Knee Arthritis|Knock Knees|Virtual Knee Surgery

1.) Collateral Ligaments

The collateral ligaments stabilize your knee when you are making a side to side movement. When they have suffered a tear, it is usually because you have been struck from the side. For instance, football players, who get tackled from the side, are at a high risk of suffering from collateral ligament damage. The pain usually originates from the side of your knee, and will be tender to the touch. Swelling, pain and a weakness in the knee joint are common symptoms of collateral ligament damage.

There are three grades of collateral ligament damage. They are:

Grade 1

Grade 1 is a minor stretching of the ligament, and can be classified as a sprain.

Grade 2

The ligament is partially torn

Grade 3

The ligament has been completely torn

2.) Mechanism of Injury

Stepping in a hole, being hit while your foot is firmly planted on the ground or twisting your foot sharply to the side can all lead to collateral ligament damage. There are a number of things you can do to treat collateral ligament damage, and in some cases, you can help treat it yourself (speak with your physician about definitive treatment methods).

The first thing you must do is rest the knee. Do not engage in any activity that aggravates or strains your knee. Elevate it when possible, and apply ice to the area frequently. Ice will hasten the healing process, and bring down the swelling and inflammation that are the root of the problem.

3.) Knee Braces For Support

Bracing is also an effective means of helping to treat collateral ligament damage. A knee brace helps provide stability to the knee, which will help promote healing. It also can provide gentle compression to the area, and this has been know to stimulate nerve fibres, which makes the area feel better. It is similar to when you stub your finger. When you stub your finger, your first reaction is to grab hold of it, which makes you feel better. A knee brace will do this for your knee.

Often times people will refer to these knee braces as a football knee brace, basketball knee brace, or a running knee brace. Yes, you can use a knee brace for these sports, but it is wise to help concentrate on the injury level first and then the sport.

You can prevent collateral ligament damage by warming up before you do anything strenuous. You should also stretch properly. If the pain persists, you should consult a physician to make sure that there is not something else wrong with your knee.

If you are suffering from joint pain or arthritis, then you must be eager to seek about joint pain cure. If fact, the best way to overcome joint pain is simply, exercising regularly. However, there are people who still insist on excusing themselves from exercise routines as they claimed that they do not have time for exercises or that they simply have less energy than before to exercise. Well, these are all just lame excuses. If you are having pain in your joint and you are looking for ways to overcome joint pain, then it is time to start getting rid of those pains with regular exercising. Let us look at 3 ways to help you with your condition.

A good way is to walk. Take a good long walk at least three times a week or do a step-aerobics or low-impact exercise routine. All these can provide your exercise with maximum results. There is no proof that running is bad for the joints. But you need to remember that it may aggravate a joint pain injury if you already have one. Always remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

One of the most important ways anyone can take to prevent joint pain at the knee is to lose weight if you are overweight. Extra weight puts extra stress on your knees. For example, if you are already 10 pounds overweight, then you are putting 60 pounds per square inch of extra pressure on your knees every time you take one step. Ouch! That extra pressure you put on your joint can slowly but definitely erode the cartilage in your knees, leading to arthritis joint pain.

Another way is to do muscle stretching. However, you should not do bouncing when doing stretching, as this can lead to a muscle pull. So what kinds of muscle stretching can you do? You can try this. Try to hold a slow, steady stretch exercise for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat this. It is best to flex up by stretching before any exercise, especially running and walking. It is also a good idea on another hand to stretch each day. Ask your doctor to teach you the correct way of stretches that focus on potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or the lower back.

Just keep in mind that exercise is not only good for your joint pain, it is good for your health too. Hence, start exercising now!

Knee Pain is one of the most common kinds of pain, experienced by most people. In order to have the right treatment, a careful diagnosis must be initiated to determine where the problem is.

Causes of Knee Pain

A number of factors contribute to pain in the knees. It could be a trauma suffered during sports, a pain that comes and goes and eventually became chronic. Poor alignment or form is another very common reason that could easily lead to muscle imbalances. Improper walking or running gait creates stress and tension or overuse injuries like runner's knee, a result of continuous long distance running over time.

What Happens During Knee Pain?

Knee pain can be identified particularly by patello-femoral syndrome or pain experienced around the kneecap or patella. Bad positioning and sudden movements by the kneecap can lead to pain in the thigh bone during knee flexion or extension. This particular movement may lead to injury in the cartilage and tissues that surrounds and hold the kneecap.

It is not unusual that the patella is sitting in groove and facing forward between the condoyle of the thigh bone. During a patello-femoral condition, the knee cap is pulled side way from the normal groove, causing tension over the thigh bone and supporting structures, resulting in pain.

When the knee cap is pulled too far, it may lead to dislocation. Problems in the positioning and abnormal movements of the knee cap are usually caused by genetically determined leg structural alignment and imbalances in muscle development.

Pilates Remedy To Knee Pain Relief

Pilates knee pain relief exercises is highly recommended by medical doctors and physical therapists in treating various knee-related injuries including torn meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a common injury for athletes.

Specific knee pilates exercises teaches you how to align your knee during gait, when seated, running or standing. It improves the knee's range of motion, leading to improve flexibility, balance, and strength in the knees. These exercise routines allows for a gradual improvement over time, challenging the knee from its de-conditioned position to a stronger joint that is confident of being able to handle load with good form and posture.

Pilates Knee Pain Exercises

Check out the following Pilates Knee Pain Exercises.

1. Knee Cap Pull

- On a mat with the both legs extended.

- Slowly, draw up one knee cap.

- Do this without pressing the back of leg into the floor.

- Feel the muscles hug the knee joint.

- Tighten the muscles around the knee cap slowly.

- Do each side for 8-10 times.

- Repeat the other leg.

- Finally, repeat with both legs together.

2. Leg Lift (Point & Flex)

- Do as above.

- Draw up knee cap and tighten the muscles around the knee joint.

- Keep the muscles engaged and pull toes towards knee.

- Back of heel should be lifted up at this point.

- Pull toes towards knee and point away slowly. Flex and point toes.

- Do these, without dropping back of heel into the floor.

- Keep back of knees softly floating with some space.

- Do not flatten knees all the way back.

- Do each side for 8-10 times.

- Repeat the other leg.

- Finally, repeat with both legs together.

3. Leg Lift (Ankle Circle)

- As above.

- Keep knees engaged, thighs working.

- Keep breath free, breathing in and out.

- Circle ankle without moving knee cap.

- If knee cap starts to move, slow down the movement.

- Re-engage the thighs before starting ankle circle again.

- Circle clock wise 5 times.

- Repeat anti-clockwise.

- Repeat the other leg.

- Finally, repeat with both legs together.

Winter is a long and dreaded season for most of us because it brings severe joint and body aches that make us cringe in pain. Heavy snow and freezing temperatures tend to cause various cold-related painful conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, sinusitis, carpel tunnel syndrome or knee joint pain that can directly affect your daily activities. Considering effective pain management is necessary to cope with such conditions. Holistic medicine is one of the most worthwhile pain management techniques that can help cure winter aches and pains. Here is how holistic medicine can deal with annoying body aches during low temperature.

What causes Muscles Stiffness in Winter?

The major cause of winter-related joint pain is insufficient hydration level that leads to contracted muscles and disturbed muscle tone. It is advised to stay hydrated to prevent any muscle cramps, soreness or lethargy. Moreover, the sedentary and less active lifestyle during the winter season also tends to make the joints, tendons and muscles to stiffen up, making winter aches worse. Keeping your body warm and active in the winter will not stiffen up or hurt your joints. In addition, you can also choose holistic medicine that will help you deal with annoying winter pains.

Massage Therapy for Relieving Body Aches

Massage therapy is the most effective type of holistic medicine that keeps your muscles and joints warm and flexible, helping you to enjoy the winter season without any fear of pain. A massage therapist provides a variety of massage therapy techniques to increase joint mobility and flexibility, muscle strength, decrease soreness, stiffness and inflammation and promote blood flow. A massage practitioner provides gentle hand movements to the affected body parts which help relieve pain and facilitate joint movement.

Physical Therapy for Pain Management

It is another effective way to get rid of muscles and joint pain during winter season and keep your body more flexible and healthy. Physical therapy comprises of certain manipulative techniques that effectively reduce variety of health conditions such as neck and back pain, headaches, migraine, asthma and various other conditions. A physical therapist provides gentle, small and passive body movements to release muscle tension and spasm, facilitate joint movement, promote relaxation and improve overall bodily functions.

Gentle Joint Mobilization Techniques for Increasing Joint Mobility

The less active lifestyle during winter season cause muscle stiffness and joint immobility. Therefore, considering joint mobilization technique is undoubtedly a sensible choice in this regard. In gentle joint mobilization technique certain stretching and strengthening exercises are performed to restore body movements and improve range of body motions. This significant type of holistic medicine can help reduce pain and release muscle tension from areas such as neck, head, ankles, spines, ribs and neck. It is especially effective for managing arthritic joint pain, improving joint mobility and function and reducing pain in affected body areas.

If truth be told, using holistic healing techniques for pain management will definitely keep winter-related body aches and joint pains at bay. Holistic medicine is comprised of a variety of pain management techniques that help you address specific conditions that are provoked by freezing temperatures every year.

The knee is the largest joint on the human body, and it is also the most used joint. Your knees take a pounding throughout your lifetime, and almost everyone suffers from a sprained or strained knee at some point in their lives.

Whether you fall awkwardly or jar your knee, spraining or straining the knee joint is a common occurrence. - We will talk about some of the symptoms of knee sprains and strains, and also how you can help avoid them with the use of a knee brace.

A sprain is a stretching of the ligaments that join your bones together. They can be painful, and depending on the severity, they can also be debilitating. If you suffer from a second or third degree sprain, which is a tearing of the ligaments as opposed to just stretching them, you can lose your mobility altogether. Sprains can take weeks to heal, and in some cases, physical therapy is needed to gain back all of the movement you had before you suffered a sprained knee. If the knee sprain is severe enough, you may have to undergo surgery to correct the problem.

Some symptoms of a knee sprain or strain include:

Swelling

Loss of mobility in the knee joint

A grating sound

Numbness

Pain

A bulge that was not there before

If you are a sports enthusiast, there is no need to quit sports in order to prevent a knee sprain from occurring. Instead, you could simply try wearing a knee brace. Nothing is perfect, but a well designed knee brace can definitely help! People will often times think that there is a certain knee brace called a "football knee brace" or a "basketball knee brace", but these are just the sports that people can use knee braces for. The truth is that many different knee braces can be used when participating in these sports.

For example, if you need A sports knee brace should be used in conjunction with the injury that you have, or one you are trying to prevent. Knee braces can help to support the knee, and prevent injuries from occurring. They are fairly inexpensive, if you go to the right provider, and they can be found online. (One tip for finding a good vendor is that you should see if they have brace credentials, and are not just online salesmen.)

Weight lifters also use knee braces quite a bit. It only makes sense, really, since they are asking their bodies to lift an above average amount of weight. With almost any exercise that weight has to be carried, a knee brace can be a logical conclusion.

Everyone has that childhood dream they have always wanted to accomplish when they grew up; some dreamed of being firemen rescuing damsels in distress, others wanted to opt for sport-related activities mirroring large stars like Kobe Bryant, or Wayne Gretsky. For me, I had always wanted to be a dancer waltzing on the stage, awing the audience with my superior flexibility and dance steps, and becoming a star featured on every magazine, appearing on TV shows, and signing contracts.

Honestly, it sounded like an amazing dream in my imagination. I'm sure you've experienced it when your imagination runs wild. I didn't give up on my dream though as I grew up; instead, I began to actively pursue it. That's when it all started to happen.

I would experience exceptionally painful posterior knee pain when rehearsing my dance routine. It felt as if no matter how much talent I had, the posterior knee pain would win over at the end as it began to interfere with my abilities to dance.

Every dance step ended with spurts of pain running across the back of my knee, and what it felt like was my knee cap was about to deteriorate and explode. I felt so embarrassed having to take breaks every few minutes, and the knee pain became exceptionally hard to deal with.

The posterior area of my knee would constantly feel swollen, and as if every single one of my tendons and knee muscles had been strained. It wasn't helping my dream as no one wants to see someone hop around on stage without any ability and no expression other than pain I would be the Biggest joke on stage!

After chugging down pain pills to ease the pain that was running down my knee one day during rehearsal, I realized that constantly consuming pain medications wasn't going to be a permanent solution to the strain on my knees. No matter how much I wanted to perform, the posterior knee pain would eventually catch up to me.

I had to other choice, so I went to a physiotherapist who specialized in treating dancers. I'm not particularly fond of physicians or having someone examine my knee, but after all my training, I just wasn't about to throw in the towel until I had exhausted all of my resources.

After being interrogated by my physiotherapist, I learned that the posterior knee pain I was experiencing was the result of strenuous dancing without properly stretching and resting. Boy was I embarrassed.

In my haste to master the dance steps, I neglected to properly do knee stretches. I figured dancing in itself would be enough stretching, but it obviously wasn't enough stretching for my knee. Strengthening knee and hip muscles are critical in preventing injuries, and stretching the quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip muscles will actually ease the majority of the posterior knee pain by strengthening the tendons and muscles for the intense exercise to come. Stretching your knees actually helps to encourage the muscles to elongate; thus, reducing the strain on my knees when I begin rehearsing.

Also, I had failed to properly allow my knees to rest; I was always short on time with my family, and I was always pushing the limits that my knee could handle. Turns out, I didn't listen to my knees enough. When it began to hurt after rehearsal, it was a crucial sign telling me to allow my knees to rest. I didn't,which led to three exceptionally painful months.

I learned that it is important not to push your limits; instead, let your knees rest until they stop hurting. Accumulation of stresses can actually cause the majority of posterior knee pain.

At the end, I ended up having to rest for a month to heal my knees! Now, that's a lot of time to be resting. On top of that, I had to do proper stretches daily in order to strengthen the muscles that I had strained. It took a lot of time before I could finally perform and rehearse again!

Are you using the handrail more and more often when you go down the stairs. Are your knees failing you?

More people are now seeing their doctors because of painful joints, muscles and tendons than for the common cold, and the knee joint is responsible for over 20 million doctor visits each year in the US alone. Your knee plays a major role in the chain of weight bearing in the leg. It has to respond to ground forces from below and the load of your body from above. It is a relatively simple joint, but it has to be ready to quickly react to force from the ground while balancing the load of the rest of the body at the same time. Your knee is at the mercy of what's going on in the joints directly above and below: the hip, pelvis, ankle and foot.

Although there are many reasons for knee pain (arthritis, meniscus and ligament damage for example), long term relief of knee pain has to start with an assessment of your whole structure. This assessment begins with your feet to see how they influence the alignment and forces at the knee. Any joint is only as good as its structure, and poor alignment in the feet and ankles has a negative influence on the knee, creating muscle imbalances and eventually pain and stiffness.

The hip joint also has a similar affect on the knee - poor mechanics and muscle imbalances in the hip creates problems for the knee. And because the socket of the hip joint is formed by the pelvis, it has to be aligned correctly too. In fact, when doing a full assessment of the knee, the whole body must be evaluated, since any structural imbalances in the body can affect the knee's ability to function.

The good news is that a well balanced Pilates-based Physical Therapy program addresses the whole body. Pilates is a recent addition to many Physical Therapy programs and is rapidly growing in popularity throughout the world. Combining Pilates with Physical Therapy will improve your body awareness, alignment, strength, flexibility and balance. You'll learn how to move with more efficiency and less pain.

At first, new and balanced movement habits feel weird and unfamiliar because they're foreign to your nervous system. Working with a skilled Pilates trained Physical Therapist will help you understand your own unique postural and movement habits and help you practice correct patterns effectively.

Here are a couple of things you can do right now to find out how your knees stack up:

1. Stand in shorts, barefoot in front of a full length mirror and look at your leg alignment. What do you see? Are there any funny angles between your hips and your knees? What about your feet? Do you have an arch on the inside of your foot? Can you see that your whole leg influences the alignment of your knee? This includes the alignment of your pelvis, since the pelvis is the top of your hip joint. Be aware that when you do any exercise "for your knees", you must also consider the rest of your body, especially the foot, ankle and hip.

2. While standing, imagine a line going through the center of your leg from your hip joint, through the center of your thigh, your knee joint, the center of your lower leg, ankle and out the 2nd toe. This is the ideal alignment for your leg. A word about your hip joint: did you know that your "hips" are not the wide bones of your pelvis, but the place where you crease when you bend your knee towards your chest? This is where your heel should line up when your foot hits the ground when walking. The hip joint itself is really quite narrow - about the same distance apart as your sits bones in the back.

3. When you stand, walk and exercise, the alignment of your whole leg affects which muscles you use to move. And the way you use your muscles strongly influences your alignment. Be very aware of keeping correct alignment from your pelvis to your foot - hip to 2nd toe - so that you create good balance around your knees. If you do exercises like squats and leg press, do you pay attention to your leg alignment? Your knee program will be far more effective if you do. Remember that pain is your body's way of telling you that something's not right, so if you can't modify your position to relieve the pain, skip the exercise. Remember also that not every "recommended" knee exercise is right for every knee - you need to find out what's right for your knees.

The point is that your knee pain is usually just a result of the alignment you set up from the ground (you feet and ankles) and the load you put on them from above (your hips, pelvis and trunk). Figure out how to de-stress your knee joints by changing your whole-body alignment and your knee pain and stiffness will resolve.

If you have knee pain and want to find out how to get relief, see a Pilates trained Physical Therapist who will assess your whole body, rather than looking only at your knees. A Pilates exercise program, with a home routine, is a great way to reduce pain and stiffness in your knees, and a 2nd pair of experienced eyes will help you sort out your unique imbalances. Then you'll know exactly what to do for YOUR knees.

How do you find a Pilates trained Physical Therapist? Many PT clinics now offer Pilates, and many Pilates centers employee Physical Therapists. Check your local PT clinics and Pilates centers. And make sure that your practitioner has completed a comprehensive Pilates training program.

Copyright © Park Meadows Pilates 2008

This article gives the reader a basic knowledge of the knee structure. Points covered will be different ligaments and cartilage that interact to enable correct function of the knee. The treatment and causes of housemaids knee (bursitis) will also be described. Pharmaceuticals can be used to reduce pain and inflammation. These can range from the fairly mild paracetamol to the strong opoids such as morphine. Herbal remedies tend to work on inflammation. The reduction of inflammation itself can often reduce pain levels. This article aims to help the reader suffering knee problems to be able to make considered choices in their treatment.

Basic Structure Of The Knee.

The knee consists of four bones, namely the femur, tibia, the fibula and the patella. The knee joint is located between the femur and tibia and is traditionally classed as a hinge joint, having movement in only plane. This means that the knee only bends or straightens. However, it is also classed as a ellipsoid joint because it does allow a small amount rotation of the lower leg. The patella (kneecap) is situated at the front of the knee. The femur has two ellipsoid surfaces and joins the fibia with the menisci (commonly known as cartilage) between. The fibula does not directly move with the femur but works on the lateral (outer) side of the tibia. There thirteen ligaments attached around the knee. These are patellar, patellar retinaculum, oblique popiliteal, arcuate popiteal, medial collateral, lateral collateral, anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate, coronary (2), transverse, and meniscofemoral (2). It is not in the remit of this article to describe in detail the function of all of these ligaments.

Housemaids Knee', A Common Cause Of Knee Pain.

Housemaids knee is a common name given to Bursitis. This occurs in the subcutaneous prepatellar bursa. This can, as the common name suggests, be caused by prolonged work performed on the knees. This type of bursitis can affect roofers, carpet layers, miners, plumbers amongst other groups who kneel for long periods. Bursitis may also cause another condition of slow accumulation of fluid in the knee commonly called 'water on the knee'.

Another cause of a swollen knee can be caused following an injury. If the swelling appears immediately after the injury the swelling is often an accumulation of blood within the joint called 'hemarthrosis'.

Treatment For Housemaids Knee Using Pharmaceutical Drugs.

There are many pain relief and anti-inflammatory medicines readily available. In this article some general ones will be described.

Paracetamol: Also called Acetaminophen. Paracetamol relieves pain and fever in adults and children. Its pain relief (analgesic) and fever relief (antipyretic) effects are similar to those of aspirin and it works in a similar way. Unlike aspirin, however, increasing the dose does not result in clinically useful anti-inflammatory activity. Paracetamol is therefore not of value for reducing inflammation in the treatment of bursitis (housemaids knee). The recommended adult single dose of paracetamol is two standard 500 mg tablets. Although paracetamol is widely available it should be treated with respect. An overdose to a healthy person of taking 30 tablets at once will result in liver damage and possible death.

Co-Codamol. Co-codamol contains a combination of two pain-killing ingredients paracetamol and codeine. It is used to stop pain. The amount of codeine in the combination determines the strength of the preparation. There are three different strengths of co-codamol available. Codeine/Paracetamol 8/500mg, 12.8/500mg, and 30/500mg. Common side effects are feeling sick, dry mouth and constipation amongst others.

Codeine Phosphate. Codeine phosphate is a pain killer. It comes in 3 tablet sizes, 15mg, 30mg, and 60mg. Common side effects include skin rash or itchy skin, difficulty breathing, increased sweating, redness or flushed face, constipation, feeling or being sick, dry mouth, a slow or fast heart rate, palpitations, low blood pressure, low blood pressure on standing, pain and difficulty in passing urine and a less frequent need to do so, dizziness, and blurred vision amongst others.

Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is in the group of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. Ibuprofen is used to reduce fever and treat pain or inflammation caused by many conditions such as bursitis (housemaids knee). Common side effects are an increase in asthma symptoms, increased risk of stomach ulcers, and damage to the intestines amongst others.

NaproxenNaproxen is a NSAID. It is used to reduce pain and inflammation in many conditions including knee pain. Common side effects include ringing in the ears, headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, heartburn, and constipation amongst others.

Voltarol. Also called Diclofenac Sodium is a NSAID. Voltarol is available in tablet form and a gel that is rubbed into the affected area. Voltarol is used in the treatment of many conditions including acute musculo-skeletal disorders such as periarthritis (for example frozen shoulder), tendinitis, tenosynovitis, bursitis. Some common side effects include nausea, constipation, vomiting, indigestion, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, skin rashes, drowsiness, depression, insomnia, fluid retention and ringing in the ears amongst others.

Treatment Of Housemaids Knee using Natural Methods.

Chondroitin Sulfate: Chondroitin Sulfate is also naturally found in the body. It prevents other body enzymes from degrading the building blocks of joint cartilage.

Devils Claw: Devils claw has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation and pain in such problems of arthritis and bursitis, during clinical trials. This should not be taken by people with stomach ulcers.

Glucosamine: Glucosamine is a form of amino sugar that our bodies naturally manufacture. It is considered one of the major building blocks for joint protection. It is usually found in conjunction with Chondroitin Sulfate, and is widely used to relieve pain and inflammation in such health problems of back ache, tennis elbow, and housemaids knee.

MSM: Is the shortened form of methylsulfonylmethane. MSM provides sulfur, which is a vital building block of joints, cartilage, skin, hair and nails. It also supports the production of energy. It helps normal re-building of connective tissue.

Turmeric: Turmeric has been shown in clinical studies to be as effective as some NSAIDs, without the unpleasant side effects. High doses of turmeric should not be taken if the user suffers intestinal problems.

White Willow Bark: The active ingredient in willow bark is salicin. Records show people have been using willow bark since the time of Hippocrates in 400 B.C. It is used to ease discomfort.

It appears that for mild bursitis natural remedies are well worth giving consideration. Pharmaceutical drugs are preferred for more severe pain but have many more unpleasant side effects.

Are you currently struggling with some knee pain issues?

People who have spent a lot of time on their knees are more prone to develop tender knee joints. This can also develop into prepatellar bursitis. Gardeners, tile setters, carpet layers and plumbers are among the groups of individuals predisposed to the risks of developing painful bursitis in their knees. The inflammation of the bursa is a result of extended periods of kneeling by the individual. This medical condition also leads to tender knee joints developed over periods of long work, climbing up stairs or as a result of rigorous workouts.

What is a Bursa?

The bursa is a fluid-filled sac that secretes fluid that lubricates the muscles and tendons. This allows for the maximal movement of the lower extremities. Among the four bursae located around the knee joint, the prepatellar brusa (between the skin and knee cap), is most likely to develop bursitis.

Caring For Your Knees, If You Suffer From Prepatellar Bursitis

The inflammation of the prepatellar bursae leading to bursitis may be caused by any of the following:

1.) Injury or Trauma - a serious fall or a blunt blow to the knee in high contact sports

2.) High Strain and Repetitive Use - commonly seen in certain professions such as carpet layers, tile setters, etc.

3.) Infection - the spread of pathogenic microorganisms affecting the bursae

4.) Gout - the production and accumulation of uric acid predisposes one to develop bursitis of the knee.

Uric acid crystals are accumulated in the tender knee joint causing inflammation.

Prepatellar Bursitis Symptoms

Several clinical signs indicative of possible prepatellar bursitis include redness and swelling over the knee. If the problem is caused by bacterial infection as a result of an injury, there can be an accompanying high fever and chronic joint pain.

Prepatellar Bursitis Maintenance

Care of the knees should be an important aspect of your daily routine. This is most essential for those individuals engaged in activities and recurring routines that are high on the list of major causes of prepatellar bursitis. The use of knee pads and knee sleeves that incorporate a pad could provide you with sufficient protection from this knee problem. If your are engaged in activities that require prolonged or repetitive kneeling, ask your doctor for medical advice.

Knee braces are also used by patients who are recovering from prepatellar bursitis. Though it is not the cure, it indirectly helps to promote healing and ease the pain caused by tender knee joints.

Knee tendonitis

The knee joint comprises not only bones but also several tendons and muscles. Under increased tension brought on by physical activity or trauma these tendons may become inflamed, torn or degraded. When this occurs it is said that one has knee tendonitis. It seem a classic case of dammed if you do dammed if you don't as active individuals are the ones most at risk due to the increased tension on the knee as a result of their active life style.

There are various types of knee tendonitis such as Patella tendonitis (Jumper's Knee), quadriceps tendonitis and Illiotibial band friction syndrome, the most common of which being Patella tendonitis. Patella tendonitis / jumper's knee occur as a result of excessive usage of the knee joint or increased tension brought on by physical activities such as running and jumping. Other contributory factors include aging, rheumatoid arthritis which is known to degrade cartilage and cause inflammation at multiple body joints.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary according to degree of inflammation and the particular tendons involved. The most common symptom is pain, the degree and frequency of pain indicates the severity of the problem. In mild cases the pain occurs before the undertaking of any physical activity. As the problem progresses pain will occur during activities such as running and brisk walking. The problem is most severe when pain is consistent and simple activities like kneeling or climbing stairs become quite intimidating. The other common symptom is swelling around the joint. If degradation of cartilage occurs then one may hear a grinding or popping sound when flexing the knee.

Treatment

Treatment of knee tendonitis is dependent on the severity of the problem. A physician will carry out certain physical examination to determine the severity of the problem and thus develop an ideal treatment plan. In some cases an MRI or an ultra sound may be required to properly diagnose the problem.

For individuals who experience mild cases of knee tendonitis treatment is pretty straight forward, it involves taking a break from activities that increases tension on the knee and the consumption of non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. In some cases the application the application of ice packs will do the same job as the anti-inflammatory medication. When symptoms no longer persist it is advised that one take up a squatting and stretching to strengthen quadriceps and calf muscles as this will help to reduce ones risk of a recurring problem.

In moderate cases it is advised that with the aforementioned treatment method one restrict the movement of the knee joint. If conditions persist then a steroidal injection might be required. In severe cases it is advised that one take an extensive break from sports related activities, at least 3 months in addition to the aforementioned treatment methods. If conditions persist then surgery though a last resort might be required.

While it is good to know about treating this problem it is even better to know how to stop it from recurring or even happening in the first place. Warming up before any physical activity goes a long way in reducing the risk of knee tendonitis, as it improves circulation and gets the body in a state to withstand high stress / tension activity. As previously mentioned regular stretching and squatting is also a useful preventative method. Also wearing proper footwear that offer some leg supports whilst may not be the most fashionable also helps.

Think about this...

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome used to be the top medical worry that office workers had to concern themselves with. But in recent years droves of long-hour office workers have started to complain about having really sore knee joints. In fact, the soreness in their joints has gotten so bad that they find it nearly impossible to focus on their work without feeling physical pain! This isn't surprising since most office workers are sitting with their knees bent for entire work days without movement at their desks.

It is estimated that four out of every five office workers will experience sore knee joints during their lifetime. Most office workers sit with their knees in a bent position that blocks or upsets blood flow, for no less than four hours at any given time between breaks. This can also lead to numbness, soreness and moderate to severe sore knee joints.

What Can You Do To Avoid Sore Knee Joints In The Office

Most offices realize that their employees do suffer from physical ailments and boredom while at work. This is why many offices have started to implement various physical suggestions in order to make their workers more productive. In fact, in some countries like Japan, they actually carry out entire on-the-job exercise sessions with their employees daily, in order to keep them physically fit and alert on the job.

One addition to most offices has been that of a phone head piece. This works like headphones and is hooked up to the workers telephone. This allows the worker to stand and move about their work area while still taking and carrying out business phone calls. It allows workers to continue doing their job, while at the same time stretching and moving their legs to avoid the effects of sore knee joints.

Physicians recommend that office workers who are confined to desks with little mobility for long lengths of time to actually stretch their legs out straight beneath their desk for at least 15 minutes on every hour. This allows blood flow to return to normal and will keep knees and joints from experiencing long-term pain.

So what happens when you are out of work? Does your knee pain always stay at the office? You know the answer to that one! - Many times if you have knee pain or instability problems, you will want to seriously consider getting a knee brace. These braces can help provide you with meaningful support and help to reduce your knee pain as a result. Many people can stop taking their pain medications for their knees, as a result of increased stability.

A final suggestion is for office workers not to sit at their desks on their breaks or to sit at all. In fact, it is better for individuals who are confined to their desks at their job to move and walk around on their breaks. This assists in alleviating sore knee joints and gets the blood and heart pumping, which will also make the person more mentally alert for when they return to their desk.

Sore knee joints can be overcome with simple movement, exercise, stretching, and the proper use of knee braces or sleeves.

Knee pain is a common problem amongst the sporting population. The causes of knee pain are split between traumatic injuries and those where pain develops gradually for no clear reason. Whilst the first type is less avoidable, the second, can in many cases be avoided, or at least stopped in its tracks, before the condition really takes hold.

Here is our list of the biggest training mistakes to contribute to knee pain:

1. Wearing Poor Footwear
This is one of the biggest contributing factors to knee pain. Firstly, make sure the footwear is cushioning. Most sports involve running and the repeated impacts place a lot of stress on the knees. Cushioning footwear or insoles can really help reduce this. Secondly, make sure you have enough arch support. It is very common to have either a fallen arch, or to overpronate. This causes an inward rotation on the shin bone which in turn affects the positioning and functioning of the knee joint! Get a gait analysis to ensure you are wearing suitable footwear for you and your sport!

2. Developing Muscle Imbalances
Muscle imbalances occur when one muscle group is strong and tight, and the opposing group is weak and long. This leads to an uneven pull on a joint. Around the knee, common examples include tight lateral quads and IT band, whilst the medial quads (and VMO in particular) are weak. This can lead to mal-tracking of the kneecap as the strong lateral muscles pull it outwards. Inadequate stretching and an inadequate strengthening programme contribute towards these developments.

3. Lack of Fitness
Research has shown that fatigue towards the end of a match or event contributes towards knee injuries, even traumatic injuries such as ligament and cartilage tears. This is due to reduced control of the joint by the fatigued muscles. Increased fitness training can help with this.

4. Too much Jumping / Plyometrics
Jumping sports such as Basketball are known to contribute to conditions such as patella tendonitis (aka jumper's knee). Whilst jumping is unavoidable during match play and such techniques and plays must be rehearsed, players and coaches should be aware of over-doing things. This is especially important when just starting the sport, or when moving up a level.

5. Running on Hard Surfaces
Always training on hard surfaces, especially concrete, can contribute to knee injuries. There is absolutely no give in these kinds of surfaces and so the shocks passed up through the feet and lower legs are much larger than when training on softer surfaces such as grass.

Please visit our knee pain page for more information on different knee injuries, their causes and treatment.

Almost any level of stress on the knee joint will affect the function of the kneecap (also known as the patella). Some tendons are more vulnerable than others to inflammation. The tendon that attaches to the kneecap often becomes inflamed as a result of repeated jumping in sports and related activities causing patella pain.

You may feel patella pain even while resting your knee. There may also be mild swelling in the affected area as well as stiffness and limitation of movement. Aerobic exercises will help you maintain a healthy weight taking pressure off your knee joints. The quadriceps is an important group of muscles that stretch along the front of your thigh and are connected to the kneecap through the patellar tendon.

When the kneecap slips slightly out of position you will probably feel pain or swelling and have difficulty in straightening your knee due to patella pain. This is a sharp sensation of pain which some describe as 'stabbing pain'.

The tendons frequently become inflamed as a result of being put under repeated or excessive strain and you will experience pain around the kneecap particularly while exercising. When there is stress on the joint between the kneecap and thigh bone the cartilage between the bones softens. This is another cause of patella pain and stiffness. Sometimes this is accompanied by a clicking sensation when you bend or straighten your knee. Very often the pain resolves with rest.

If you experience patella pain while performing physical actions as a part of your work, an occupational therapist will work closely with you to evaluate your personal needs. The length of treatment varies but the course will begin with a thorough assessment of your movements at work. The therapist will try to find out the particular sets of movements that could cause pain and devise an alternate sequence of motions so that future issues could be avoided.

Rest and anti inflammatory drugs are generally recommended by medical practitioners to reduce patella pain. Physiotherapists also may recommend exercises to build up the strength of the quadriceps muscles so that recurrences of this kind of pain can be avoided. This should improve the balance and functioning of your kneecap.

Surgery may be recommended by the medical practitioner if other medical interventions fail to provide long term relief. The surgery will focus on repairing the tissues and providing support to the muscle groups so that the patient is free from patella pain.

Joint Supplements - The Inside Scoop

Let's take a brief look at the current science of supplementation for joint pain, including my own clinical experience, and then we'll go over the bigger picture of body inflammation, hydration, and some neuro-structural considerations. Of course, this information is not a substitute for seeing your healthcare practitioner, but will help you make more informed decisions in choosing with joint supplementation for joint pain.

Joint Supplement Science

There are a handful of controlled, double-blind studies on glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and Boswellia. The problem is that the vast majority are for osteoarthritis, which is a very advanced and difficult to treat form of joint damage. They also never exclude NSAID use (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and NSAIDs inhibit cartilage repair.

With any sort of inflammatory disorder, the supplement with the greatest quantity and quality of science behind it, by far, is fish oil. EVERYONE should supplement with fish oil.

Joint Pain Supplementation - Clinical Observations- Joint Supplement Reviews:

I have about twenty-five years of clinical experience with the various supplementation schemes for joint issues. Here are my observations:

Chondroitin and Glucosamine: These popular sulfur-bearing, biological polymer building-blocks rarely give good results and I have seen allergic reactions to them all too often. This is likely due to their high sulfite content, and the fact that most are derived from shellfish. I never recommend these as a joint supplement anymore.

Boswellia: Derived from an east Indian tree yielding a resin used medicinally as an anti-inflammatory, this joint supplement works well for some people, but is definitely hard on the gut. Many people experience an intolerance in the gut when taking Boswellia. This joint supplement is a less strong cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor and seems to have a similar action as do the NSAIDs, that is, it's an anti-inflammatory but doesn't seem to help joint-rebuilding directly.

Kaprex^TM: An extract of hops, rosemary and olive leaf that works well for some people but not others. I believe this to be due to variations in the underlying cause. If your joint problems are due to an underlying pro - inflammatory state, then Kaprex works great. I have not seen any gut problems with Kaprex, but it is an expensive joint supplement.

Aloe Vera: The allantoin in Aloe has been shown to increase cell turnover. This can be helpful to speed up cartilage repair, and Aloe has a long clinical history of use as a joint supplement.

Runner's Edge^TM: An antioxidant enzyme supplement that will clear "grit" out of joint fluid if you give it time.

Wobenzyme^TM: The original proteolytic enzyme anti- inflammatory joint supplement with a lot of science behind it. The proteolytic enzymes break down the protein signaling molecules to mitigate the inflammatory cascade process.

Acute^TM: A very effective proteolytic enzyme joint supplement. This one also has other ingredients besides the enzymes to promote effective healing. A great alternative to NSAIDS without any liver or kidney toxicity, and in my experience, more effective than Wobenzyme. This effective joint enhancer also contains natural vitamin C, Zinc, Manganese, and Copper; known essential nutrients for collagen repair and the best vitamins for joint repair.

Vitamin D: Best from the sun, essential for normal immune function, can be very helpful to reduce immune over-activity.

Hyaluronic Acid: Pulls moisture into the tissues. Best from food, including most whole fruits and vegetables, especially starchy root vegetables, help the body to retain moisture and assist the body in its own lubrication; like- wise, stock prepared from bones and joints of wild or humanely-raised animals. This is also good taken as a supplement.

Methy Sulfonyl Methane (MSM): This is basically a highly-bioavailable form of sulfur- and my favorite supplement for joint pain. About 80% of people who use it notice a positive improvement. Easy to use-just buy it in bulk and mix it with water. Inexpensive too, but don't bother with the Chinese-sourced stuff; it's not worth it. If you aren't low in sulfur, MSM may not help. People who respond to chondroitin/glucosamine typically respond even better to MSM by itself. If you are low in bioavailable sulfur, it will soften up and hydrate scarred- up and thickened connective tissue and improve cartilage repair rates, providing increased flexibility and effective relief.

The Pro-inflammatory State and Joint Pain

Sometimes the joint is just where the inflammation is being expressed. Whether you have elbow joint pain, hand joint pain, or hip joint pain, this may indicate that you have pro-inflammatory metabolic state in your body. A diet high in Omega-6 fatty acids and refined carbohydrates and/or excessive calories are all associated with a pro-inflammatory balance. Spicy food can increase inflammation as well. Some other factors that promote inflammation in the body include food allergies, impaired metabolic detoxification pathways, acidity (from high-acid foods and beverages, stress, and inactivity), and chronic infections.

Hydration

You need both general hydration (drinking and absorbing water) and local hydration, that is, getting fluids inside the cartilage itself. There are two known ways to accomplish this. One is through hyaluronic acid since it pulls moisture into the tissues. As mentioned, the best food-source known for hyaluronic acid is any soup stock made from bones (also available as a supplement). The second factor is the mechanical action of the joint.

Hyaline Cartilage

Joint cartilage, known as Hyaline cartilage is like a very smooth and slippery sponge. Like all connective tissue it consists of living cells within a non-living matrix.

If you look through a microscope, the cartilage-building cells (called chondrocytes) in this matrix have a little space like a pool that they live in called lacunae. It's important to note that hyaline cartilage contains no blood vessels! The only way those cells get the oxygen, blood sugar and nutrients they need to survive and thrive is to absorb the joint fluid directly through movement.

This is called imbibition-the direct drinking in of water. When you put weight on your knee, it compresses the cartilage "sponge" and squeezes water and waste mate- rial out. When you pick up your leg, it de-compresses the "sponge" allowing it to absorb water and nutrients again. This is essential for the normal nightly burst of cartilage repair in the body essential for healthy joint function.

Neuro-Structural Integrity

If your knee is misaligned, it can be compressed in one area and not another. This spot will have accelerated cartilage wear, and reduced repair, because it is not decompressing and getting the imbibition it needs.

Often knee alignment is secondary to hip and low-back alignment, which is secondary to neck alignment. If your neck is missing its natural curve, that puts tensile stretching forces on the spinal cord, which increases nerve tension throughout the body. Since nerves cross joints and the spinal cord contains more important tissue than a knee, the body will compress the knee trying to reduce the pulling on the spinal cord. In this case, the entire knee may not effectively decompress at all. If this is the case, a joint supplement will have little effect.

It may sound strange that having a good chiropractor work on your neck and spine can improve your knee pain, but time and time again I hear my clients tell me how much better their knees feel after a few sessions.

So if you have aching joints, experiment with the above joint supplements with the assistance of your practitioner, and be aware of other factors, like the overall tendency to inflammation in the body. Drink plenty of water and take a close look at the possibility of any loss of neuro-structural integrity. So what is the best joint supplement? The joint supplement that works best for you!

The human "second gear" is perhaps the most natural, simple, and effective form of exercise for our species. Walking, of course, is an excellent way to improve heart, respiratory, joint, muscular, and digestive health. Running simply pushes this benefit to a higher level. The whole body clicks into overdrive: it is the flight response used for centuries by our ancestors. Add some adrenaline to our run, and we leave our pursuers in a cloud of dust. These days, we mostly have a "personal best time" as our adversary. Yet we must also be careful; other adversaries exist that cannot be ignored.

One of the main complaints of both first-time runners and their seasoned counterparts is knee pain. Running puts considerable strain on the knee joint. If a runner is new to the sport, it is easy to over-train at the beginning. Take it slow, build your leg and joint strength. Establish a base of knee stability to prevent injury down the road. Experienced runners who are working on adding mileage for a new race distance should also take care: 10-kilometer conditioning and strength needs to be carefully modified if a 26-mile marathon is the goal. Knees will adapt to this new challenge if given the stability to do so. If two miles of moderate running cause pain at first, back off and rest. Give the knees time to stabilize.

Stability is essential to keep the knee working properly. Correct leg muscle development, obtained through gradual increase of mileage and intensity, will create stability. The quadriceps (on the front of the thighs) and hamstrings (on the back of the thighs) work in conjunction with each other, pulling on different areas of the knee at the same time. If these muscles are developed correctly, the knee joint will glide over and under itself without undue strain. Let's not forget the tiny, yet indispensable patella, as well. This engineering marvel glides over the front of the knee, adding stability and providing a liaison between thigh and lower leg bones. Thus the knee has been described by medical literature as being three articulations in one: draw a circle in the air with your toe, and you get the idea.

If more than a casual couple of miles per week are the runner's goal, it is mandatory that he or she invest in correct running shoes. People come in all shapes and sizes. Some people pronate, or roll the weight of their body to the inside edge of the foot. Others supinate, or roll the weight to the outside edge. Men and women even have different angles from hip to knee. This is why there are specific running shoes by gender. The best way to be fitted for running shoes is to visit a store that provides treadmill analysis. A shoe fitter will watch, or even video, the runner's heel strike to determine what kind of shoe is best to support the customer's body and running style. Yes, these shoes will probably be twice as expensive as the bargain-rack pair. However, to a runner, healthy, pain-free knees are well worth the price.

Building up the actual muscle groups which support the knee joint using knee exercises is undoubtedly extremely essential in protecting your knees from harm and also from knee pain. Weak muscles are not able to effectively support the knee and also absorb shock prior to it reaching your knee and the additional stress placed on your knee may cause injury to the components of the knee joint.

Strengthening exercises could make your muscles tight, therefore always combine knee strengthening exercises with stretching knee exercises. Stretching the particular muscle groups which support the knee together with exercises is without a doubt very crucial for protecting against injuries. Supple muscles are usually not as prone to injuries as tight and constricted muscles. Tightness of the muscles coupled to the knee joint could pull the knee out of alignment.

HOW DO KNEE EXERCISES HELP STRENGTHEN THE KNEE?

Whenever undertaking knee stretching exercises, always be very careful to proceed gradually and not overstretch. You don't want to tear a muscle. You should increase the duration of the knee exercises bit by bit to avoid overuse problems as well as knee pains. You must be patient. You will see success. Muscle strength must be increased steadily. Whenever muscles, ligaments or tendons are stressed above their limits, incredibly small tears develop. This is normal, and as all these tears repair, your muscles in fact end up larger, stronger and more powerful. These tiny tears must be given enough time to mend or serious complications can develop. Try to avoid exercising the identical muscle groups 2 days in a row in order to give your body enough time to recover. Carrying out knee strengthening exercises up to four times a week will usually be ample. However, you can do you stretching knee exercises more regularly than that.

HOW TO MINIMIZE PAIN CAUSED BY KNEE EXERCISES

The idea is always to protect against injury along with reducing knee joint pain, and not to contribute to it. Don't dismiss pain or muscle soreness. Pain is your body's way of safeguarding you from injuring yourself even more. It's not at all abnormal to experience minor stiffness as well as aching of your muscles that might last up to a day after working out. However barely being capable of moving for a few days following exercising indicates you have overdone it. It's sometimes difficult to recognize when to stop when you are doing your knee exercises. Sometimes, the aches won't start until a couple of days after. If it does, you will certainly get a better understanding of your personal body's limitations. If you have overdone your own knee exercises, rest is very important. When it comes to painful muscles or tendons, applying ice packs can really help minimize swelling and inflammation and also soreness and should help accelerate recovery. You should be free of any pain before returning to your knee exercises program. Having said that, gently working the painful muscles can sometimes help reduce muscle pain.

IF UNSURE ABOUT YOUR KNEE EXERCISES, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

If you are suffering from knee joint pain or perhaps a knee injury or reduced movement in your knee joint and are not sure which particular knee exercises will suitable for your condition, consult a doctor or physical therapist who can easily evaluate your condition and provide you with an individualized treatment or exercise regimen.

1.) What is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?

The knee is the largest and one of the most used joints in the human body. There are a number of things that can go wrong with the knees, but one of the more common knee injuries is called Patellofemoral Pain syndrome or PPS for short.

The exact causes of PPS are unknown, but it's thought that it has to do with the way the kneecap moves along the groove on the femur (called the trochlea). Pain caused by PPS usually originates in the front of the knee, and commonly occurs in people who are either overweight or are athletes. It also tends to strike teenagers.

2.) Symptoms of PPS include:

Pain usually occurs when the knee joint is being used. - Squatting, jumping or going down stairs are prime examples of when PPS pain may occur

A buckling at the knee. - The knee may refuse to support your weight causing it to buckle beneath you

A popping sound or grinding sensation may occur when you use your knees to do mundane every day things, such as walking

3.) Treatment Options

The best way to treat PPS is to stay away from activities that cause you pain. - Stay away from anything where you have to use a bent knee position, such as kneeling. Not avoiding these situations can make the symptoms worse.

Anti-inflammatory Drugs

Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen can be used to treat PPS as well. When symptoms are at their worst, resting the knee is a good idea. Providing your knee with as much rest as possible is one of the best ways to treat PPS. You should also consider losing weight if you're overweight. This will help lessen the amount of pressure that is exerted on your knee on a constant basis.

Ice

Applying ice to the knee will usually help bring any swelling down, bringing you relief from some of the symptoms of PPS.

4.) A Well Designed Knee Brace

Bracing the knee whenever possible, in order to provide the knee with more support and help prevent it from buckling is another great way to treat PPS. Bracing the knee helps stabilize the kneecap and helps prevent the symptoms from worsening.

If all else fails and your symptoms begin to worsen, surgery may be unavoidable. If you notice any of the symptoms listed above, you'd be wise to start bracing the knee as soon as possible. Rest your knee, and avoid doing activities that aggravate the knee joint. Losing weight and staying in shape is also a good idea.

Most of us who have had more birthdays than we care to admit (and others who have experienced nasty sports injuries or overuse) have had the following experience.

After sitting for hours behind the wheel, climbing out of your car is not as easy as it once was - and may even turn into "crawling" out. The eye-opening situation is often attributable to some knee joint pain or some other body ache or stiffness.

Needless to say, this can be a humbling experience, particularly when it takes a small army to remove you from your vehicle and try to get you walking. The only good news is that it usually doesn't take too long for you to walk it off. But wouldn't it be nice if that debilitating knee joint pain didn't occur at all?

The painful truth (literally) is that as we get older, our bodies simply do not produce enough of the substances we need to maintain our bone and joint functioning they way we did when we were younger. Our aging joints just get stiff and do not cooperate with us as we'd like to. Add a few minor (or major) injuries or simply years of use and abuse, and you can find yourself with chronic knee joint pain, and other kinds of pain.

Luckily, there are some very simple, but effective things you can do to help reduce knee joint pain.

To begin with, think about taking a dietary supplement that helps replace the things your body now lacks. There are a selection of joint dietary supplements combining a mixture of glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. These are the main substances that your joints need, and by including them, you can significantly scale back or even cease the pain you might have gotten accustomed to. But don't expect results the next day. It is going to take a few weeks to get the complete impact of the supplements.

Second, you have to really use those joints. Consistent exercise of some variety will provide help to keep knee joint pain and lots of other types of pain away. But start out slow. Try a 30-minute walk 4 times per week; then increase by 5 minutes every week until you are walking forty five-minutes to an hour.

Beside reducing your joint pain, you will find that you get pleasure from the way you feel so much, you will want to start exercising each day. However again, keep it up! Do not expect to be an expert exerciser on Day 1.

The proper nutritional supplements and a consistent exercise program will help keep your joints flexible and vastly improve or even eradicate knee joint pain and different joint pains.

So isn't it time you took care of that pain? Now is the time!

Knee pain is a common and yet frustrating problem. Unless dealt with it at an early stage it can cause much damage. The knee joint has many components including bone, ligaments, cartilage, fluid, tendons and muscles that facilitate movement. Hurting or injuring any part can cause tremendous problems and needs at times proper medical attention with some seeking knee surgery.

Causes of Knee Pain

• Knee pain may arise from overuse or sudden twisting and turning of the knee joints.
• Various categories of people are more prone to knee pain, especially athletes. Often their rigorous physical activity may create the problem.
• Elderly people, too, are at risk, many getting an osteoarthritis condition which leads to knee pain. This may require surgical intervention and is a serious condition.

However in most cases knee injuries are not serious and minor home remedies such as treatment with cold and hot pads can cure it. Be sure to take preventive measures right at the onset or else it can be a potential big problem.

How to Prevent Knee Pain:

• Specialized exercises help to fortify the muscles that sustain the knee thus reducing the stress on the knee joint.
• To get pain relief protect your knee from further trauma with the help of padding. Knee pads help you to control the pain and prevent the joint from suffering repetitive injury.
• Giving your knee some rest can be an effective measure by giving it sufficient time to recover from the injury.
• One can also opt for a wrap or a brace that compresses the knee. Compression allows you to reduce the swelling and keeps the knee cap aligned. Do not wrap the brace firmly as it may reverse the effect and leads to more swelling of the knee. Remember, the use of knee brace will not help you to recover from the knee injury; rather it is one of the means to get relief from pain.
• Elevating the knee also assists in reducing the inflammation and swelling. This mechanism works on the principle of gravity to help fluid flow to the central circulation that would have otherwise built up within the knee.

Finally if you are already suffering with knee pain here are some strategies to cope:

• Support your leg up when you're sitting. You can probably also elevate the injured area on a cushion or pillow while applying ice.
• Instant pain relief sprays and rubs are also a good solution to get relief.
• Always consult your doctor before opting for any of the measures to prevent knee problems.

If you are not familiar with hyaluronic acid, you may be wondering what it is, so I will start by giving a brief outline. It is essentially a substance that is present in the body, and especially in one's joints and eye fluid. In the joints, it serves as a lubricant and a cushion between the different joints. So, where does the hyaluronic acid come from that one can buy in the pharmacies?

Do not worry; it does not come from human donors. Instead, most medicinal hyaluronic acid comes from the combs of roosters, while some is also produced in laboratories using specially selected bacteria. Apart from using hyaluronic acid for joint pain, many people also believe it can help to slow down the signs of aging if it is applied to the skin, but since we are discussing joints, we will leave that for another time.

Although it can be taken orally, it is more often than not injected directly into the affected joints. Many healthcare providers do however overrate this form of treatment, and as a result, many patients expect to see a huge improvement, and then end up being terribly disappointed. In truth, it is a bit of a hit-and-miss form of treatment. While some people do experience a reduction in joint pain and stiffness, many do not experience any improvement at all.

Another downside to this type of treatment is the fact that the injections are not cheap, and even if they do work, the results are only temporary. This means one must be willing to go for injections on a regular basis, which of course is also an inconvenience.

You may also come across claims that it can reduce joint pain if rubbed into the affected area. In a nutshell, this could not be any further from the truth. Some people also claim to get good results when they take it orally. Of course medical professionals do not agree simply because there is no scientific evidence to support such claims. On the other hand, there are countless people who say it does work, so whether it does or not is anyone's guess.

In my opinion, based on the research I have done online, you are likely to get far better results from one or two cleverly chosen supplements. Scores of people have been disappointed with hyaluronic acid for joint pain due to its low success rate, and of course the same can be said about many supplements. Having said that, there are some good ones about, and many people have and still are benefiting from them.