As an active individual (or even if you’re not), there’s a chance you could one day suffer from knee pain.
Sometimes you know exactly what happened. Sometimes you’re unsure of why your knee is bothering you.
Either way, it’s critical that you take the right measures as you treat yourself at home. Here are five simple things you can do:
• Rest: Don’t put any unnecessary strain on your knee for the time being. When you rest, you give your injury the time it needs to heal.
• Ice: Several times per day, put ice on the injured area to reduce both pain and swelling.
• Heat: Applying heat to the injured area can help reduce pain, even if it’s only temporary.
• Compression: Not only can this help prevent fluid buildup in damaged tissues, but it’s also useful for keeping your knee aligned.
• Elevation: When resting, do your best to keep your knee elevated above your heart. This helps reduce swelling, which speeds up your recovery.
If you’ve got knee pain, don’t ignore it and hope it goes away. Take these steps, track your progress, and seek medical attention if the pain persists.
Jennifer Ferdinand, owner of Serendipity Wellness Studio in Burke, VA, has been practicing massage therapy and esthetics since 2006. She is nationally certified through NCBTMB, and licensed in Virginia for both Massage Therapy and Esthetics.