KICK AWAY PAIN (Continued From Outside)
The most commonly torn ligament is the “anterior cruciate ligament,” or ACL. It is also possible for cartilage to tear, causing pain. Tears are typically a resultofsomesortof traumaexperienced to the painful area. • Bursitis. “Bursae” are liquid sacs that can be found between tissues. They help ease friction from tissues running together; however, they can alsobecome inflameddue tooveruseandrepeated activity, resulting in pain. Even activities such as standing too long may result in achiness from irritated bursae later. • Tendinitis. Your tendonsare thickbandsof tissue thatconnectyourmuscles toyourbones.Tendinitis occurswhenyourtendonsbecome inflamed,which, again, is a result of overuse and repeated activity. So, What Can I Do? Hipandkneepaincanbeascarythought,especially with all the hustle and bustle of living a busy life. Luckily, there are some actions you can take at home to try and soothe or prevent pain: • Wearing Properly Fitted Shoes. One way to avoid hip and knee pain is by wearing well-fitted shoes with suitable arch support. Comfortable, fitted, closed-toedshoesareagreatway to relievestress
on your joints and allow relaxation in your hips and knees. • Using Cold and Hot Remedies. Both ice packs and heating pads can help in soothing your aches and pains. Ice can help reduce pain and swelling. Heat can help improve circulation and promote muscle relaxation. • Stretching. When your joints tighten up, pain can get much worse. Help alleviate and prevent this pain by doing a daily stretching routine in your legs, hips, and back, to help release any pressure on those areas. • Strengthening. Weakness inthemusclesofthehips and knees can contribute to pain. Strong muscles canhelpreducepainwithwalking,stairs,andgetting up from a chair. • Listening to Your Body. At the end of the day, always listen to your body. If you’ve been on your feetfortwohoursandyoufeelyourkneestightening up, it may be time to take a small break. Contact Bay State Physical Therapy for Additional Assistance! Having a regular physical therapy checkup ensures that your joints are working at their peak performance. In addition, any problems will be
discovered early, preventing the onset of arthritis and joint injury. If you dohavearthritis or havehad surgery, then a regular physical therapy check-up is especially important. At Bay State Physical Therapy, we can provide you with a joint analysis to determine any problem areas in the hip or knee joints, and treat them accordingly. Schedule a consultation with one of our expert physical therapists today to discover how you can live life with freely moving joints!
EFFECTIVE HIP & KNEE PAIN RELIEF By: Kimberly Gottshall PT, DPT of BSPT Randolph Many of us know, our bodies are like cars; each part operates in conjunction with others to make the car run. Our hips and knees work together to get us through daily life. What happens when a part is injured, broken, or not functioning properly?That’s where physical therapy comes in, to act as your own personal mechanic. Hip and knee pain result from various causes, but while you’re awaiting the appointment with your favorite PT here are some things to think about. Effective treatment for hip/knee pain goes back to the basics. You may need to utilize an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen to help reduce any inflammation occurring from the injury. Once the initial pain reduces, or in situationswhere inflammation isnotcontributing topain, therapymaybegin with stretching and strengthening of the lower extremities. A proper warm up is critical to increase blood flow to tissues and promote maximal benefit from flexibility and strength training. Warmups can include the recumbent bicycle, elliptical, and treadmill walking at moderate intensity. Stretching and flexibility is vital to decrease pain and promote proper joint motion. You will want to address all muscle groups in the hips and legs
to gain the most benefit. Gentle yoga is a great way to move and improve muscle length whileaddressing more than onepart at a time. Also, strength exercises such as squats, calf raises, or straight leg raises can promote functional strength in the hip and knee. Performingexercises inthepoolsuchaswaterwalkingorswimming,aregreat to reduce stress to the joints and allows you to increase your flexibility and strength. Balance challenges can also help to support hip and knee stability and reduce risks of injury to other regions of the body during daily activity. Discovering any compensations in your walking and ensuring the feet are properly supported with sturdy footwear, or as needed, orthotics will help in your journey to pain free land. Bykeepingupwithyourphysical therapist,participating ina regularstrength andstretchingprogram,andsimplygettingupandmoving,youcango longer between oil changes. References: Uusi-RasiK,PatilR,KarinkantaS,TokolaK,KannusP,SievänenH.ExerciseTraining in Treatment and Rehabilitation of Hip Osteoarthritis: A 12-Week Pilot Trial. J Osteoporos. 2017;2017:3905492. doi:10.1155/2017/3905492 Rahmann AE. Exercise for people with hip or knee osteoarthritis: a comparison of land-based andaquatic interventions.OpenAccessJSportsMed.2010;1:123–135.Published2010Jul23. doi:10.2147/oajsm.s6941
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