Injury or wear: The two most common causes of knee problems. Find out here what can be behind knee pain - and which treatment is suitable.
- The knee joints are among the largest joints in the body.
- Regardless of whether you climb the stairs, go for a walk or get out of bed in the morning: The knees are constantly challenged - and are therefore prone to wear and tear.
- Injuries can also promote knee osteoarthritis - one of the most common causes of knee pain.
Depending on how the pain manifests itself and the situations in which it occurs, doctors classify knee problems into different categories. The therapy recommendations also vary depending on the cause. An overview of the most common causes behind knee problems :
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Patellar osteoarthritis
- Knee instability
- Patellar instability (patella dislocation)
- Cruciate ligament tear
- Meniscal tear
Cartilage damage (arthrosis) is often the result of wear and tear, so many older people suffer from osteoarthritis of the joint. In addition to signs of wear, injuries such as a cruciate ligament or a meniscal tear are among the most common triggers of knee pain .
Physiotherapy, warmth, cold or bandages: conservative therapies for knee pain
In order to initiate the appropriate therapy, the cause of the symptoms must first be determined. This can only be done by a specialist, an orthopedist is the right contact here . Depending on how his diagnosis turns out, he will recommend the appropriate treatment. In a first step, the attending doctor will recommend conservative therapy. These include:
- physical therapy
- Use of shoe inserts or bandages
- physical therapies such as heat or cold applications, electrotherapy or balneotherapy such as mud baths or fango
- taking medication
If conservative treatment is unsuccessful, knee surgery is ultimately necessary. Depending on the cause, various surgical methods are available, such as minimally invasive techniques or classic operations. The latter procedure is used to perform joint stiffening or complete joint replacement .
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What you can do for knee pain yourself
Knee problems do not necessarily indicate arthrosis or serious injury. Overexertion such as a long hike can also be the cause. However, if the symptoms persist, a doctor should be consulted. To alleviate the symptoms in a first step, you can try the following measures :
- Rest your knees : After overexertion *, it can already help to protect the affected knee.
- Cool curd wrap : In acute pain, cold usually helps against the pain, since it has an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Warm wraps with fenugreek against arthrosis and rheumatism: Mix fenugreek powder with hot water to form a tough paste, spread it on a compress and place another compress on top. Then fix the compress to the joint with a bandage and let it work for up to two hours.
- Make pain cream yourself : According to the NDR format visit, you can take advantage of the pain-relieving and circulation-enhancing effect of mustard flour against joint pain. Fill a small jar with carrier cream from the pharmacy and stir in a pinch of mustard flour.
Read also : Dangerous "recreational doping": Therefore, you should never take painkillers before exercising .
Prevent joint problems
Treating your joints with care reduces the risk of wear-related problems. The following measures, among other things, keep the joints healthy :
- Strengthen muscles : A strong muscle around the joint prevents arthrosis and other wear-related problems, because the joint is relieved. Targeted training on equipment is the most effective.
- The right footwear : Those who often wear high shoes put enormous strain on their knee joints. Better use flat shoes with a good sole - and walk without shoes as often as possible. This trains the foot muscles, which has a positive effect on the entire skeleton.
- Avoid sports that strain your knees : squash, tennis or soccer - all sports that involve jerky stopping movements damage the joints. Cycling, swimming or Nordic walking, on the other hand, are considered joint-friendly sports *.
- Generally a lot of movement : If you rest, you rust - this saying can be transferred to the joints. Good circulation in the cartilage is promoted by movement, which is essential for a healthy joint.
More sources: www.apotheken-umschau.de; www.ethianum-klinik-heidelberg.de
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