Do Needy Knees Keep You From The Sports You Love?
Ah, is there anything better than getting bruised and muddy on the soccer field in the fall, or feeling winter wind on your cheeks as you hike up the mountain? One of the many joys of life is the ability to run, and jump, and play; but what are you to do when nagging knee pain refuses to go away?
Recently, my friend missed the entire snowboarding season due to knee pain. The doctor diagnosed him with Chondromalacia Patellae (CMP), or for our purposes: “Runner’s Knee.” What is CMP? Basically is the name doctors grant knee pain when they can’t really pinpoint the cause. CMP could include a tight ligament, misalignment, or general overuse. It is a kind of osteoarthritis; wear and tear of cartilage that causes painful joints.
Here’re some steps shaking those painful knees:
1) Follow the RICE method — Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
2) Reduce Inflammation – Start with NSAIDs (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Ibuprofen.
If steps 1 & 2 don’t reduce your pain:
3) Have your doctor look for structural problems with your knees. It could be a tight ligament. It could also be that the sports you love are strengthening only some muscles while leaving other muscles too weak. Unbalanced muscle building can cause misalignment of your knees. In that case, physical therapy, either with a physical therapist or a DIY routine can help you train the weaker muscles and reduce the strain and stress on your knees. Depending on the cause of your pain, you may need surgery.
Your body is like a car that needs routine maintenance and TLC. As a general rule, if you are very active, make sure to take good care of your knees by getting enough rest, do stretches and strength training to balance your muscle groups, and taking joint wellness supplements to keep the damages to a minimum.
