Knee Arthritis|Knock Knees|Virtual Knee Surgery

The Tensor Fascia Latae is a small muscle on the lateral side of the hip, which forms the Iliotibial band, running down and inserting on the lateral portion of the tibia. The TFL and IT band are very often tight and overactive, which can lead to limited range of motion in the legs and the inability to squat and get in other positions with the knees bent. Knee pain is also associated with overactivity in this area, which is referred to as IT band syndrome in some cases. Foam rolling this are can reduce neurological activity and reduce many movement compensations associated with its tightness.

To foam roll the TFL:

Lie on the floor on your side. Place the foam roller under the hip, with the opposite foot placed on the floor in front of the leg being rolled in a bent position.

Support yourself on your forearm and foot, and place your weight on the foam roller slowly. The foam roller should be positioned in about the same place your hand would be if it were in your pocket.

As you put your weight on the foam roller, roll down toward the knee slowly and find the point of greatest tenderness. This is the trigger point.

After locating the trigger point, relax the muscles of the leg and hip, and put as much pressure as possible on this point, holding it for 20-30 seconds. Use your opposite leg to press down and relieve pressure from your hip if the pain becomes too extreme. Remember to keep the muscle relaxed the entire time.

Switch legs and repeat!

To foam roll the IT band:

The procedure is the same as that for the TFL, but you will roll down further toward the knee. Often, you will find a trigger point in this area a few inches above the knee.

Remember to relax the muscles of the leg and hold the pressure on the trigger point for 20-30 seconds.

Switch legs and repeat.

The TFL and IT band are very commonly overactive, and will often cause the knees to move medially or laterally during a squat. In addition, and tight TFL or IT band can pull on the knee joint and cause knee pain, especially on the lateral side of the knee. Foam rolling this area daily can often resolve these problems in a relatively short period of time, and is worth the effort (and pain). As always, a full assessment should be performed by a qualified professional in order to get the best results.

What if I told you that this muscle you've probably never heard of could be the key to releasing your knee pain, your ankle pain, your shoulder pain and your neck pain? It may be hard to believe, but by the end of this article you will understand why releasing this muscle can relieve pain and tightness from our feet to our heads. Releasing the psoas can be the key to opening up the body and allowing it to expand and relax.

You have two psoas muscles, one on each side. The psoas is your hip flexor. It is attached to every vertebrae of your lumbar (low) spine. It descends into the pelvis and joins with the iliacus muscle in your hip socket and then dives down to attach to your femur in the back, near your sits-bone. It is the muscle that lifts your leg when you walk, run, and bike. It also does a little bit of rotation of the leg and can bring the low back closer to the pelvis and legs. If tight it will pull the legs up and into the hip sockets at a slight rotation. It will also pull the back down and forward, compressing the joints and tilting the pelvis. This pull can cause repercussions in the knees, feet, shoulders and neck. If I compared you body to a bicycle wheel, the psoas would be the center, and if the center gets warped the outside will get warped too.

When the psoas is tight it will rotate the femur. Of course we walk with our feet straight which puts a twist where? That's right...the joint that really doesn't like to twist. The knee. It has been my experience that knee problems that aren't caused by blunt force (i.e. a ski accident), are often a result of a chronically tight psoas muscle. And even when there is a traumatic reason for a knee injury, releasing the psoas can ease extra strain on the knee and result in faster healing and decreased pain. I have a regular massage client who is in his 50's, in good shape, plays basketball and golf, but was plagued by pain in his left knee. He even thought about quitting basketball, but after releasing his psoas and maintaining that release, (I see him every six weeks or so), he really has no knee pain and has been able to continue and even increase his exercise regime.

The psoas can also pull the whole upper body down toward the center. Our body is all interconnected. One thing pulls another thing, which pulls another thing. A tight psoas can pull the shoulders down and in, which can cause everything from sore upper back muscles, to arthritis, bursitis, bone spurs, and torn rotator cuff muscles. This shoulder pull will also affect the neck, pulling it down and forward.

The psoas muscle is the muscle that pulls us into a fetal position. We tend to hold a lot of trauma there, and in our bellies in general. This is one reason we often have trouble with this muscle. Of course sitting all the time doesn't help either. We spend much more time in flexion, (at our computers, in our cars) than we do in extension. When our psoas gets stuck in flexion it will tilt our whole pelvis and puts extra stress on our spine which we tend to feel in our neck and low back. This cronic pelvis tilt can also cause tight hamstrings, which you can never seem to stretch. You can't stretch them because they're already stretched do to the pelvic tilt.

There is hope! There are many wonderful ways to release your psoas muscle. You could see a massage therapist that is comfortable working on the psoas (just ask them before you make the appointment). There are great stretches to be done and something called creative rest where you lie on your back with your feet up on a chair and allow your low back to fall on the floor and your hip sockets to release. Yoga and Pilates can be effective ways to work on the psoas.

Being successful in decreasing our pain and stiffness lies in treating the cause, not just the symptoms. Once you release the pull (which is often the psoas) everything else can release. Now that you know what the problem might be you will be much more successful at finding solutions.

Joint pain relief is a topic of import for people of all ages. At one time, the phrase joint pain brought to mind images of granny squatting down in her garden to pull weeds. This is no longer the case.

Victims of such pain are increasingly of all ages. In children, this is mostly due to the computer age. Kids who spend a lot of time on computers and playing video games are getting neck pain at a very young age. But what can you do to relief the pain of your joints?

The first thing to focus on for the pain of your joints, as with any medical condition, is prevention. Many doctors recommend reducing as much as possible the repetitive strain by taking frequent breaks from whatever physical activity, whether work or play. While taking these breaks, they say it's a good idea to take time to stretch the muscles around the joints as well.

Massage therapists often have to deal with clients who are looking for joint pain relief as well. While they work the muscles around the joints, there is not much they can do for the joints themselves. They often recommend using herbal topical ointments such as ones containing arnica, which seem to help decrease the pain.

Several people I know have tried acupuncture and have had good results. A coworker once twisted her ankle but had acupuncture immediately and was right back on her feet. A friend of mine suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for years and was able to decrease many of her drugs because she got more joint pain relief from acupuncture treatments.

Particularly when knee and hip pain comes from degenerative problems, such as osteoarthritis, the condition can't be cured. At the very least, there are topical creams and treatments like acupuncture that may decrease the pain and therefore improve the quality of life for people with these conditions.

There is a lot of arguing back and forth over whether cold or heat is best for joint pain relief. Generally, people with rheumatoid arthritis report feeling their affected joints are hot, therefore, cold may help with this condition. With osteoarthritis, these people report that the condition is worse with cold, therefore, they tend to feel better when heat is applied.

Also worth looking into is dietary changes. It appears that certain foods may affect the symptoms of joint conditions. Therefore, some people say that they have experienced joint pain relief merely through modifying their diet.

The good news is, with more and more people being affected by such pain on their jointsw and earlier in their lives, more note is being taken. It is no longer a condition that is treated as being inevitable with age. This means that, in the future, we will continue seeing more alternatives to joint pain relief become available.

Do You Suffer From Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)? Have you ever had knee pain; a rather general tenderness in the knee that can come with a sharper pain when you extend the knee, or step down steps? You might just be experiencing a condition known as Runners Knee (also called Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome).

As you might surmise from the title, patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner's knee, is a problem generally found in runners, but it's also seen in athletes from many other disciplines where there's a lot of knee bending activity - walking, running, jumping, biking, and so on.

What is Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)?

Runners knee is not really a single ailment, it's more of an expression that covers a number of concerns caused by a number of underlying problems, all of which can result in pain in and about the knee, hence the name 'Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome'.

Runners knee is usually induced through activities where use of the knee is prominent like running, court sports, hill walking, etc - but it can also happen when simply walking up or down steps, or from sitting for long periods at a time.

What Causes Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)?

There are multiple causes of runners knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome), and it's not uncommon to see more than one of these factors coming into play for any given person sufffering from this ailment.

Any surplus irritation or stress placed on the various components of the knee named above can cause aggravation that will be identified as runners knee.

Overuse - plain and simple over-doing it. Repeated heavy stress placed on any joint will, over time, normally result in pain or damage.

Injury to the knee - if you have fallen or had some sort of injury to the knee, or leg, you may have displaced the patella, stressed the ligaments, or affected the muscle wellness and balance in the thigh or calves.

Alignment concerns - your kneecap might not sit right, either naturally, as a result of an injury. The bones in your leg may not be well aligned, or you might have foot issues producing awkward foot pronation.

Foot Problems - over pronation and flat feet can cause even more tension on muscles and tendons in the foot and lower leg - the added stretching of the muscles like this can bring on weaker muscles and reduces support for the knee.

Weak muscles in the leg - your quadriceps are the primary muscle responsible for flexing the knee, and are necessary for actions such as walking, running, jumping, and squatting. Weakened thigh muscles (quadriceps) are often believed to be the major cause of Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome).

How are you able to treat and prevent Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)?

Because there's no single condition and no simple source, therapy for runners knee will depend upon an accurate analysis of the underlying cause.

Rest - As with most leg injuries, the first course of treatment method is to rest.

Ice - If the pain is bad enough, you can ice the joint to help lessen the pain.

Knee Support - Wearing a protective sleeve or taping the joint may also help reduce the stress placed on the knee.

Footwear - Correcting issues including overpronation or flat feet can also help protect against patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Muscle Strengthening - stretching and bolstering activities can help because stronger, more flexible, muscles provide improved support and stabilization for the knee.

Switch Your Activities - Reducing the mileage you run, finding flatter runs, or less court time, will help to reduce the pain simply because you are cutting down the stress.

Cross Training - adding low impact activities and workouts to your program can help with muscle wellness - strength and flexibility.

This article is not intended to substitute expert guidance, always consult a qualified specialist before taking any medicine or embarking on a physical therapy program.

Every individual is in the risk of having joint pains, be it due to aging or some other factors. Whatever may be the cause; it is very often unbearable and demand emergency treatment. Age related joint pains like arthritis must be controlled through proper medication and remedies to prevent crippling and disability of the body. Free movement is greatly impaired in acute cases of arthritis related joint pains with frustrations creeping in gradually. Women experience problem after menopause due to the drastic drop in the estrogen levels.

Knee, shoulders, back and hip joints are mostly affected due to aging whereas some may experience pains in the wrists, fingers, ankles and heels.

Symptoms

1. Swelling and inflammation followed by acute pain.
2. Redness and tenderness of the joints.

Causes

1. Due to wear and tear of the cartilage due to aging.
2. Autoimmune disease
3. Gout
4. Physical injuries
5. Infection at joints
6. Low hormonal levels in women after menopause.

Treatment

Apart from the usage of over the counter NSAID's and steroids, following treatments are of great help in providing relief from the this problem and that too without any serious side effects.

1. Exercises play a great role in reducing various types of pains, especially swimming. Swimming in a heated pool gives the best results.

2. Bathing with Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate. This particular compound has good anti-inflammatory properties which are well absorbed by the skin. About 40 minutes of bathing gives good results.

3. Massaging with a mixture of camphor oil, menthol and eucalyptus oil on the affected areas alleviates the pains.

4. Joint pains due to arthritis can be reduced by drinking few cups of green tea regularly. Green tea has special constituents that protect the cartilage from wearing out.

5. Elimination of certain foods like meat, beef which are high in protein helps in reducing this problem. The protein can be substituted by vegetables and fish.

6. Dairy products should be avoided excluding the low fat yoghurt.

7. Alcohol consumption must be stopped totally.

8. The herb Boswelia Serrata has high anti-inflammatory properties and enhances the blood circulation to the joints that helps in reducing the pains.

9. The roots of Ashwagandha are beneficial in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis.

10. Ginger roots are also used for this treatment, which prevents the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, which are responsible for this problem.

11. Women need sufficient dietary calcium supplements like low fat milk, yoghurt to prevent the weakening of bones and joint pains after menopause.

12. Application of turmeric and lime paste or drinking milk adding turmeric is a good remedy to alleviate joint pains.

13. Massage with Rumatone Gold oil give good relief.

Knee pain when bending was something I had never even considered would be a problem in my life before the accident. You see I was a young virile man who was up for any outdoor activity.

I had a motorcycle accident, twisted and broke my ankle. I was laid up on crutches for 5 months. I still limp after one year after the injury. I went from a strong "cardio" guy, to a bed ridden man, back to a strong man (try walking with crutches for a while) After the crutches the knee pain when bending has been the pits, not to mention my newfound lack of mobility, oh yeah - that's a lot of fun.

Now I just walk slow like an 80 year old man with a bum knee or hip. I am 40 years old and in pain daily. Every time I bend my knee I feel pain and a hear a pop!

Oh, my aching knee! You don't realize how good you have it until you lose a percent of your strength in your muscles or joints. Motorcycle accidents, sports injuries and other accidents can affect your joint movements making it hard to walk. Ankle, foot and knee pain from bending or excessive weight distribution can literally ruin your life.

I have to watch where I walk. I can't step on unfamiliar surfaces. Luckily I do find coins when looking at the ground when placing my feet. I can't walk down stairs because the ankle injury also twisted my knee. It get knee pain when bending to go down the stairs. Now all my muscles in my legs are different. The good news: I can hop and stand on my good foot for hours.

After you break your foot and twist your knee, you may want to move to the beach. It's easier to walk on sand rather than on concrete. I could never work in an office on my feet all day again. My ankle is swollen at the end of every day. The knee pain is the worst part because I was not expecting it. However, after being off your feet for 120 days, muscles deteriorate. After 40 years old, you just don't bounce like you used to.

I can only put 50% of my weight on my foot when walking before the pain sets in. I was recommend a few exercises for improving my knee pain when bending, damaged muscle and ligaments buy a pretty decent doctor.

First, roll a 12 or 16 oz Coke bottle under your foot when you are sitting. Second, touch your toes often, it will help you stretch your calves. Three, play a lot of billiards! Walking around the billiards table is good exercise! Finally do some squats. Even just a little squat, you need to strengthen your knees by bending them with resistance.

Even better, try not to emulate your stunt bike hero and crash your motorcycle. Drive slow. Wear a helmet. Make sure your passenger wears a helmet. Take a motorcycle road course and learn how to fall off a motorcycle. I was a klutz and fell off my bike awkwardly. Always ride with a partner. Your partner could save your life. My accident and my embarrassing knee pain when bending could have been prevented.

But like you since I have the pain I had to go looking for a solution. What I found was that I was not willing to live the rest of my life on pain killers because of the nasty stuff everyone has heard about them in the media recently.

I used tons of chondroitin and glucosamine supplements, I used some of the fish oil stuff too. Let me tell you burping that stuff all day doesn't make you any close friends, whoa! None of those things did much really. I mean I didn't notice much if any real relief.

Most knee injuries occur because of damage to the knee from stretching, twisting or stressing it from a particular direction. How to relieve knee pain with exercise depends on the severity of the knee injury and where it is located. The type of treatments typically involved with knee injuries consist of compression wraps, rest, ice, elevation, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and exercise. Surgery is only suggested as a last resort after the swelling and inflammation is down.

Strengthening muscles around the injured knee helps it regain stability and flexibility, with the focus of the exercises depending on where the injury is located. Exercise training could be in applied to several areas - the hamstrings (back of the thigh); calf; hip; ankle; or quadriceps (muscles in back of the thigh). Exercises to relieve knee pain can be done at home, at physical therapy offices, athletic clubs, fitness centers, clinics or hospitals.

Rehabilitation stages

The purpose of the early stages of knee rehabilitation is to achieve a full range-of-motion of the knee joint. But the knee is not the only part of the body affected, as rehabilitation involves a progressive state of exercises ranging from the knee to the hip, to ankle strengthening. This involves adequate exercises that will improve the person's balance and stability along with improving knee pain. Strengthening the knee area from a work-related or sport-related injury, affected by the individual's personal activities, needs to be done in order to prevent further injury to the same area.

Generally, relieving knee pain with exercise takes about two to four weeks before returning to normal activities. However, it may take longer to maintain maximum knee stability with further exercises or physical therapy. Obviously, all knee injuries can never be treated the same way. Some may be successful with exercises, depending on several factors:

• What type of injury has happened to the knee
• What is the amount of damage to the knee
• What will be the lifestyle after the knee is fixed - sports or daily activities?
• Is the patient willing to change or modify his lifestyle if needed because of the knee injury?
• A strong motivation is needed through the knee rehabilitation in order for the knee to be strengthened.

Taking a break from high knee activity when doing knee exercises

Relieving physical activity when living with knee pain will help the knee get better with less pain. Things like running and playing sports should be avoided as they will place more emphasis on the injured knee and legs. Exercises with knee pain should be combined with low-impact activities - swimming, nonimpact elliptical training, use of proper shoes, or arch support inserts.

Knee joint exercise may require icing the knees for up to 20 minutes after the exercise period. Used to decrease knee pain, ice is also used to speed healing of the muscles and tissues in the area. Elastic wraps can be used to hold the ice. Footwear is also important for someone with a knee injury. Running shoes or walking shoes are made different than normal everyday shoes. Some individuals use arch support placed in the shoe, while others may need to use temporary braces or supports until the knee is healed.

Exercises to relieve knee pain should be done for a couple of minutes at a time. It is also good to do them twice a day. Exercises come from a doctor or physical therapist, with directions regarding their usage and how long. Most will involve quad exercises, as they make the person's front thigh muscles much stronger. This is important as it controls the front of the kneecap and its movements.

How do your knees feel?

Do you believe, that on some level, that you have bad knees?

Bad knee pain symptoms do not discriminate, they can afflict anybody at any time.

Intense discomfort can be due to a wide range of reasons - from aging or being overweight to twisting your leg by accident. However there are certain groups of people who are more susceptible to suffering from bad knee pain symptoms. These include runners, dancers, motocross racers and players who engage in high impact sports as well as people who engage in certain occupations such as tile setters and carpet layers. Just to name a few...

Common Causes Of Bad Knee Symptoms:

1.) Ligament Injuries - Serious knee injuries usually affect two ligaments -the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Ligament injuries that happen as a result of a fall or a trauma may cause:

Immediate pain that worsens when walking or bending the knee

A popping sound

Inability to carry weight on the injured limb

Feeling of buckling knee

2.) Tendon Injuries

If the knee pain is caused by tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon), the following pain symptoms may be observed in the knee:

Searing pain in one or both knees

Generalized swelling

Difficulty in jumping, running and squatting

Inability to completely extend or straighten your leg

3.) Meniscus Injuries

The meniscus is described as a c-shaped cartilage that curves within the joint. Injuries in the meniscus usually involve tears, which can occur in various places and in different configurations.

The signs and symptoms of meniscus injuries include:

Intense pain

Moderate swelling that happens slowly, and lasts up 36 hours after the injury

Difficulty to straighten the knee completely; the knee may feel locked in place

How Knee Braces can Help Manage Bad Knee Symptoms

Irrespective of the cause of your pain problems, using a brace can provide the knee with much-needed support by restricting the excessive movement of the knee. A knee brace will not only help to dramatically reduce the debilitating pain but will also prevent any further injury to the knee. This can be extremely important especially to those who experience bad knee pain symptoms but do not wish to give up the activity that caused the problem in the first place.

Protecting your knees is important if you have problems. If you have problems, a knee support can be the addition to your life that helps to prevent any future injuries from happening. It can also help a current injury from getting worse.

As we get older we tend to reduce our activity levels as body parts like knees stiffen and can even hurt just doing simple things like walking, climbing stairs or bending over. Yet becoming less active is the very worst thing that you can do as the strength of the muscles is what takes the load off aging joints.

Becoming less active may reduce the discomfort in the short term but increases muscle weakness which worsens the problem in the long term. A downward spiral of less and less activity results in increased disability and joints become even less stable and their ability to carry a load is reduced.

One of the main reasons joints get sore is the loss of muscle mass. We used to believe that this was because of the aging process but we now know it is because of a lack of muscle building and maintaining activity. With this loss the joints - instead of the muscles - absorb more of the shock and pounding from daily living. This contributes to damage and more pain.

With the loss of muscle tissue the metabolism also drops allowing excess body fat to accumulate which further adds a greater load to unsupported joints. This is especially true for knees which need to support body weight. This erodes the cartilage creating more problems and pain.

Yet the solution is so simple. Get yourself started on a program of strength training exercise and get all of your muscles strong and healthy. This will reduce excess body weight and take some of the load off those failing joints.

You need to understand that you have to take action to keep your strength even more so as the years pass by. If you don't 'use it you lose it'. That old saying is never truer when it comes to the muscles that support your skeleton and allow you to move freely and easier without pain.

The only exercise that will strengthen your muscles is proper strength training exercise. Low intensity endurance type activity like walking, jogging or cycling won't do this so don't make the mistake of thinking that this is all you need to do to work your muscles. Those activities are recreational and can do them after you have done your proper exercises 2-3 times each week.

So, if your knees hurt and you are starting to avoid doing things you used to be able to do easily get along to your local gym or fitness center and they will help you get started on a program that will have you active and able to get the full enjoyment out of your life again.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint is a crippling disease that affects the entire joint including the articular cartilage, bone, and soft tissues. It is the most common form of joint disease, and the main cause of musculoskeletal disability in the aging population group. OA is a very frustrating and painful condition that affects an individual's freedom of movement.

Osteoarthritis of the knee causes a roughening and thinning of the cartilage, the semi-hard tissue that sandwiches (cushioning) between the upper and lower leg bones. Knee cartilage is called 'meniscus' and forms a disk-like shaped cushion protecting the leg bones from impact during hinged movement. In the beginning stages of OA of the knee, and progression, the meniscus develops cracks and gradually wears away. Physical symptoms resulting in pain, stiffness, grinding noises are noticed as bone rubs against bone.

Recently, a ten year nutritional study was conducted on 300 healthy, middled aged adults, who had no physical signs of knee joint pain or injuries. The study participants amounts and frequency of fruit consumption, as they are high in antioxidant vitamin C nutrition, were estimated upon entry into the study period.

Ten years later, the study subjects were tested for cartilage volume, bone mass, cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The lead investigative author of this published study, Yuanyuan Wang, Dept. of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Central and Eastern Clinical School, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia used MRI as a reliable visual tool to measure the results. MRI is currently the best, and most non-evasive, method of viewing joint structure in normalcy or in stages of disease.

This decade-long study indicated the impact of increased vitamin C levels on OA disease of the knee, by a lessening of bone marrow lesions, and reduction of bone size, both are important predictors of this disease, by 50 percent.

In a similar study conducted by Dr. Timothy E. McAlindon, a rheumatologist at Boston University Medical Center, published the results of an 8-year dietary investigation performed on 556 elderly individuals. McAlindon found those, whose knee x-rays showed signs of early stages of OA, were not as likely to experience the full-blown progression of the joint disease eight years later if their dietary intake and blood levels of vitamin D were higher than the recommended daily amount. Most of the participants in this study supplemented with vitamin D.

Dr. McAlindon, and other colleagues involved in this particular study, theorized that vitamin C may help repair and maintain collagen, a major component of cartilage. They also maintain a recognizable fact, among medical researchers, of vitamin D's positive, hormone-like affects on bone cells and growth, in that vitamin D may affect the surrounding bone material in joints as well. They agree that supplementation of vitamin D may be warranted for people who, geographically, live where they can not freely partake of it from the sun year round.

And, while I am in agreement with the importance of these promising new investigative studies, that focus on basic nutrient's protective and slowing down powers in relationship to joint disease with their increased intakes, why does adequate hydration levels seem to be, largely, ignored?

According to Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, M.D., Author of "Your Body's Many Cries For Water", states, "that arthritic joints and their pain are to be viewed as indicators of a water deficiency in the affected joint cartilage surfaces. In some arthritis pain, a salt shortage may also be a factor. The cartilage surfaces of bones in a joint contain a lot of water. The lubricating property of this 'held water' is used in the cartilage from the two opposing surfaces to freely glide over one another during joint movement".

While more dietary studies are certainly welcome, and would definitely be helpful in confirming earlier test study results, how might including the investigation of what most people drink every day have on the beneficial effects of nutrient therapy? Especially, as it is estimated that around three-quarters of the human population is walking around in a state of chronic dehydration. The reason seems to be because there are so many different types of home prepared (or manufactured) beverages competing with our voluntary choice in what to be drinking instead of pure water, and it is commonly considered unimportant knowledge by most people, medically educated or not.

When a certain individual may not seem to be benefiting from nutrient therapy, alone, in the prevention of joint disease, how might increasing their pure water intake level effect the overall out come? As Dr. B points out, in his wildly popular self-help book, in his simplistic, educated, and 20 plus years of clinical experience using water as a medicine, water seems to be the glue-like fluid substance that binds all this other stuff together. Without adequate water levels inside the body, the healing effects of nature's basic nutrients will not be fully enjoyed or experienced.

The knee joint comprises of 3 compartments namely patella, fibula and tibia. Femur is the thigh bone and it meets the tibia, the shin bone to form the main joint. The joint has an outer compartment known as lateral and the inner one is referred to as medial. Patella, the kneecap then joins the femur to form patella femoral joint. The various causes of knee joint pain that affects the knee are bursae, ligaments or tendons that surround the knee. This affects the cartilage, bones, ligaments and menisci that form the joint. The knee joint is complex making it prone to injuries.

Ligament injury can be caused by trauma and basically affects medial collateral ligament which is the inner part of the knee joint. It also affects lateral collateral ligament (outer part) and cruciate ligament (inner part). This type of injury is noticed when one suffers from knee joint pain and is clearly examined and proved by an orthopedist. Other causes of knee pain are degeneration, infrequent infection, bone tumors and arthritis. Rapid motions also cause pain through tearing of meniscus and commonly happen to athletes. The tear is associated with warmth and swelling, knee lock and an uncomfortable sensation in the knee.

Knee joint pain is diagnosed based on the type of injury the patient has. Meniscal is diagnosed in 3 ways namely MRI, arthroscopy and arthrography. MRI is done by radiation where a computer and magnetic fields produce 2 or 3 dimensional images showing the inner part. It gives accurate results unlike an x-ray. Arthroscopy is done by inserting a tiny camera in the knee for examination and repair purposes. Tiny gadgets are used to repair the knee during this procedure. Arthrography is where a contrast fluid is injected directly into the knee joint making the knee internal structures visible during x-ray.

Commonly, knee joint pain is treated by surgery, medication and exercise. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) takes longer to heal because there is not enough circulation of blood to the knee. However, if the tear is minor, the knee stabilizes quickly and there will be no need for surgery. Exercising helps strengthen tissues and that surrounds and supports the knee. To ease the swelling, the knee is wrapped with an elastic bandage to provide compression. When the knee undergoes surgery, the ACL is removed for reconstruction. This can be risky as blood can clot or the knee gets infected during surgery.

For any individual who is affected with knee pain suffering, obtaining comfort and effective knee pain remedies is important. Chronic knee suffering can certainly have an impact on your lifestyle. This kind of suffering which is more often than not taken for granted makes it tough for people to do activities. Even the uncomplicated act of standing up and moving can be distressing; making the trouble worse considering that the area around the tissue becomes weakened from lack of use, thus causing more suffering.

It is important to have effective solutions or treatments that will offer sufficient comfort and make it possible for normal movements. Apart from some certain conditions that the doctor allows for, keeping the knee motionless due to injury or chronic pain may be required.

Knee treatment is very important and it comes in numerous different forms, a few of which tend not to require products or solutions. The application of ice and heat operate properly in getting rid of suffering and keeping the irritation down. There are also products for muscle mass that are used topically on the region to unwind the muscle and assist the components of the ligament and structures. Successful knee treatment could be accomplished by using these solutions and resting the affected area; on the other hand these products usually do not operate well to take care of bone suffering. Flexible bandages or what we call "ace bandages" and other assistance systems might take some pressure off the knee joint. Most healthcare doctors advise to keep the knee immobilized. Taking Tylenol together with Advil or Aspirin, along with these other described techniques will offer significant comfort.

Sometimes herbal remedies are not effective in the instances that the suffering is bad enough and they don't show any signs of comfort. In such instances, the doctor may recommend other medicines, for example, non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication or other medication that addresses the suffering and the primary source of the trouble too.

These above described techniques should offer some comfort. However in extraordinary instances, surgical treatment is needed to deal with the trouble that has resulted from prolonged suffering. This more often than not happens if the products purchased cannot cure the pain. Just in case this happens, surgical treatment is carried out to repair the knee or to change the entire joint. A healthcare doctor will perform the kind of surgical treatment required depending on the damage done to the knee.

These knee pain remedies together with proper treatment play a huge role in a person's life because they enable them to function effectively each day.

Runners knee or Illiotibial Band Syndrome takes its toll on many runners. Unfortunately, the lack of information on how to deal with this problem before it happens causes it to last far longer than it should, or to develop into a reoccurring problem.

What is it?  

Runners knee is a condition in which a sharp, burning pain manifests in the knee or the hip. It occurs when there is irritation to the illiotibial band, or IT Band, a band of fibrous tissue that runs from the hip, along the outside of the shin bone to just below the knee joint. Its function is both to provide stability to the knee and to assist in flexion of the knee joint. When irritated or inflamed, it does not glide smoothly and movement of the knee joint becomes painful. Usually the pain worsens with continued movement.

Over-training is said to be the most common cause, but running on a banked surface, inadequate warm-up or cool-down, or certain physical abnormalities may also contribute.  

As usual we here in America tend to focus on what is to be done after a problem occurs instead of taking a few moments to learn about our sport and take some preventative measures. So how about putting in a little bit of work on the IT band to keep it supple and flexible? Why wait until you have a problem that will take you out of the running loop for up to a month and make you reduce your mileage drastically? I would tend to disagree that overuse is the main cause. This is a half truth. The correct way to state this would be that overuse without the proper foundations is the leading cause of runners knee. You can run 50 miles without training and if you have worked on the IT Band, it will not act up! 

Foam Rolling is one of the best and fastest ways to keep the IT Band healthy, flexible and supple. If you are an avid runner, this should be one of the cornerstones of your routine. Foam Rolling the IT Band helps to keep the knots and kinks worked out and is a tremendous aid in keeping it flexible. If you have had problems with the IT Band in the past, this is a godsend. Also, try to incorporate a good stretching routine into your activities. 

Staying Healthy:

If indeed you do end up with runners knee, you have got to rest it. If you rush back to running, you'll never break the injury cycle. Patience is tough, but is required. When you do start back running, reduce your miles and ice your knee frequently to reduce the inflammation. Work in light stretching and foam rolling when pain does not force you to stop. It is possible to keep running, but cut your run short as soon as you begin to feel any pain. Reduce the amount of hill work you do until recovery is complete. To learn more about the fitness and nutritional program I developed that incorporates all of these essential factors for health and wellness, please visit: http://www.dynamicsofmotion.com

Herbs vs. Drugs for Pain Relief

Joint pain relief is one of the biggest challenges for people who have arthritis or aching joints. Side effects of prescription drugs have proven to be so dangerous that some drugs have even been withdrawn from the market. Natural pain relievers, however, offer arthritis pain relief that is comparable to that of drugs, with the advantage of having little or no negative side effects.

Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The national medical database in complementary and alternative medicine at PubMed (U.S. National Institutes of Health) lists more than 6,000 research articles on arthritis. Hundreds of herbs worldwide have been discovered to relieve the pain of inflammation. Very few of these, however, have yet to become available to the public. Some of the more widely known anti-inflammatory herbs that are generally available as supplements include turmeric (Curcuma longa) and ginger (Zingiber officinale), both of which are in the ginger family, Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata), Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), and white willow (Salix alba). The best one, however, continues to be under the radar - i.e., the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). Research over the past few decades shows that the antioxidant-rich leaf resin of this plant contains unique ingredients that inhibit enzymes in the inflammatory pathway that causes pain.

Mother Nature's Pain Reliever

I have to admit my bias in favor of the creosote bush. I have been doing research on the natural products chemistry of this species for more than 35 years, first as a graduate student and then as a professor. My interest began when I had a conversation with an old rancher in Arizona who told me that the creosote bush was the best herb he ever found for treating his horses for joint pain. All he had to do was make a poultice from leaves and young stems, strap it directly onto the inflamed joint, and watch the inflammation go down. Since then I have come to admire the creosote bush's rich folk medical history among native people in the deserts of the U.S. southwest and adjacent Mexico. Folk medical uses of the creosote bush have paved the way for modern research. Scientific studies confirm what non-scientists have known for centuries. Unique ingredients of the creosote bush bolster this plant's anti-inflammatory power and ability to relieve pain.

How to Use the Creosote Bush for Pain Relief

The simplest method is to apply an old-fashioned poultice. Warm and moisten a handful of leaves and young stems, then put them directly onto the painful joint. Hold the whole thing in place with a bandage. Change every 12 hours. This technique, of course, requires that you have a source of fresh creosote bush leaves. If you live in the southwestern U.S., the plant will be easy to find, because it is the most common shrub in the three main deserts of west Texas/New Mexico (Chihuahuan Desert), Arizona (Sonoran Desert), and California (Mojave Desert). A more practical method for people who do not live in the native habitat of the creosote bush, and even for most people who do, is to use a preparation that is already designed for topical use. This kind of preparation may be a little difficult to find, since most health stores do not carry it. Nevertheless, a quick internet search should yield some good possibilities.

Who is Using Creosote Bush Now?

At the moment, topical preparations have become especially popular among golfers who suffer hand or elbow pain. In my own experience, the slight pain that I used to have in my left hand was a distraction for me when I played golf. Application of a creosote bush spray preparation directly onto the painful joint eliminated that distraction (and took away a great excuse for a bad shot!). A handful of professional athletes in baseball, football, and basketball have also benefitted from creosote bush treatments of sore ankles, knees, elbows, and shoulders. This herb will certainly become more popular for treating joint pain as successful stories such as these become better known.

There are many conditions affecting the knee joint which can lead to severe pain. They are caused due to inflammation of the cartilage or other elements or by wear and tear which causes some damage to the knee joint. Minor injuries to the joints in the knee heal by themselves although they are painful. Over the counter medicines are helpful to minimize pain and swelling in the knee joints. But knee therapy is required to treat the underlying cause of an injury to the joints in the knees.

A number of medicines are available over the counter that can help in relieving the pain and inflammation caused by knee injuries. But the issue is that they are useful for giving immediate relief to the sufferer. These drugs do a good job of suppressing the pain but are not a cure for long term problems with your knee joints. For long term relief, it is recommended that you undergo knee therapy on the advice of your medical practitioner.

Due to medical advances, knee therapy has become more successful than ever before. Damaged joints and tissues of the knees are reconstructed very successfully. A dislocated kneecap may be the result of an injury. The kneecap slips to the side when the knee is bent and this condition causes extreme pain. Exercises are advised by physiotherapists and they can be helpful in most cases. But otherwise surgery to place the kneecap to place the kneecap in position may be required.

This is to be followed by an intensive plan of knee therapy to bring the person back on his or her feet. Thus we can safely inform that there is great improvement in the total knee replacement procedure due to the increased popularity and effectiveness of computer aided surgical methods. If your body weight is more than what is recommended for your height and the pain in your knee is interfering with your normal activities, a physiotherapist can help you by advising you on different strategies for losing weight in a stable manner.

All arthritic disorders can trouble the knee joints. But this joint is more often affected by osteoarthritis where the bones become eroded and the cartilage wears away especially if you are overweight. The best knee therapy for this ailment prescribed by medical practitioners is physiotherapy followed by anti arthritic drugs. In advanced cases, a knee replacement procedure may be needed.

Any type of movement relies on the knee so when you deal with knee joint problems it pretty much feels like your entire life has stopped; that is how important the knee is. It doesn't matter how old you are you will find a knee problem very disturbing.

One thing that you need to know is that knee pain is usually brought about by not just one problem. There are many possible causes of knee pain. Sometimes it could just be one cause and other times it could be a combination of various things that lead to knee pain.

One very common cause of knee pain is Arthritis. This is simply irritation of the joints that leads to knee joint pain. There are many conditions of arthritis but the main one is osteoarthritis. This one brings about damage to the knee cartilage and as one grows older chances of getting this condition also increase. The treatment of the condition is totally dependent on its cause and the type of arthritis that one has.

Gout which usually tends to develop because of the joints getting filled with uric acid is a leading cause of knee pain. This substance can be accumulated over time. The condition could cause attacks that might end up lasting several days and then vanish while others suffer worse problems. At times knee pain is brought about by Baker cyst. This tends to happen mainly when a fluid accumulates.

At certain moments the inner parts of the knee begin to calcify and this leads to Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome. Using ice packs, resting enough and using corticosteroids will help lessen the knee joint pain.

Chondromalacia is usually found among young females. When this happens using ani-inflammatory medications offers a solution to the symptoms of the problem. Also in some cases the use of physical therapy could help to improve the quality of the quadriceps muscles.

For such a problem ice will relieve you of the knee joint pain. It is extremely critical for anyone dealing with the pain to engage in as much physical activity as they can in order to develop their thigh muscles better.

Once the joint or bone get infected it could lead to some terrible knee joint pain. This is particularly rare but when it occurs the pain is simply unbearable. It is usually followed by extreme heat on the area that is affected, chills and plenty of fever. Just like with most infections the use of antibiotics will solve this problem.

There are instances when a tumor is developed within the knee. This can lead to knee joint pain too and could also lead to ambulatory issues. Most times, the remedy for this is surgery so that the tumor can be eliminated. Sometimes, amputation could actually be the only possible and logical remedy to this condition.

The snake crossed my horse path, next thing I was flying in the air heating the ground real bad. The first thing I felt was a sharp pain in my left knee. It felt like my knee had been torn apart. I could not walk let alone ride my horse. I was really terrified that I will not be able to ride again. Naturally I turned to classic medical treatment to cure my sour knee but they failed to fix it. To cut a long story short I have manage eventually to find the cure by my self and I want to share it with you.

The first thing I thought post the accident was: OK, I have a decent medical care insurance I will get my knee fixed in no time. I have scheduled a date for preliminary exploratory surgery. When I woke up my knee hearts even more, but the worst was still to come. My doctor told me that the damage to my knee is irreversible and that I will never be able to ride horses again. Moreover, I had to wear supporting device for the rest of my life.

For the first time in my life I felt defeated. If the best medical treatment could not cure my knee I will probably have to stay cripple for the rest of my life. These were the worst days of my life: I could hardly walk, and could not dance or ride my horse. Then one day we went to visit an old friend just to find that his wife happened to be physician therapist. Once I have told her my sad story she said that I will walk normally again and more important ride my horse again.

She has really inspired me not to give up and to try a different way then the classical medical way of thinking. In the next couple of weeks I have learned that by exercising correctly I could reverse my knee condition. This was holistic exercise technique called Pilates. An amazing program that I could easily squeeze into my tide daily scheduled. These are some basic exercise with two main aims: first to strengthen the mussels related to my knee movements and the second one is to make my knee more elastic.

That really helped my. Today, my knee is very strong and my supporting mussels are stronger and can naturally support it. I have got rid of the knee supporting device and went back to my normal life. With one exception: continue to exercise every day.

I will never forget the first time I have climbed on the back of my beloved horse. I was actually shivering from excitement. When I felt calm again I rode all the way to my friend's house to let his wife be proud of what she has done for me.

Have you ever thought about associating knee pain and joint pain with how much water you drink on a hot summer day? Dehydration can be the cause of many of the reasons we feel really bad on a hot summer day, or any other day, for that matter. The human body is made up of 60-80% water. If we just think about it, when we deplete our body of large amounts of water - which is the basis of life - changes in the body will happen in order to compensate for the loss of water in the body. And one of these compensating effects is that it can actually cause pain to be much worse, and become chronic pain in some individuals, than it would have ordinarily been if you had been drinking plenty of water.

You should consume, on a daily basis, half your body weight in ounces of water. This is a greater amount than we hear of every day, but if your body is losing water through sweating or other means, then greater amounts of water must be consumed to keep our body functioning properly. Taking sea salt will help the body maintain the water in the body longer, as well. One of the side effects of too little water in the body on a hot summer day is body cramps. When we have cramps, our body is trying to send us a message.

Stretching and exercise are important to maintaining our overall health and well-being, especially our muscles and joints. Stretching makes that particular part of the body more limber, brings more blood and oxygen to the area and can help reduce the amount of pain you feel. Exercise strengthens the ligaments, tendons and tissues in and around the joints. Having stronger, more active joints will greatly reduce the amount of joint injuries that you have. You may not miss some of these pains, but that is because you minimized the risk and the injury never happened.

Another important thing we can do to reduce knee pain and joint pain is to take a nutrient that will strengthen and lubricate the joints. You can reduce joint injuries and reduce and even totally eliminate the knee pain or joint pain after it occurs. After the age of 30, research shows that our bodies produce dramatically reduced amounts of collagen and HA. This leads to rapid aging and deterioration, loss of elasticity and moisture, inflammation, and joint pain. We need to provide valuable nutrition for our tissue and joint health every day.

Think of your body and joints this way: You take your automobile to the auto shop to have the oil changed and the joints lubricated periodically so they will give you maintenance free service for many years to come. Right? Do you think more of your automobile than you do of your body?

Cold therapy is a highly effective pain management and recovery accelerant for post-operative care. Cold therapy is particularly effective on post-operative knee joint rehabilitation. Best of all, it is a low-cost, high-efficiency, non-pharmaceutical rehabilitation tactic, making it an appropriate addition to just about every post-operative patient's rehabilitation strategy.

How does cool therapy work?
Cool therapy is effective in post-operative rehabilitation for a variety of reasons including:

• Decreases fluid buildup which is a significant contributor to post-operative swelling in the injured body part.


• Causes blood vessels to narrow, slowing blood flow to the injured part as well as the release of chemicals that cause pain and inflammation.


• Decreases pain by reducing the ability of the nerve endings to conduct impulses.


• Limits the muscle's ability to maintain contraction, thus reducing muscle spasm, which can be quite painful during post-operative recovery.

Both the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health recognize that cool therapy is particularly effective at alleviating pain. A German study applied continuous cold therapy with a cool therapy system in the post-operative treatment for knee ligament surgery. 80% of the knee joint patients reported no or low pain, whereas the control group noted considerable or violent pain. Likewise the study found that cool therapy lead to significantly lower swelling, which aided in quicker recovery.

For reasons such as these, cold therapy is frequently prescribed throughout the duration of post-operative rehabilitation. In many cases, cold therapy should be applied alongside compression as it can also aid in reducing swelling. In these instances it is important to select a therapy system that also provides a degree of compression. With the right cold therapy unit, cold can penetrate deep into the joint. In turn, the unit provides lasting pain relief throughout the recovery.

Why is motorized cool therapy better than traditional cold packs?
Cold packs are adequate for slight injuries, such as mildly sprains, but they are not appropriate for more significant injuries and post-operative care. An ice pack administers inconsistent temperature over a small space. Intense cold lasts for a short period of time, but the packs quickly warms against the skin, requiring multiple trips to the freezer.

A quality cold therapy system on the other hand, will deliver a motorized flow of consistent temperature through circulation pads that are specifically designed for different body parts and applications. This ensures that temperatures stay within the effective range, that the cold is applied to the correct area with the correct pressure so that it can penetrate deep into the joint, and the cold therapy session can occur for a longer period of time in accordance with the physician's prescribed treatment protocol. Depending on the type of unit you select, you should be able to administer anywhere between 6 and 11 hours of consistent cold therapy per ice change.

Whether you are an athlete, or you are just an active person, burning knee pain can ruin everything. You may be wondering how to address this pain without sleeping with a bottle of pain killers next to you. If you want to take a fresh look at how to face your knee pain, then read on...

When you suffer from burning knee pain, it can obviously keep you from enjoying simple daily activities. If you've ever experienced burning knee joints, you know how excruciating the pain can be. It's as if someone lit a fire under your patella.

So what should you do? Stop exercising? Stop living your life? Take a lot of pain medication on a routine basis? How about costly, long-lasting sessions of therapy? Or maybe an invasive surgical procedure is the only cure?

Face it: none of these options are pleasant, and while more extensive treatment may be necessary in the long run, there is something you can do in the meantime to help douse the fire: Wear a knee brace.

While only a qualified medical specialist can determine the cause of burning knee joints, in most cases, knee braces may help reduce the pain and add needed stability.

The burning joint pain that you feel in your knee is caused by inflammation. The burning knee pain you have can come from several different knee conditions. For instance wear and tear on the disc-like cartilage within the knee (otherwise known as the Meniscus), often causes inflammation, resulting in burning knee joints. Also, overuse can cause inflammation, as can arthritis, bursitis or a ligament tear. The inflammation is exacerbated by using the knee, and the more the knee is used, the more prominent the burning sensation becomes.

Consequently, any one of these and many other conditions can result in the symptom of burning knee joints.

A knee support is designed to easily fit on your leg, without being bulky, and can help support you while also allowing mobility. In this way, by helping to provide extra support to the joint itself, the brace helps to reduce stress on the joint when the knee is in use. The reduction of stress in turn helps to reduce the inflammation, and thus reduce the burning sensation. Therefore, with proper use, a knee brace may help you perform daily activities and partake in sports without being sidelined by burning knee joints.

This, of course is good news. But you may be thinking that you will have to save a ton of money to buy a well designed knee support. The even better news, therefore, is that in most cases, the knee brace you use does not have to be custom made!

There are many types and styles of knee braces available, each designed to fit your knee comfortably. This means that not only are knee braces readily available, but they are also more affordable since they do not have to be custom made.