What do you need to know about knee pain?

What is knee pain?

Pain around the knee joint may be due to an injury or degenerative changes. Knee pain is the most common amongst joint pain and affects all age groups.

Causes

• Being overweight – Knee joint supports the whole body weight. If you are obese there is a continuous pressure over the knees, even while performing normal activities like walking, standing or climbing stairs. It increases the risk of osteoarthritis.
• Hip – foot pain – In hip or foot pain, one may change the way of walking to overcome the pain, which causes and indirect pressure over knees.
• Knee injuries – A knee injury can cause inflammation of bursa (fluid filled sac surrounding the ligaments, tendons and bones forming the joint), fractures, ligament tear or meniscal tear.
• Degenerative changes – Osteoarthritis is basically wear and tear of the joint. The cartilage layer depletes with age and over use.
• Autoimmune disorders – rheumatoid arthritis, where body’s immune system attacks the lining of bones leading to inflammation and pain of the joints.

Symptoms may include

• Pain
• Swelling and redness
• Warmth felt at joint
• Weakness or inability to move the joint
• Crackling noise while movement

If the pain varies from mild to moderate here are some tips which will help to reduce knee pain…

• Reduce weight – Weight loss is one of the best way to reduce the stress over the knees. Try to achieve
• Exercise helps in strengthening of the muscles which support knee joint. It helps to reduce the stiffness and maintain the flexibility of joint.
• Heat compression – heat always help to reduce the inflammation and pain around the joint. Heat pad, hot water bag, hot towel or warm oil application is useful. One should always check the temperature before application to avoid burn or scalds.
• Ice packs – one may feel good with ice pack application
• Footwear – providing proper to support the arch of foot, will downgrade the knee pain.

Easy ayurvedic lepa at home –

Mix shunthi (dry ginger powder) 1 tsp. + haldi (turmeric powder) 1 tsp. + cow’s ghee 2 tsp. – heat them together and make a thick paste.

Apply the paste warm. Wipe out lepa once dried. You can apply it 3 to 4 times a week.

Easy Exercise to strengthen the muscles

Exercise should always be done if there is mild stiffness or doctor has recommended. As in severe stiffness of joint may worsen the condition. Always do a 5-10 mins stretching before you start with exercise?

• Straight leg raise – lie down on the floor over your back. Keep your left knee folded Raise your right leg straight up to strengthen the thigh muscles.
• Heel raise – take a chair or a table for support. Stand straight and raise your heels and stand up on toes. Hold up for 5 -10 sec and slowly come back to normal position.
• Step exercise – one can take a solid stool or exercise platform, not taller than 7 inches. Step on the stool with the right foot, followed by left foot. The left foot should be in air, by putting the weight on right foot. Hold for 5 sec and change the foot.
• Wall squats – stand with head, back and hips flat against the wall. Slowly bend your knees just above the sitting position, hold for 5 sec and back up. Don’t bend too much, perform the exercise lowly and smoothly.
• Touching toes – stand straight and then slowly lean downwards and try to touch your toes with hands straight. Hold for 5 sec and then back up again. Do not bend your knees.

Even after exercise and external remedies, bones and cartilage of the joints may require an internal nutritional support. Medicinal herbs like harida and shallaki guggul are herbal supplements for knee pain and have anti- inflammatory, analgesic and anti – arthritic properties which help in degenerative changes of the cartilage. Glucosamine hcl acts as a tissue regenerator and chondroitin reduces the progression of joint damage.

GO365 TABLET is a herbal supplement for knee pain from CHARAK PHARMA is a combination of all these important drugs along with Calcium carbonate, vitamin C and E which maintains the overall health of joints. Go365 ointment infused with capsicum and wintergreen oil is the best ayurvedic ointment to reduce joint pain and stiffness.