Knee Arthritis|Knock Knees|Virtual Knee Surgery

So you have discussed knee replacement surgery with your doctor and you both agree that ending your everyday pain is a necessary solution to living life to the fullest. But you probably have concerns and fears about the recovery process and how long it will take. It's true that knee replacement surgery is an evasive surgery with the risk of complications and a possible long and painful recovery. But there are ways to cut the recovery time after your surgery considerably. One of those things are stretching exercises. Stretching is a great way to slowly limber up ligaments and tendons in the knee.

Your physical therapist will have a list of many exercises that will help. You can do stretching in the privacy of your own home to drastically decrease the recovery time after surgery. I just a few minutes a day, you can be preparing your new knee for your new life of pain free living. And stretching exercises can be implemented fairly soon after surgery to help get you back on your feet. The longer you wait to get moving about, the less stellar your results will be. Starting stretching exercises early also prepares your new knee for more intensive rehabilitation exercises.

Don't worry if you have never learned to properly stretch before. Your physical therapist will show you exactly what to do to keep you from putting too much strain and damaging your new knee. You don't want to rush into it too quickly and put yourself at risk. First thing in the morning will be the most productive time for your stretching. This will help you start your day with a healthy frame of mind. Working slowly towards getting your new knee moving again will decrease your recovery time and you'll be soon on your way to a pain free life.

Of course, you need to consult your doctor before starting any kind of stretching or exercise program to keep from damaging your knees. Too much, too soon could set you back, but just the right amount can get you back on your feet in no time! Your main goal is to increase flexibility and range of motion. This will help heal your new knees get used to an everyday life of mobility. Your doctor will help you every step of the way in getting the most range of motion from your knee replacement, but it's up to you to educate yourself on a healthy recovery.

Exercise is usually one of the common prescriptions of doctors for patients who are suffering from arthritis. Although joint pain could be persistent during times of movements, it is still highly recommended so as to increase one's threshold of pain while flexing the bones and muscles to reduce stiffness. It is dangerous to stay stationary when you have arthritis. This will only increase swelling and firmness.

There are various forms of physical exercises that helps ease arthritis symptoms. Tai chi, yoga, and water exercises are the usual alternative physical therapies. But to date, another addition is well liked and advised-belly dancing.

Belly dancing is a traditional Middle Eastern dance that emphasizes the belly through hip movements. Although the focus of the dance is on the hips and pelvic area, this dance involves every part of the body, thus a very good way of exercise for the joints. The head, neck, arms, hands, chest, waist, thighs, legs and feet are all moving while dancing.

Important movements that are involved in belly dancing are the following:

Shimmy - is the shimmering vibration of the hips. This is created by moving the knees past each other at haste. Some dancers also use contractions of the thighs. Shoulders can also be shimmered along.

Hip punches - is the basic move in belly dancing. This is done by alternating the weight on the legs and swinging the pelvis to the right and left like creating punches on the hips.

Undulation - is the rotating movements of the chest forward, up, back and down. This creates an impression of riding a camel.

Aside from these basic movements, there are other actions such as swaying of the arms from the shoulders to the fingers like a snake, bending of the back, rotating movements of the head and turning and pointing of the toes.

Since these movements are non-impact and weight-bearing for many joint parts, belly dancing as an arthritis treatment offers numerous significant benefits such as:

Improves joint flexibility
Increases bone strength
Develops muscle strength
Relieves back pain
Improves cardiovascular conditioning
Improves balance and posture
Prevents osteoporosis
Increase elasticity of knees and ankles

Belly dancing is such a brilliant way of finding alternative treatment against joint pain caused by arthritis. Not only it is a form of exercise that brings a lot of health benefits, but it is also very artistic and enjoyable to do.

Having knee pain is not fun and many people have this pain in their knees in vain. Many people are simply lacking enough of the fluid which is inside of your knee to prevent that painful feeling when you walk.

Well, I am going to give you the same advice that I was given long ago and it may just make your knee feel 100 times better in a matter of weeks.

Your knee has synovial fluid which acts as a slimy substance to reduce friction between the bones in your knee. When you don't have enough synovial fluid, your knee will start to hurt a lot. The good thing is that by taking glucosamine you can restore the lost synovial fluid to your knee. More fluid means more cushion and less friction which means less pain for you.

Your body does require some time to build this extra fluid in your knees but simply by taking some glucosamine for knee pain you will see a difference in as little as one month. At the second month you will feel like you had knee surgery and you have a completely new knee.

I got to the point where I couldn't extend me foot while I was sitting because the pain was so great in my knee, now I hardly ever even feel any pain in my knee when running up stairs or jumping. It is a great feeling to be able to run and jump again without worrying that my knee will give out.

Knee osteoarthritis is complicated by the fact that the knee takes all the load-bearing strain of the full body weight, which in turn makes the condition even more painful. This is a degenerative disease. It often feels worse in the mornings with stiffness that takes time to resolve.

Osteoarthritis, often located in the knee, is the most common form of arthritis to be found in the United States. It differs from rheumatoid arthritis in that, should there be any inflammation present, it is usually not severe.

It is not fully known what causes knee osteoarthritis in the first place. Certainly the cartilage and bone being subjected to mechanical stresses through everyday movements, coupled with the disease being present, make this a particularly difficult and painful form of arthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis can be difficult to treat. One of the characteristics of this condition is the loss of articular cartilage. This has a poor ability to self-heal, which merely exacerbates the problem. People who are overweight or obese naturally have a bigger problem as their increased body weight makes it considerably more difficult for the knee to cope.

Any treatment of the condition must primarily seek to relieve the pain. Sufferers describe the pain as being deep-seated with a prolonged aching that can stay constant for long periods of time, often with little respite. Certain weather conditions, such as increased humidity, can cause the symptoms to worsen.

There are a number of treatments available. These typically reduce the pain and inflammation, but often cause unpleasant side effects. For this reason, many sufferers of knee osteoarthritis prefer to use chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate in preference to other pain and inflammation relieving drugs.

2005 had arrived not soon enough for the twin sisters, they had gone through and successfully had rehab done on knee reconstruction surgery in 2004. They continued training harder and harder working on their squat, calves and hamstring area of their injured leg to help build up that support their knee would require with the tough sporting season ahead. This preparation was vital to no more issues with there knee and to mentally get them in that go forward mood and preparing for the up coming challenges of their favourite sport netball in 2005. They had set goals together on where they want to be in the 2005 season.

What goals should be set?

Goal -1 - Stay injury free.

Using the methods learned through their rehabilitation time before and after their knee surgery. The other factor was that they gave more than a 100% in rehab to get back to this stage of their recovery process. Also being mentally and physically fit was a huge bonus as well for their come back trail in the their sport of choice netball. Along with this goal of staying injury free they had to put their knee to the test of physical activity, then and only then can they be confident enough to really push forward.

Goal - 2 - Keep improving training systems.

This is to benefit the recovery progress through their netball season, remembering that your training will help you to excel in your preferred sport but also in your physical being. With this there has to be a balance of how much and how far you push your self with these new systems, remembering that every now and then you will need a break to rest and re-energize. The program you will require will need to be written up by a person who specializes in the particular sport of your choice and with also the ability to input other sporting techniques to improve you on your quest.

Goal - 3 - Make representative teams.

With the training programs you put into place to support your self they should improve your chances of making these representative goals. Obviously over coming your injury so that your are 100% fit will also increase your shot at that level. The other factor is that most representative sports are near the end of a season, so your actions through the season at the top level of play will also contribute to your success. Through the season the top coaches of these teams will do the rounds to select prospects for trials or will have someone attend these fixtures to do it for them. So being prepared and injury free is a big bonus to making the top-level teams.

How do you prevent the injury re-occurring?

By completing your goals you have set up and following through with them religiously and having faith in your body and your abilities to come out on top. Listen to the experts; your physio and surgeon with any advice they have to give you regarding protection of your injury as your build up your physical strength again. Learn about your injury on how it can occur and be prevented from happening again to the same leg or the other. There will times when this injury cannot be unavoidable but preparation before hand will increase your chances of this not happening.

So your goals and aspirations will only happen if you put in the hard work you need to do to succeed, because there will be others who are not coming back from a serious injury that will be training just as hard as you to make it to the next level in their sporting careers. Use the resources available to you and do not be afraid to ask for help.

You have heard it a thousand times: "Don't lock your knees." or "Keep your elbows soft." Locking joints, while performing Yoga, means you are overextending the joint and putting yourself at risk for potential injuries. When you lock your knees, the muscles surrounding the joint become passive in the pose, which puts the strain on the ligaments instead.

By continually putting extra strain on the ligaments, cartilage, and connective tissues, instead of the muscles, they will begin to wear faster than they should. Yoga practitioners must be careful to keep all of the joints actively engaged during poses, to avoid premature wear and tear.

Some Hot Yoga teachers have caused a bit of confusion involving the term, "lock the knee." If you have ever taken a Hot Yoga class, you probably heard the instructor encouraging students to "lock the knee," while you are in a balancing posture. Perhaps, you wondered why you would be encouraged to put extra strain on the joints.

This is a classic misunderstanding between teacher and student. What they actually mean when they tell students to "lock the knee," is to tighten the quadriceps muscle of the leg, which slightly draws the kneecap up. This actively engages the muscles surrounding the knee and provides great support for the rest of the body during standing poses. This can take a bit of practice to get it just right, but once you figure it out, without locking the knee joint, it will not cause harm. However, the knee joint itself should have a very slight crack when using this technique and is never to be locked. A Yoga teacher, who feels it is fine to hyper-extend any joint, needs to attend anatomy classes immediately.

Once you damage a joint, the domino effect begins to take place within the body. Joint capsules hold the lubricant, which allow the joints to move freely and smoothly. When a joint becomes injured, the body sends a message to the muscles that control the joint to contract. This results in a locked joint. If the locked joint is in the back, other joints around it will begin to overcompensate for the injured one. This can result in further wear, and undo strain, on those surrounding joints. Over time, this domino effect can also cause osteoarthritis.

It is important to keep the joints active and strong to avoid these potential problems. When practiced properly, Yoga postures help keep the joints lubricated and smooth. Yoga instructors should always remind students to not lock the knees, or other joints, by keeping them slightly bent, or by engaging the surrounding knee muscles. Practitioners can also avoid joint locks by being extremely conscious and aware of their bodies and how they feel during each pose.

穢 Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Erosive arthritis affects multiple small joints of the hand. Patients who have never had a trauma or injury and do not have any history of metabolic or inflammatory condition are the ones who are diagnosed with erosive osteoarthritis which is classified as primary osteoarthritis. X-ray of the affected joint is the most effective test for the diagnosis of this condition.

Erosive osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of osteoarthritis. Though the disease is not uncommon in men and women, but particularly people in their sixties are the most susceptible to this condition. It is believed that it often occurs mostly due to genetic traits. It usually occurs in women after their menopause but no clear relation with the level of hormones in the patient and the onset of the disease has been established as yet.

In the early stages of the disease, the treatment usually aims at reducing the enormous amount of pain caused by the various conditions brought forth by the disease. Attempts are also made towards reducing the load felt by the joints. Using walking sticks and weight loss programs are common methods for doing the same. Mobilization of the joints, through prescribed exercises is also a part of the treatment at this stage.

In the intermediate stage of the disease is osteotomy, which is a surgical operation where a bone is cut to lengthen, shorten or change its alignment. This operation is usually performed for younger patients.

In the later stages of the disease, the incessant pain requires drastic methods of treatment. In such a case, Arthroplasty is performed on patients over the age of 60. It is a surgical process in which a malformed or degenerated bone is either replaced or reconstructed. However, this operation is not suitable for treatment of younger patients as the demands placed on the affected bones physically are much greater and many a times, the surgery is only a temporary remedy.

Knee arthritis

Put simple arthritis is inflammation in the joints cause by the degradation of cartilage which results in bones grinding against each other. Since the knee is basically a joint surrounded by tissue and membranous fluids we can see why this would be an issue. Knee Arthritis is commonly found in individuals over the age of however age aside factors such as obesity and genetics (knee arthritis tends to run in families) can increase one's risk of getting arthritis. The two most common types of arthritis that affects the knee are rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disorder that occurs when white blood cell starts to attack body tissue which results in the erosion of two opposing joint bones. This type of arthritis can lead to sever e deformity in bones if not treated early. I must state that there is no cure for this disease however early detection can help to improve quality of life. Symptoms shown by individuals with this disease are but not limited to, swelling and pain in the knee joint, stiffness of joint, fatigue, limited range of motion and tenderness along the joint. If you feel you exhibit several of these symptoms it would be best to speak with your physician as this is not a disease to be taken likely.

It is still not clear what causes rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

This type of arthritis results in the degradation of cartilage. The degeneration is not reversible and when this occurs joints are able to rub against each other causing tremendous pain and discomfort especially when in motion. The symptoms exhibited by an individual with osteoarthritis are similar to those shown by someone with rheumatoid arthritis.

Unlike with rheumatoid arthritis scientist do have some idea as to factors that can cause osteoarthritis. It is believed that diabetes, obesity and mechanical stress on joints are some of the contributory factors. Others include congenital disorder, Lyme disease, Marfan syndrome and weak quadriceps muscles all play a role in the development of osteoarthritis.

Treatment methods

Whilst the damage caused by arthritis is usually irreversible and the disease itself is incurable, there are various treatment methods that can reduce pain and inflammation thus greatly improving quality of life. Some effective treatment methods are as follows:

• Weight loss- reducing the mass which the knee has to support helps alleviate pain

• Lifestyle modification- one should no longer indulge in certain activities like playing football as this can worsen one's condition

• Medication - anti-inflammatory medications reduces swelling and pain relievers helps with the pain

• Physical therapy- strengthening supporting muscles like the quadriceps muscles helps to reduce tension on the knee and thus reducing pain

• Walking aids- clutches helps to relieve the tension place on the joint inflicted with arthritis

• Surgery - this is often a last resort and is usually followed by extensive physiotherapy. An orthopaedic surgeon can replace the entire knee joint or at least a portion of it.

Those are just some of the more effective methods of dealing with arthritic pain. I must emphasise though that early detection is key, so don't be afraid to contact your doctor if you have a genuine concern.

For any individual who is afflicted with knee pain, obtaining relief is essential. Long lasting knee pain can for sure have an impact on your daily life. This type of pain which is more often than not taken for granted makes it tough for individuals to conduct activities. Including the simple and easy act of standing up and moving can be distressing; making the problem worse considering that the joint and surrounding tissue become weak from lack of use thus causing more pain.

It is important to have efficient remedy or treatment options that will provide sufficient relief and make it possible for normal movement. With the exception of some certain cases that the physician says to keep the knee immobile caused by a particular medical condition.

Knee pain relief is very essential and it comes in numerous diverse forms, a few of which tend not to require pills or prescriptions. The application of ice and heat packs work successfully in getting rid of pain and keep the swelling down. There are also creams and ointments for muscles that are used topically on the area to relax the muscles and other support structures tendons and ligaments. Knee pain relief could be acquired by resting the area; on the other hand these creams and ointments usually do not work well to take care of bone pain. Elastic bandages or what we call "ace bandages" and other support wraps might take some pressure off the knee joint. Braces are helpful to keep the knee from moving in the event that the medical professional instructs to keep the knee immobilized. Taking Aspirin, Tylenol together with Ibuprofen, along with these other mentioned methods will provide extensive relief.

Sometimes home remedies are not efficient in the event that the pain bad enough and they don't provide ample relief. In such instances, the physician may recommend stronger pain killers, and also other medications for example antibiotics, steroids, non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and or other prescription drugs that address the pain and the prime source of the problem too.

These above mentioned methods should offer some relief. However in extreme cases, surgery is needed to tackle the problem that is producing pain. Yet this more often than not occurs if the knee acquired considerable damage that it cannot heal. Just in case this occurs, surgery is carried out to repair the damage or to replace the entire knee joint. The medical professional will perform the type of surgery relying on the damage of the knee.

Knee pain remedy together with pain relief play an essential role because they enable individuals to function effectively each day.

Most people don't fully understand the pain associated with Osgood-Schlatters Disease (OSD)... including doctors. OSD is one of the most common causes of knee pain in young athletes. It causes swelling, pain and tenderness just below the knee, over the shin bone (also called the tibia).

Current medical statistics advises to take the patient out of sports for a period of six months.

OSD is a inflammation of the tissue of the tibial tuberosity an area directly below the knee cap. The area of the knee just below the patella (knee cap) is where the main pain generation of pain begins. It usually starts as a tight or grabbing pain and can lead into sharp severe pain. The pain brought about by some type of movement such as running or jumping. The pain can become extremely painful in many cases. The pain normally is diagnosed when a child complains pain while running, jumping in sports or any other types of repetitive movements. Osgood-Schlatters commonly affects boys who are having a growth spurt during their pre-teen or teenage years but can easily as well affect young girls as well. One or both knees may be affected. When the large muscles of the thigh lose their ability to absorb force that force is transferred to the knee which causes a pulling affect to this are causing inflammation and pain.

Upon seeing a doctor an examination will note painful palpation to the area below the knee. That area is usually raised, tender to the touch and inflamed. An X-ray will usually confirm the diagnosis. The doctor will notice on the X-ray a separation of bone on the upper tibia bone which is your shin bone. This separation is very painful upon any type of direct palpation.

New treatment developed can begin to alleviate pain and increase range of motion within the first few treatments. Clinical studies have shown that the new treatments can have the patient back to their sport in a couple of weeks - if not sooner. Many patients have seen complete resolution of pain and disability in one week.

MyoFascial Disruption Technique (MFDT) is a unique manual treatment that has shown through clinical trials to be 95% faster in relieving pain as compared to other current treatments. Co-developed by three doctors, the basis for their discovery using research findings dating back decades. MFDT locates the exact area of damage which can be corrected in an extremely quick period of time. MFDT has been shown to treat many forms of soft tissue injuries with speeds of healing documented to increase the healing the symptoms of Osgood-Schlatters Disease.