5 of the Best Methods to Relieve Knee Pain in Jacksonville FL
You don't have to be an athlete to injure your knee, although knee injuries in Jacksonville FL are one of the most common in competitive sports. Any activity that overuses, overstretches or overextends your knee can leave you with nagging aches or severe pain.
At Advanced Medical Centers, our team sees a lot of knee pain in patients of all ages. From car accidents and football games to falls downstairs and too much heavy lifting, the reasons are unique but the result is the same - knee pain.
Tips for Relieving Pain in Jacksonville FL
From the perspective of our broad areas of expertise, including chiropractic care, family medicine, and physical therapy, we offer our five best tips for relieving your knee pain.
1. See a doctor
Before you embark on any of the pain-relief tips we're about to give you, come see us first to make sure you know exactly what you're dealing with. Self-diagnosing your knee pain is risky, as you might mistakenly think you have a minor problem when it's really a major medical condition.
Our team thoroughly examines your knee, talks to you about the incident (or non-incident) that triggered your pain, and takes into account your age, general health, and activity goals. Once you have an accurate diagnosis, we let you know if it's safe to move forward with these pain-relieving strategies.
2. Strengthen your muscles
An injured knee is a weak knee. The best way to help it heal and prevent future injuries is to bolster the support system around it - and that means building up those muscles.
To be specific, you need to work on your hamstrings and quadriceps. These are the muscles in the front and back of your thighs, and if they're weak your knee is in jeopardy.
There are many exercises designed to strengthen your legs, especially when you're nursing a bum knee. It's best to check in with our team to make sure you choose the right movements at the right number of repetitions so you don't do more harm than good.
3. Wear good shoes
Your feet are the foundation for the rest of your body. If you have low arches, high arches, or no arches, it impacts the alignment of your whole musculoskeletal system. The shoes you wear become extensions of your feet and replace your natural platform with a new one.
This can be good or bad. Shoes can correct all types of anatomical foot anomalies, which in turn keeps your knee joint healthy. But the wrong shoes can do the opposite and cause or worsen your knee pain.
Flats, flip flops, high heels, and loafers don't give you proper support. So if your knees hurt, look at your shoes.
4. Lose weight
One of the most common causes of knee pain is being overweight. The extra pounds you carry around with each step put a lot of pressure on your joints.
The good news is that for each pound you lose, you can alleviate four pounds of pressure on your knees. That's a pretty big incentive since losing weight also improves your overall health at the same time.
5. Watch what you eat
You might be amazed to learn that there's a direct link between what you eat and how your knees feel. For example, if you have knee osteoarthritis, certain foods may cause an instant flare-up of pain. Some people find that sugar, salt, dairy, alcohol, flour, or greasy fried foods trigger their painful symptoms.
On the other hand, some foods are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, including ginger, turmeric, cumin, capsaicin, onion, apple, blueberries, kale, and green tea. Keeping a food journal to record your symptoms and the foods you ate just prior to your flare-up can help you identify your triggers.
Next-level pain relief
If you've tried these strategies and still find you need help overcoming your ongoing knee pain, we're here to help. From physical therapy and chiropractic care to muscle injections and electronic stimulation, we offer a full range of effective pain management modalities that keep you comfortable and allow you to move forward with your rehabilitation and your life.
To find out more about relieving your knee pain, call us at either of our two Jacksonville, Florida, locations.