Health Tip
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Knee Pain
Taking a walk, gardening, dressing, getting into a car, and walking up stairs are activities we do every day. However, any of these become harder when your knee is painful or stiff. There are many causes of knee pain. These may include arthritis, muscle strain, injuries, bursitis, and even infections. If your pain becomes intolerable, you will need to see your doctor to diagnose and treat your specific problem. If a serious injury has happened, you will more than likely require surgery to repair the knee. In most other cases, you will be prescribed one or more of the following treatments.
Physical Therapy
Your doctor may refer you to a physical therapist to treat your knee pain so you can return to normal activity. A physical therapist will teach you exercises that will make your knee stronger and more flexible. Your physical therapist may also do certain treatments to help relieve your knee pain. Physical therapy can help treat muscle strains, ligament or tendon sprains, bursitis, and arthritis. It may also help you prepare for or recover after knee-replacement surgery.
Knee Braces
The goal of a knee brace is to help relieve symptoms such as knee pain or buckling when you are moving around. It offloads (which takes some of the weight of) the side of the knee that is having symptoms. People who wish to delay having knee-replacement surgery may want to try a brace if the pain is primarily on one side of the knee.
Learn more about knee pain and how to treat it from A.D.A.M.'s evidence-based consumer health content. If you have more questions? Ask A Doctor. If you are interested in licensing our content, please contact us.
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