Knee pain affects all kinds of people at every age, lifestyle, and activity level. From poor posture to improper lifting practices to high school football and everything in between, knee pain can become a part of your life.
Those who live with knee pain want to end it as quickly as possible so they can get on with their routine, fully functioning. The most responsible step to take when in pain is to visit a healthcare professional. Chiropractors are experts in how the tissues, joints, and spine move, connect, and work, making them an excellent resource for knee pain management.
However, sometimes, you just want to safely and naturally end your knee discomfort at home, right now. This article offers three ways to help end knee pain fast, and they’re chiropractor-approved, so you know they’re non-invasive and nurture the healing process.
Sound good to you? Then let’s get to it.
Tip 1 to Relieve Knee Pain at Home: Apply Ice and Heat
Ice and heat are powerful, natural healing elements when it comes to injuries to the soft tissues and joints. Ice reduces swelling and inflammation that cause restrictions to movement and flexibility.
When injured, circulation to the injury increases in efforts to help it heal, but that circulation provides an inflammatory response that can actually slow the healing process. Ice will help prevent that from happening.
If you see that your knee or the surrounding area is swelled up, ice should be your next step. This will most likely be for an acute injury (sudden and recent). Use ice alone (without adding heat) until the swelling has gone and for 20-minute sessions. It’s best to start the ice treatment as soon as possible after an injury occurs.
When the swelling is under control, applying a heating pad to the area will do the opposite of ice and promote circulation toward the injury. This blood flow provides healthy nutrients and oxygen to the damage, contributing greatly to healing. As with ice, heat should be offered in 20-minute intervals.
Heat also provides soothing and relaxing sensations, removing tension from muscles and other soft tissues.
You can exchange ice and heat as needed throughout the recovery time.
Tip 2 to Relieve Knee Pain at Home: Stretch, Exercise, Move
Safe and controlled movement is incredibly important to healing the musculoskeletal system and spine. With many kinds of aggressive healthcare treatments, movement is restricted; and that can cause other imbalances in the body.
Gentle stretching and low-impact exercising can increase movement patterns, flexibility, and comfort in and around the knee by strengthening the affected area and getting more access to the vital circulation needed to heal.
Some yoga movements, walking, floor exercises, hamstring stretches, leg lifts, and swimming will help stabilize the knee and nurture your knee’s safety. Movement also releases endorphins that promote happiness, comfort, and positivity, which can help your mental state during times of pain.
It’s always best to speak with your local chiropractor prior to implementing your own movement program; however, you know your body and can listen to it. If you’re putting too much pressure on the injury and causing further discomfort, stop and try a different exercise.
Pro tip: Massage will also help stimulate the affected tissues and encourage healing while reducing mental and emotional stress.
Tip 3 to Relieve Knee Pain at Home: Rest and Elevate the Knee
Yes, we just recommended movement, but getting rest is also essential. Taking pressure off the injury facilitates healing. Soft tissues and joints repair and rejuvenate during downtime; they need this to support you.
Quality sleep, taking a break from your physical activity, and getting off the knee are necessary for improvement. Again, listen to your body; pushing through severe pain is discouraged and may do more harm than good, so take the break your body is asking for.
If you notice the knee is swelling up, elevation will help. The knee should be above the heart. If you add ice to the equation, the inflammation can get under control quickly.
Chiropractic Care to End Knee Pain in Saskatoon
While these tips can significantly reduce knee pain fast and help the body start the healing process, working with a knee injury chiropractor will ensure you get optimized care that meets your needs.
Our Saskatoon chiropractic clinic will find what’s causing your discomfort and offer numerous knee pain solutions and lifestyle advice so you can stay strong and healthy.
Common chiropractic knee pain treatments include:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Physiotherapy
- Exercise therapy
- Massage therapy
- Sports injury rehabilitation
- Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
- And others
Let our team determine the cause of your symptoms and treat the injury. We don’t rely on pain-masking medications and take the responsible steps necessary to keep you away from surgery whenever possible.
Your knee pain doesn’t have to play a role in your life any longer. Schedule your appointment with our chiropractic professionals today.
