When the topic of health is discussed, most people talk about cardiovascular problems, back issues, and others that have become very common in people of all ages. But what many people tend to overlook is the importance of knees.
They are one of the most important parts of our body because, without them, no person would ever be able to walk normally. That’s precisely why it’s essential to protect them or alleviate the existing pain.
Just like other parts of the body, knees are prone to different injuries, and pains and that’s something that sadly almost every person deals with at some point. However, there are certain things that you can do that will strengthen your knees, properly safeguard them, and decrease the pain as much as you can. Want to uncover these effective tactics? Keep reading then!
You Need To Be Physically Active!
If you’re in pain right now, then you’re probably not too thrilled about this suggestion, but what you need to understand is the fact that your knees are meant to move. This doesn’t immediately mean that you should have the most intense workout in the world.
Anything that’s considered a physical activity, even if it’s a stroll is going to benefit you and your joints. There are so many fantastic benefits to regular physical activity and it includes the following:
- It mitigates the stiffness and pain
- Strengthens the muscles that offer support to your knees
- Boosts balance to lower the likelihood of falls or any other type of injury that could harm your knees in any way
- Prevents weight gain which can cause even bigger problems for the knees
If you’re already dealing with a certain level of pain, or you are at a certain age, then you shouldn’t resort to exercises that are way physically challenging, but instead, pick the ones that are relatively light and mild.
Speaking of this you should opt for the ones that will make you more flexible and that encourage different movements, which can normally be seen in yoga, for example. Besides that, you should also consider workouts that will strengthen your muscles and improve heart health.
Have You Heard Of Genicular Artery Embolization?
If the answer is no, then you’re about to be pleasantly surprised by the facts that are about to be provided when it comes to this. Namely, innovative genicular artery embolization for knee pain has completely changed the lives of people who were struggling with knee pain. After going through it, they’ve become a lot more mobile and functional.
Now, what makes this procedure so effective? Well, that’s because it is intended to target certain regions of the knee with increased blood flow which is typically linked with the pain and inflammation that appear in osteoarthritis.
By lowering blood flow to the area that’s inflamed, GAE drastically decreases the levels of pain, allowing patients to be physically active once again, and, concurrently, strengthen the muscles around their knees.
Yes, Water Can Help As Well!
Although some of you may not see the connection between these two, the reality is that water can actually help with joint pain. It is widely known that water is beneficial for many things in different ways, but most people aren’t aware of the fact that it can help with knee pain too!
How come, you’re probably wondering? Well, what you need to understand is that the knees are made up of cartilage and it functions as wear-resistant tissue and low friction. This tissue is made up of sixty percent water and once the water content of cartilage is lowered, then it’s no longer as functional as it used to be.
Now, this doesn’t mean that if you increase your water intake, all your knee problems will go away overnight, however, it will definitely enhance the health of your knees. Consequently, if you want to change things for the better as far as this goes, you need to drink at least ninety ounces of water daily, if you’re a woman, and at least 120 ounces if you’re a man.
Lose Extra Weight If You’re Overweight
Being overweight, in general, isn’t good for your overall well-being, including your knees. That’s because any additional pound that you have puts more stress on your joints, which results in cartilage wear and pain.
Many studies have concluded that people who have any issues with their knees can make a positive change if they lose a couple of pounds only, however, if you have lots of excess weight, or you’re morbidly obese, then the more weight you lose, the better!
According to several reports, those who have lost more than twenty percent of their weight were experiencing a lot less pain and were able to do some exercises they weren’t able to in the past. This just goes to show how a single change can make a significant impact when it comes to this.
Ice Therapy Can Help Too!
There are lots of strategies that you can resort to, and by far, one of the most effective ones is the so-called ice therapy which requires not only ice but also for you to rest your joints. The whole point of this method is to heal your knees by decreasing the strain on the surrounding ligaments and muscles.
In addition, this therapy is also known as cryotherapy and it’s designed to lower the inflammation, providing you with instant relief from all the pain that you’ve been feeling lately. So what are you supposed to do then?
There are several steps that you need to take, that are actually quite simple, and they include the following:
- Put an ice pack on your knee and hold it for roughly twenty minutes, every two hours or so
- Be sure to put the ice in a thin cloth to avoid putting it directly on your skin
Living with a knee pain isn’t only stressful, but it can frequently be very debilitating as well. That’s why these tips are here. They represent excellent methods that will help you return to your normal life.
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