I vividly remember I was hitting my 40’s and my knees were starting to hurt whenever I was climbing the stairs or walking on inclined surfaces. I was not overweight weight or anything. Maybe ten or so pounds? I immediately set up an appointment with my personal doctor.
Diagnosis – Diagnosing the Knee Pain
He examined my knees tapping my knees with this rubber tipped hammer. Then he pressed the muscles around the knees, calf and thighs. “Your muscles surrounding the knees are not strong enough to provide support to your knees” He said. Then he examined my chart and pointed out that I was at least 15 to 20 pounds overweight. “Steve, every ten pounds of weight adds 30 pounds pressure on your knees” He said putting down the hammer. I immediately thought of my Mom, who always was complaining that her knees were hurting. She was at least 35 to 40 pounds overweight.
Recommendations
After my X-ray of my knees came out OK I asked the doctor “what do you recommend?” He said “I can give you some ibuprofen, to reduce inflammation.
Prescription ibuprofen is used to relieve pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by a breakdown of the lining of the joints) and rheumatoid arthritis (arthritis caused by swelling of the lining of the joints).”
He told me I had the beginning symptoms of Osteoarthritis. I had read bad things about Ibuprofen. It belonged to the NASAID family and the side effects just flashed in my mind.? I had done some research at PubMed Health, a service provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). and this is what they had to say about NASAID.
People who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (other than aspirin) such as ibuprofen may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke than people who do not take these medications. These events may happen without warning and may cause death. This risk may be higher for people who take NSAIDs for a long time. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke; if you smoke; and if you have or have ever had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Get emergency medical help right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness in one part or side of the body, or slurred speech.
Workout Plan for Knee Pain
“No thanks doctor, I don’t want to take any drugs!” I said. “Well in that case you will have to work hard and lose some weight and do some weight bearing exercise to strengthen the ligaments and muscles surrounding the knees. I will put in a prescription for Ibuprofen anyway to reduce the inflammation while you get on this plan. Take only as needed”. I was listening intently. That sounded a little better. I could go to the gym in our complex three or four times a week. He showed me some simple exercises like:
- Leg lifts
- Squats
- Leg curls
- Straight leg front raises
- Leg Extensions
- Bent leg lifts
I went to a local sporting goods store and found a good book on Resistance Training with Rubber bands and tubing and started going to the gym. At the gym I would use the resistance machines and when I could not go or did not have time for the gym I opened the book, took out the resistance band and started doing the exercises at home. Within three weeks my knee paid was almost gone.
Activities to avoid when you have Knee Pain
My doctor also told me that most knee problems occur during sports, gym, at work or working around the home. Most of the symptoms develop from every day wear and tear, overuse or not being careful at these tasks. “Avoid abnormal twisting, bending the knee or falling or sliding on the knee.” I assured him that I don’t do the slides that dancers do on the dance floors or do somersaults.
He also advised me to cut down activities that put repeated or prolonged pressure on the knee. Some of these activities like treadmill, exercise bikes, jumping ropes can cause irritation and swelling and inflammation or small tears in the tendons. He also asked me if I had problem elsewhere like a pinched nerve or pain in the hips. He pointed out that I did not need any physical therapy as the symptoms were not severe and I had not hurt my knees due to a hazardous activity or injury.
With my Mom it was another story. I took her to see an Orthopedic Surgeon and the diagnosis was that there was no cartilage left in her knee. The bones were rubbing against each other and he said that she should have got her right knee replaced years ago. My Mom finally got her knee replaced. I worked with her on her diet and showed her some stretches, yoga and breathing exercises. She started walking and getting more active and felt better than ever.
Concluding thoughts and recommendations for Knee Pain
If you have knee pain that won’t go away, then it is always a good idea to visit the foot doctor and get X-Rays to make sure that you don’t have ruptured ligaments or torn cartilage. Certain medical conditions, including arthritis, gout and infection, may be at the root of your knee pain. Many relatively minor instances of knee pain respond well to self-care measures. More-serious injuries, such as a ruptured ligament or tendon, may require surgical repair.
Finally, it is a good idea to invest in a good pair of shoes. Flip Flops and high heels are the worst. Most of the shoes can benefit from a good pair of insoles. Make sure you buy shoes that are half size bigger to make room for the little swelling when we are on our feet for long hours. The shoes should not be tight as they constrict our breathing.
