes is often multifactorial. However, some factors that may increase the risk of this injury include:

• Overuse, particularly with recurrent jumping activities.
• Inadequate conditioning or stretching – an abnormal length-tension relationship and compliance of the thigh and calf muscles can increase strain on the patellar tendon and increase the risk of injury.
• Obesity – small increases in weight place dramatically increased stress on the kneecap and extensor mechanism. In fact, a gain of one pound can manifest as 8 to 10 more pounds of force on the knee with certain activities.
• Patella alta – a “higher than normal” kneecap position may increase the strain and risk of injury to the patellar tendon.

Can athletes prevent patellar tendonitis?

Unfortunately, it is hard to anticipate the development of patellar tendonitis. However, as with most overuse injuries, routine stretching before strenuous competition can help to prevent injury. Stretching the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles help to minimize the risk of eccentric, injurious loads on the tendon during running or jumping activities.

How is patellar tendonitis treated in athletes?

The first line of treatment of patellar tendonitis in athletes is typically nonoperative. The fundamental tenets of treatment include:

Rest
It is critical that the athlete avoid the provocative activities that are causing pain. Typically, this means a cessation of competition and period of rest from running and jumping activities. This will decrease the strain and prevent recurrent injury to the tendon.

Ice & Anti-Inflammatory Medications (NSAIDs)
Ice and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) can certainly help to alleviate the pain, and may be a useful augment to physical therapy and stretching exercises during the healing and recovery phase.

Exercises and Physical Therapy
As the pain resolves after a period of rest, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises are initiated. These exercises help to restore the normal length-tension relationship or the muscles and tendons, and also play a crucial role in preventing a recurrence of patellar tendinitis. It is of tantamount importance to learn proper jumping and landing techniques, and to strengthen the muscles around the kneecap to reduce the forces on the tendon itself. Eccentric strengthening exercises of the quadriceps muscles have been shown to be particularly effective – these are exercises which involve muscle contraction while lengthening; for example, lowering a weight in a controlled fashion from a extended to flexed knee position.

Steroid injections are generally NOT recommended for the treatment of patellar tendonitis. While they can certainly decrease local inflammation at the site of injury, the injections must be approached caution as the steroid medication can weaken the tendon and increase the risk of patellar tendon rupture.

Is there a role for taping or bracing in the treatment of patellar tendonitis?

Taping or use of a patellar tendon “strap” brace has often provided significant relief to athletes, although the success is quite variable. The precise mechanism of action is unknown, but it is believed that taping or bracing alters the angle and direction of stress at the site of injury, effectively “unloading” this region and decreasing the pain by distributing forces away from the tendon. A Chopat strap has been specifically used to unload the patellar tendon for both patellar tendonitis and Osgood-Schlatter’s Disease.

What other treatment options can be considered for patellar tendonitis short of surgery?

A number of other treatments have been used with variable success in the treatment of patellar tendinitis. These include:

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): PRP injection has recently been used in the treatment of chronic, refractory tendonitis. PRP is derived from the patient’s own blood and concentrates many important growth factors that have been shown to be important in the body’s healing response following injury. Preliminary results have been encouraging, but long-term success remains unknown.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ECW): ECW uses sound waves to stimulate healing at the injured tendon. It has been used with modest success in the treatment of tendinitis and plantar fasciitis.
Laser & Electrical Stimulation: While the mechanism of action is unclear, laser and electrical stimulation techniques have been reported with good success in small case series.

Is there a role for surgery in the treatment of patellar tendonitis in athletes?

Surgery is indicated in severe cases of patellar tendonitis that fail to resolve with conservative measures. The operation is directed at repairing viable tendon tissue and debriding away severely damaged tendon, usually just below the kneecap. Many elite athletes, including Brandon Inge, Oliver Perez, and Carlos Beltran, have undergone this surgery and successfully returned to MLB competition.

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Runners knee treatment, The Top Causes of Runner's Knee

When you run and at the same time feel a throbbing pain at the front portion of your knee, then you are more likely suffering from runner's knee or that which is otherwise referred to as "Chondromalacia of the patella" which means "chronic malady of the kneecap".

The condition is common and concerning the American population alone, there are about 40 million people who are afflicted by the complaint. The injury is popularly characterized by the deterioration or degeneration of the patella or the cartilage portion that is situated at the rear of the kneecap. The term runner's knee has been further used simply because the disorder typically affects a lot of runners.

Studies show that one in every five runners is afflicted by this knee problem in a period of 12 months. Other individuals who are really prone to this knee injury include the soccer players, cyclists, tennis players, rowers, and those rugby players. Basically, their sports submit the knees to constant and severe stress. Thus, it is important to be acquainted with the runners knee treatment.

The pain brought about by runner's knee is so excruciating that you will feel annoyed and bothered. The pain may subside for a few days but eventually, it will reoccur. If the damage gets so severe, it may mean the permanent inability to play your sport or engage in the strenuous activities. Don't allow yourself to succumb to early retirement in the use of your knees. Address such concern at once before everything gets too late!

The Top Causes of Runner's Knee
Through time, experts have unraveled the top causes of runner's knee. Even if you are not a runner, you can be prone to the condition provided that you qualify for the following causes.

Overexertion or overuse.
The prolonged and hectic use of the knees without intervals can cause the damage to the cartilage. Take note that any physical activity such as training or work out that is done without pausing can wear out the cushioning effect of the cartilage and therefore cause the pain in the kneecap.

Misaligned knees and flat foot.

Inherent or natural abnormalities make you more prone to acquiring runner's knee.

Lack of strength and flexibility.
Strong muscles play a vital role in the elimination of runner's knee. Your knee joints and muscles must be able to cope up with the stress that is heaped onto the knees. A bigger pelvis can also lead to more loose ligaments and weaker muscles. The same holds true for the overweight people.

Faulty shoe design.
When choosing a type of footwear, be sure to get something that provides more cushioning and support.

With tons of patience, ample medical help and common sense, you can win the battle against runner's knee. There are a couple of treatments that need to be administered.

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Knee Bursitis Treatment

Bursitis is the inflammation of a bursa. A bursa (the plural form is bursae) is a tiny fluid-filled sac that serves as a gliding surface to lessen friction between tissues of the body. There are 160 bursae in the body. The major bursae are adjacent to the tendons near the larger joints, such as shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Bursitis symptoms manifest themselves in many ways, and can be quite painful.

Aggravating Knee Bursitis

Bursitis can occur due to many reasons such as excessive friction in a joint, or pressure on a particular body part. Frequent flexing, bending or twisting of a joint also raises the risk of developing bursitis in that region. Infection is also one of the reasons for bursitis.

The treatment of any kind of bursitis depends on whether or not it involves infection. Bursitis that is not infected (from injury or underlying rheumatic disease) is generally treated with ice compresses, rest, and for those that choose medication, anti-inflammatory pain medications.

Here are some of these treatment strategies in detail:

Rest and protect the affected area: One of the most common methods in treating bursitis is to guard the affected area from any kind of pressure. It is also advisable to reduce the activity of the affected joint, as movement and pressure on the inflamed area will increase and prolong the symptoms.

Ice Packs: Using a cold compress on the inflamed area is also an effective method for treating bursitis. The ice will help to regulate the inflammation of the affected area and minimize the swelling. By minimizing inflammation and swelling, the bursa will return to its usual state and perform its usual function.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications: To heal bursitis, certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, Celebrex are also effective. These medications will help in decreasing the pain and swelling. It isrecommended to consult a health practitioner before taking pain relievers.

Cortisone Injections: If signs of bursitis are prolonged, an injection of cortisone may be taken into consideration. A powerful anti-inflammatory medication, Cortisoneis not given by mouth but is injected directly in the inflamed portion. Cortisone injections can be highly helpful for cases where the situation does not strengthen with rest.

Compression: An elastic bandage to compress the affected joints aids in relieving the pain.

Elevation: Elevate the affected body part above the level of the heart. This will prevent blood from accumulating in the bursa, which will help to reduce the resulting inflammation.

Steroids: In some cases where bursitis symptoms are severe, or if the person fails to respond to other treatments, doctors may recommend the use of steroid medication. Steroids prevent the flow of prostaglandin, a chemical in the body which causes inflammation of bursa. Steroids are typically injected directly into the affected body part. Repeated use of steroids can have many side effects, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and increased vulnerability to infection.

Antibiotics: If it determined that your bursitis is a result of, doctors will order oral antibiotics. It is necessary to complete the entire course of the prescribed medication, even if your condition improves. This will not only help in decreasing bursitis pain, but will also prevent the infection from returning. If you don't want to take antibiotics, there are a number of very potent herbs that have antibiotic functions. For more information ask at your local health food store.

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Total knee replacement recovery, How To be Successful

One of the most common joint replacement surgeries is the total knee replacement (TKR) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Despite the numerous surgeries performed each year many individuals are ill prepared regarding the total knee replacement recovery process. Below we will discuss some of the issues involved in recovering and rehabilitating from this orthopedic surgery.

1. Preoperative Physical Conditioning

Let me begin by saying total knee replacement recovery actually begins well before the surgery takes place. Here's why. Successful knee replacement recovery will depend on many different factors but some include the age of the patient, the number of comorbidities and the general condition of the individual prior to surgery. Patients who are in better physical shape and overall condition tend to have an easier time with the rehab program.

Many orthopedic doctors will recommend a patient lose weight and/or strengthen the muscles of the involved leg to better prepare the knee joint for surgery and postoperative rehab.

2. Pain

I won't sugar coat this one. Other than shoulder replacement, the total knee replacements are among the most painful orthopedic surgeries that are done. I have rehabilitated many joints in my career and this one gets frequent complaints regarding the level and duration of pain through the rehab phase. The good news is that your doctor will prescribe pain medications if indicated and there are special therapy treatments to help reduce pain as well. Once you can get through the initial week or two of total knee replacement recovery it gets significantly better.

3. Early Postoperative Rehabilitation

It is crucial to start the total knee replacement recovery as soon as the physician indicates. Early rehabilitation will reduce joint stiffness, swelling, improve overall circulation in the extremity, speed up weight bearing activities and reduce pain. Most patients will have a continuous passive motion (CPM) device placed on the surgical knee within hours of the operation. This mechanical device will provide automatic passive range of motion to the knee while the patient is lying in bed.

4. Progressive and Continuous Rehab

Some of the goals for total knee replacement recovery is to walk down the hallway with a crutch or walker, climb a short set of stairs, fully straighten their knees, bend the knee to approximately 90° or greater, and perform home exercises independently. If the patient is unable to reach these goals within three to six days, further aggressive rehab is needed and they may be sent to a rehabilitation center for a week or two or longer depending on their medical and social needs.

5. Ongoing Physical Activity

After the knee replacement therapy has been completed, it's a good idea to continue with physical activities and exercise to maintain the level of strength and range of motion in the knee. Stay fit and the knee replacement will last longer.

Ultimately the goal of total knee replacement recovery is to return the patient to their prior level of function and living environment. Most total knee replacement surgeries have a high success rate when combined with early, progressive rehab intervention.

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How to reduce knee swelling and pain

Medical researchers have found that knee injuries are, whatever the cause pain to start, which will be worse than any movements that you do. The knee becomes stiff and also increase the friction when you move the joint. Raised slippery to get the results of the knee warm and is one of the main causes of knee painassociated with swelling.

Swelling of the knee pain may be administered to relieve pain and reduce the drugs, exempt from suffering. If the inflammation of the lining of the knee, it can do damage to surrounding bones, causing pain and swelling, which lasts one week. Painful inflammation of the sac appears to contain fluid lubricates, which is about the knee.

It is also the site with a lot of movement and friction. This inflammation also causes pain, swelling in the knee. It is swollen and the knee becomes in demand and sometimes it feels hot.

Constant voltage of the knee joints may be the reason for swelling of the knee pain. Specifies the physiotherapists will recommend exercises to straighten the muscles and tendons as well. If there is a painful inflammation of the connective tissue (around the knee), the knee may be tender and you can feel the pain.

Symptoms of knee swelling, back pain can be relieved by põlvetugi socks (available käsimüügist), which helps to reduce swelling. To promote the drainage of fluid generations are recommended to keep the pelvis over the foot as quickly as possible.

Calcium salts in crystal per uraattiarvon knee because of the high rise in the blood. Deposits can also cause inflammation of the knee swelling and pain. Natural treatment diet than eating plenty of celery and other green leafy vegetables, drinking herbal tea, etc. effectively reduces blood levels of uric acid.

Suitable drugs also provided to protect the knee by doctors to alleviate swelling in the knee. It is safe to manage swelling in the knee using a massage or a cold pack voices. You must make sure that you do not have the experience of each koulinta sensational knee before starting the home medicines, pain in the knee swells.

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A dislocated knee cap, causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

A dislocated knee cap is when the triangle-shaped bone covering the knee (patella) moves or slides out of place. The problem usually occurs toward the outside of the leg. See dislocation.

A careful vascular examination is essential, as popliteal artery injury occurs in 7-45% of all knee dislocations. The popliteal artery may be damaged severely in both closed and open dislocations, and such injury must be ruled out in knees that have relocated spontaneously. Palpation of the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries along with capillary refill evaluation is necessary. The presence of normal pulses does not rule out the presence of significant vascular injury. Coexistent peroneal nerve injury occurs in 25-35% of patients and manifests with decreased sensation at the first webspace with impaired dorsiflexion of the foot.

Causes

Dislocation may also occur as a direct result of injury. When it is dislocated, the knee cap may slip sideways and around to the outside of the knee.
The first few times this occurs, you will feel pain and be unable to walk. However, if dislocations continue to occur and are untreated, you may feel less pain and have less immediate disability. This is not a reason to avoid treatment. Knee cap dislocation damages your knee joint.

Symptoms and Signs

Swelling and muscle spasm progress over the first few hours. With 2nd-degree sprains, pain is typically moderate or severe. With 3rd-degree sprains, pain may be mild, and surprisingly, some patients can walk unaided. An audible pop suggests an anterior cruciate tear but is uncommon. An effusion suggests injury to the anterior cruciate and possibly other intra-articular structures. However, with severe 3rd-degree tears of the medial collateral ligament or anterior cruciate, no effusion may be apparent because these tears can result in an open joint capsule, allowing blood to exit the joint.

Diagnosis

X-rays may be recommended to see how the kneecap fits in its groove. Your doctor will also want to eliminate other possible reasons for the pain, such as a tear in the cartilage or ligaments of the knee. The following imaging procedures may be used to see how the include:

x-ray - a diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body.

Prevention

Use proper technique when exercising or playing sports. Maintain strength and flexibility of the knee. Some cases of knee dislocation may not be preventable, especially if anatomic factors predispose you to dislocation.
Treatment

Non-operative

Normal care of patellar dislocations, when a loose fragment has not been created is the immobilization of the knee for a short period of time (seven to 10 days). During this time, the swelling is reduced and the acute discomfort of the dislocation decreases. Slow mobilization of the knee and of the patellofemoral joint is then begun, and usually full recovery can be expected within a three to six week period. This period of time is significantly lengthened when the patellar dislocation is recurrent.

Initial treatment consists of a knee immobilizer or cylinder cast, followed by gentle active range-of-motion (ROM) exercises. Physical therapy should be involved to help regain joint and leg strength, especially the quadriceps muscles. Taping techniques have been explored with variable results.

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3 knee strengthening exercises

If you want to heal or prevent knee injuries you need to strengthen your knees. I made the mistake of running all my life without taking time to stretch my legs or build up the muscles that support my knees. This resulted in getting knee tendonitis at age 56 and experiencing knee pain for several months. The biggest problem with the knee is that it doesn't have many supporting muscles so you need to build up the core muscles that support the knee. This includes the thigh and buttocks muscles (quads and gluts). The stronger these muscles become the less prone you'll be to suffering from knee injuries.

3 knee strengthening exercises

1. The lunge

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps muscles, gluteal muscles and the hamstring muscles.

You can do this anywhere at anytime as long as you have enough space to stretch your body. Start with your feet a shoulder width apart then step forward with your right foot landing heal first. Your knee should be at 90 degrees directly above your toes. Your back knee is stretched behind you so it barely touches the ground. Hold that position for a count of 20 to 30 seconds or until you feel your muscles burning. Return to the starting position, then do the opposite legs. Repeat this exercise 2 to 3 times or until your legs get tired. Over time you'll legs will get stronger.

A variation of this lunge exercise is to use weights by including dumbbells in each hand. Raise them above your head as you perform the exercise.

2. Wall squats

Stand with your back against the wall. Lift one leg up then bend the supporting leg at 30 degrees and hold it there for 30 seconds. Don't bend it over 30 degrees if you already have knee problems. It will aggravate the injury by putting too much pressure on the knee. Repeat this exercise for the other knee. Do it several times to strengthen your quads.

3. Calf Stretch

This is a great exercise to do first thing in the morning and/or later in the day. Stand with your feet pointed forward facing a wall or post. Extend your right leg backwards keeping the heel down. Slowly bend the leg front knee while straightening the right leg. You will feel the upper calf muscles of your back leg getting stretched. Repeat this exercise for the other leg. Do several repetitions.

The key to strengthening your knees is to do these exercises consistently every day for several weeks. It will not only speed up the recovery of injured knees but prevent future knee pain.

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Knee popping, locking and grinding

Because you aren't a soda can firecracker or a soda can it's expected that hearing popping sounds in the leg is definitely an indicator that some thing is wrong. The reality though is the fact that popping sounds happens normally whenever motion occurs in the joints.

A small imbalance in the leg cap (Patella) or the motion of various ligaments over the joint can provide a popping sound. If it's an instance nevertheless where this sounds is actually associated with discomfort then one has reason for concern. Grinding and locking tend to be better indications of the physical condition in the leg, however the discomfort element is also extremely important in these cases.

Popping

As mentioned earlier unless accompanied by discomfort then a popping sound is actually completely normal, if however there's discomfort then its frequently a sign the anterior cruciate tendon (ACL) has been torn. ACL maybe torn in two pieces or even there may just be an incomplete tear, the degree of harm will determine therapy applied.

In the event that ACL is actually ripped apart then surgical treatment followed by rehabilitation is going to be essential, but also for incomplete tears one simply need to avoid activities for some time as the damage will self heal.

Grinding

Whenever cartilage deterioration occur the bones of the leg combined has a tendency to grind with each other leading to immense discomfort and creating a grinding seem. Normally, this is brought on by rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that hardly ever occur in people under fifty.

The deterioration caused by rheumatoid arthritis symptoms is permanent. Patella tendonitis (runner's leg) may also trigger deterioration of cartilage and therefore the pain sensation and grinding seem. Runner's leg is easily the most likely reason for the grinding sound in the legs of young people, particularly sports athletes.

Locking

You might find yourself enjoying a game of baseball and suddenly you're unable to flex the lower-leg or you might be kneeling then find that you're not able to straighten your lower-leg to get up; at these times you're encountering a phenomenon referred to as locking which can be very agonizing.

Pseudo locking is really a reaction to discomfort and functions just like a kill switch in which the leg locks into place whenever stress in the area turns into extreme. True locking is a result of physical issues in the leg, resulting in the leg being rigid, not able to flex or extend.

Overall, the important thing to note is that everyone faces issues with their knees popping, grinding, and locking. If you're also experiencing pain, it's important that you either consult a doctor or perform a therapy routine at home.

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Posterior Knee Pain - Sharp Knee Pain Symptoms

The knee joint can be one of the most troublesome joints in the human body. - Would you agree?

Regardless of your age, gender, or athletic fitness level, many people will have knee discomfort at some point in their lives. This is mostly a result of the knee joint taking on a lot of stress due to your daily activities.

Think about it—running, walking, climbing steps, bending, kneeling, dancing, jumping, and sometimes, even sitting in one position for too long—all can put a strain on the knee joint. It's not a shock that so many people, at some point, suffer through sharp knee pain symptoms.

There are times when the knee discomfort has a momentary effect and it can leave as quickly as it came. Other times, the sharp knee pain symptoms have more staying power, and they worsen over time. These are the symptoms that may signify a real problem that can become debilitating if left unchecked.

Discomfort can range from occasional throbbing pain symptoms, to a never-ending sharp stabbing sensation. They can occur in any area of the knee joint, such as the outside (lateral) part of the knee, the front of the knee, the inside (medial) part of the knee, or the back (posterior aspect) of the knee. The location, intensity and duration of the sharp knee pain symptoms can give clues as to the cause of the pain.

There are many conditions that can cause sharp knee pain symptoms, such as arthritis, subluxation of the patella (kneecap), trauma to the ligaments and cartilage inside the knee, bursitis, and even infection.

It is important to have your symptoms evaluated by a qualified medical specialist in order to determine their cause. But, whatever the cause of your sharp knee pain symptoms, there's no doubt that if you are in pain, your first priority is to get relief from the discomfort.

Aside from rest, ice packs, and over-the-counter pain relievers, there is an alternative available to you that may help ease your sharp knee pain symptoms: a knee brace. These supports should never be overlooked.

A knee brace, when used properly, helps support and stabilize the knee joint, helping to relieve the stress that often exacerbates sharp knee pain symptoms. Moreover, when in place, a knee brace can help keep the knee and kneecap (patella) properly aligned, helping to alleviate a common source of sharp knee pain symptoms.

Some individuals today think that a knee support needs to be custom fabricated, are hard to use, and cost too much money to be practical. The truth is, typically, an effective knee support does not need to be custom made to be useful; nor are they cumbersome and hard to use.

Just think about it. If a knee brace was so big and bulky, no body would use them and all the knee brace manufacturers would have been out of business a long time ago.

A knee support may be the solution that you have been searching for. Some people have referred to knee supports as a "pain pill" due to the pain reduction they can help provide!

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Knee rehab exercises, Recovering from injury

Recovering from any type of injury is usually a painful and frustrating experience, particularly if you normally enjoy a very active lifestyle. For those that jog, mountain bike, rollerblade, ski or snowboard, knee injuries can be a common but unfortunate result of your chosen hobby.

Rehabilitation after a severe knee injury can be a slow process as your knees are at the center of your mobility. Forget for just a second and take that unaided step and you could find yourself right back at the beginning of your recovery. Patience can be hard to come by when you're use to lots of activity but it is a must if you expect regular improvement.

Once you are well on your way to independent mobility, you'll want to scale back your normal activities until you are back to 100%. An excellent way to achieve this while still being able to exercise is to move your desired activity into the water. The natural buoyancy experienced in aquatic therapy will cushion your injury while still being able to provide a challenging workout. Aquatic Therapy can include water aerobics, whirlpool stretching, laps, or even a water treadmill. Popularity of equipment like the water treadmill has skyrocketed in recent years in residential applications. No longer just for the elite within the athletic world, more and more non professionals are seeing the benefits both regularly and after an injury. This increase in demand has made this type of rehabilitative equipment for more cost friendly than in previous years which is great news for every part time athlete or sports enthusiast.

Rehab doesn't have to take forever as long as you understand your limitations and give yourself the proper time to heal. Pushing too hard too fast will simply stretch out the process and make it far more difficult than it actually needs to be. If you do it right the first time you will stand a far lesser chance of reinjure.

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Knee sprain symptoms and treatment

The knee is the most commonly hurt joint in the body with most injuries involving the ligaments. A lot of sprains derive from physical activities especially soccer, football, basketball, and skiing. Knee traumas additionally take place in automobile accidents.

By description, a knee sprain is a trauma to a knee ligament. The sprain may differ in severeness from a minor stretch to a full tear of the tendon. A mild or grade 1 sprain basically elongates the ligament which results in Knee Pain and inflammation. A moderate or grade 2 sprain partly tears the soft tissue and is more debilitating. A severe or grade 3 sprain is a total rupture and often demands surgical repair.

Symptoms that you've got a knee sprain are Knee Pain, inflammation, redness, warmth or bruising around the knee, reduced mobility, inability to get up on the affected leg and tenderness from where the damaged ligament attaches to a bone tissue in the knee.

You can find three types of ligament injury that include trauma to the medial collateral ligament which is located at the center of the body, the anterior cruciate ligament lies deeply in the joint and the posterior cruciate ligament is on the core part of the knee ligament.

The medial collateral ligament is the ordinarily hurt however damage to the anterior collateral ligament is the most typical source of joint instability.

To eliminate the probability of spraining your knee. First you have to do warm-ups and stretching before exercise after that relax and stretch out after. Take a stop when you feel Knee Pain and perform exercise routines which helps strengthen the leg muscles. And wear the appropriate equipment for a specific form of sports.

Treating sprains will rely on the extent of damage. For mild and moderate injury you need to keep from putting any pressure or weight on your knee to put it briefly take a complete bed rest. Then apply ice or cold pack wrap on a clean towel to the knee for 15-20 minutes four times a day for two days. This enables reduce Knee Pain and inflammation. Make use of compression by wrapping your knee with an elastic bandage by doing this reduce the inflammation and give some support to the knee. Be careful not to ever wrap the bandage tightly simply because it will obstruct the blood flow resulting in necrosis. And additionally always keep the harmed knee raised higher than the level of your heart. Use this treatment just as much as possible for 24 hours or so. This helps drain fluid and decrease swelling. For severe sprains, you may need to do so for several days.

For severe sprain a leg cast may be use for approximately 3-4 weeks or simply according to the doctors advice. Therapy exercises will likely be the remedy to bring back flexibility, range of motion and strength of your knee. This will consist of leg extension, stationary bike to work the muscles and ligaments making the leg and knee in condition once again and leg curls to give your hamstring muscles that durability to control your knee and for rapid and smooth recuperation.

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How to deal with anterior knee pain

Anterior knee pain is very common (pain in the front of your knee, above or below your kneecap), especially with activities such as bending, squatting, stairs or running. One major cause of this is tendonitis. There are two main tendons that get strained in your knee most commonly: the patella tendon and the quadriceps tendon.

The quadriceps muscle is the large muscle in the front of your thigh which attaches to your knee cap ("patella") via the quadriceps tendon. Your knee cap must move up and down in its groove in order for your knee to bend and straighten. Your quadriceps "tendon" comes from the quadriceps muscle in your upper thigh, and then wraps down over the knee cap. The quadriceps tendon is then referred to as the "patella tendon" as it attaches below the knee cap to your tibia, (your lower leg bone).

Quadriceps and patellar tendonitis usually occur from repetitive stresses on the tendons from repetitive bending and straightening your knee such as squatting, stairs, running, jumping or quick starts and stops. The forces going through your knee are approximately 2-3x your body weight just with walking, and up to 5x your body weight when you are running. This is a lot of stress through your joint. Muscle imbalances, as well as poor alignment within your knee joint or your lower leg or ankle can also lead to uneven forces on the tendon, which can overstress the tendon even with low impact activities. You do not have to be running or an athlete to get tendonitis. Tendonitis is also common for people who have had knee surgery in the past and moved too quickly back into activity without fully regaining the strength in their quadriceps, or fully balancing all of the muscles in their leg.

Just like in any tendonitis, if the stresses going through your tendon are too much, then you can get tissue breakdown and microtears in the tendon, which can lead to inflammation and pain and even partial tearing of the tendon. Chronic tendonitis can also lead to degeneration of the tendon and scarring within the tendon or tendon sheath, which is considered tendonosis.

Pain with quadriceps or patella tendonitis is typically right around the tendon, at your lower thigh, either right above your knee cap or below your knee cap, respectively. The tendon is typically tender to touch or massage and usually will hurt when you bend and straighten your knee. It can be swollen if severe enough and can also get stiff after sitting for a long time, or when you first wake up in the morning.

The biggest thing with any tendonitis to remember is that it is inflammation in the tendon, so rest is important. You do not want to continue to increase that inflammation; you need to let the tendon fibers heal. You can also take anti-inflammatory medication over the counter, such as Ibuprofen. If you see an orthopedic doctor you will probably be given a prescription anti-inflammatory medication, such as Celebrex or a Medrol Pack (Prednisone) which should help. The best thing you can do at home for it besides rest is icing. Better than even an ice pack, is an ice massage to the tendon, if you can tolerate it. Fill a small paper cup/ Dixie cup with water and freeze it, then you can massage the ice over that area for 1-2 minutes, or whatever you can tolerate.

Also important is gentle stretching. For your quadriceps, the best way to stretch is on your stomach so that your hip is straight. Place a rolled up towel or pillow under your lower thigh to slightly lift your leg off the surface and gently pull your ankle towards your buttock. You can stretch yourself, or if that is too difficult to do without twisting your back or your hip, then have someone gently stretch your knee for you. Just make sure they are doing it very gently and not pushing through pain. Hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds and repeat 5 times.

If it has moved from acute tendonitis to more of a tendonosis, then it is not as much inflammation that is the primary problem but that degeneration and scarring of the tendon has occurred. If so, doing massage right at the tendon would be helpful to break up the adhesions. If it's really tender to massage, you might want to do the ice massage first to numb it a little, and then massage, and then do another ice massage after. You want to be massaging back and forth over the tendon fibers, because adhesions can build up within the tendon and the tendon's sheath. Also continue with the gentle stretching.

If it does not get better I would suggest seeing your orthopedic doctor because he or she will most likely send you to physical therapy which can be very beneficial. The physical therapist, after evaluating you will most likely do the cross friction massage and the stretching for you, and they also can do modalities to help bring down the inflammation and break up the scar tissue or adhesions, such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation and iontophoresis.

You may have seen people wearing a knee strap on their knee for tendonitis. These can be helpful for patellar tendonitis. The knee straps or bands are worn beneath your kneecap, putting pressure on your patella tendon. This can sometimes help to decrease the stress through the patella tendon where it attaches to the bone. If you do have anterior knee pain from patella tendonitis (so the pain is below your knee cap, versus above the knee at the quadriceps tendon as discussed earlier) then a knee strap may help reduce your pain and the stress on your tendon with activities. However, be aware that the strap will not take the place of the other treatment suggestions discussed above. The strap is also typically only helpful for patellar tendonitis, and is not used for quadriceps tendonitis.

As the inflammation and pain go down you really want to be careful how you progress back into exercising and high level activities. Over stressing the tendon can cause microtearing and tissue breakdown, which leads to the inflammatory response and can lead to partial tendon tearing. It's a vicious circle that you need to break, so if you start going back to working out, running or high level activities too early, especially doing repetitive knee flexion/extension exercises which stress the quad tendon, such as squatting, repetitive stairs, running or the knee extension machine, it can definitely exacerbate things. If you are working with a physical therapist they should help guide you back into your activities safely.

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Arthroscopic knee surgery - The fundamental

There are various kinds of orthopedic surgeries performed for different problems. The Arthroscopic knee surgery is a very common type of knee operation. This operation involves discarding the torn cartilage in the knee. The cartilage tears due to age-related factors or because of arthritis. When this happens, the knee joint bones rub against each other. The result of this is an excruciating pain and inflammation on the knee joint. At this point, you must visit your doctor for examination. If he or she diagnoses a serious knee problem, a knee prosthesis or implant might be the only solution. In this case, the doctor performs a surgery to replace the knee joint bones. This allows the sick person to feel the discomfort and pain. Consequently, he or she can perform the daily activities with ease and comfort.

To perform this operation a tool called an arthroscope becomes necessary. This intricate instrument enables the surgeon to see the insides of the knee. This instrument has fiber optics. He or she could view the images of the knee on a television monitor. The arthroscope enables the surgeon to have a clear picture of the joint. He can see the exact problem and decide how to solve it. This helps the surgeon to determine the future course of action.

This kind of knee surgery does not involve a very complicated procedure. There is no need to make a big opening on the skin. The surgeon makes a few tiny incisions to perform Arthroscopic knee surgery. Yet, this surgery is not a casual one. Why is the patient suffering from the knee pain? Is it due to injury, wear-tear or arthritis? Before the surgeon performs this surgery on any patient, these questions always arise.

This kind of knee surgery makes use of a camera to observe the interiors of the knee joint. The surgeon makes a small incision through which he or she inserts the camera. There are a couple of small incisions made further to eliminate the torn cartilage of the joint. The surgeon uses small shavers, scissors and tiny gadgets to remove the damaged cartilage. At the end of the surgery, the doctor stitches the incisions and dresses the wounds using a bandage. This keeps them free of germs and anti-bodies.

The Arthroscopic knee surgery is like any other surgery. However, the difference is that the patient undergoing this operation does not suffer too much pain. There will always be an anesthesiologist present while this surgery is in process. If anytime the patient feels any kind of discomfort, he or she can very well inform the anesthesiologist about it. After the surgery, the surgeon will prescribe some medications to make you more comfortable. You could use an ice pack on that area. If you raise your knee, it will help you. Most of the times patients undergoing this kind of knee surgery get back to their normal life immediately. Some patients must take a few days off to relax so that they can recover from the surgery. The doctor is the best judge in this case. A good rule of thumb is for you to follow up with your doctor even after you recuperate.

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The scheme of knee pain exercises

Before you start the scheme knee pain exercises, you give the muscles supporting the knee enough time to warm up. This will make your muscles more flexible and allow the planned exercise of the knee joint. You do not have to do these exercises in the hectic pace, rather than the most effective exercises for this pain is finished in a gentle way.

You need to exercise regularly to reduce pain in the knees and keep your knees in good condition. Walking is one of the good knee pain exercises. You can change your walking sessions alternating periods of a lively and leisurely strolls to revive its normal in the knee.

Rowing, cycling, etc. are some other exercises knee pain, which emphasize the minimum of the knee joint and connective tissue. When you practice your breathing is deeper, higher efficiency with which blood vessels supply blood and oxygen to the muscles makes them stronger, which helps to reduce stress on the joints as the knee.

After completing a series of exercises knee pain, you may need to repeat a number of cases where the ingestion of thirty to sixty seconds of rest between each set of exercises to achieve the best results. Low impact form of aerobics is also suitable for those who are experiencing pain in his knee and a desire to reduce pain in the community. This model is a good exercise for your knees as the bones and muscles still bear the weight of the body during exercise.

Step aerobics is a popular form of exercise knee pain which can be maintained, even if you have a smaller knee disorder. Increased grade is used in step aerobics and low impact of this style is comfortable for people with less pain in the joints.

Pilates is another form of knee pain, exercise recommended by physiotherapists for treatment the muscles supporting the knees. Pilates can be safely practiced daily without surge muscles and joints.

We can do much to offset the effects of age-related problems with his knees to go over the timetable for Central knee pain exercises. These exercises help to manage and sometimes even reverse the problems in the knee joint (if and when they occur). These exercises also help in softening the connective tissue that is likely to become stiffer with age in the joints less mobile.

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