Knee Osteoarthritis Pain: Dos and Don'ts

Knee Osteoarthritis Pain: Dos and Don'ts

20 May 2020
 Categories: Health & Medical , Blog


Osteoarthritis of the knee is a particular form of arthritis, which is wear and tear of the cartilage in the knee. Knee arthritis affects millions of individuals, and it is one of the more common forms of arthritis. While it can be limiting and painful, there are treatment options that can help to minimize the symptoms and delay any further damage. As you go about managing knee osteoarthritis, here are a few dos and don'ts to keep in mind.

Do Try to Maintain a Healthy Weight

When it comes to your overall health and well-being, a healthy weight is important. However, it is that much more important when you are dealing with a health condition like knee osteoarthritis. When you have excess weight on the body, it also means that there is extra weight that is being put on the knee, which is causing increased pressure as well as pain. If you are overweight right now, speak to your physician about how you can lose weight in a healthy manner through modified exercise and diet.

Do Start Working on Stretching and Strength Building Exercises

While osteoarthritis of the knee can make it harder to participate in certain activities, there are a lot of exercises that you can do to strengthen your knee joint muscles and improve stability and flexibility. If you are unsure where to begin, talk to your physician about recommendations. He or she may recommend certain low-impact stretches or workouts. Alternatively, he or she may refer you to a physiotherapist, kinesiologist, or physical therapist.

Don't Ignore Worsening or New Symptoms

It is important that you pay close attention to your body, particularly when you have osteoarthritis. When your symptoms change, this can be indicative that your problem is getting worse or that another problem has occurred. If you notice that your pain has gotten worsen or you begin to experience pain or discomfort in another part of the body than what you are used to, you need to speak to your doctor immediately.

Don't Rule out Alternative Forms of Therapies and Treatments

There are many forms of alternative therapies like massage, acupuncture, chiropractic medicine, and yoga that can be used as a part of your treatment plan. By giving new and natural therapies a try, you may find that you are able to reduce how much you rely on medications that tend to have adverse side effects. Plus, yoga, massage, and similar treatments can help to minimize stress, which tends to be linked with painful health conditions.

For more information, contact a health care facility such as Sarasota Arthritis Center in your area.