Key things you need to know about knee pain
Walking, climbing, squatting, cycling… your knees are under stress every day from such simple daily activities.
It’s no wonder that even these ordinary movements can lead to degenerative pain disorders through overuse of the knee joint, restricting normal movement and impacting on your daily routine.
Dr David Cox, a knee specialist from Circle Bath hospital, shares his expertise.
Age isn’t the sole factor
People are maintaining active lifestyles much later in life, which has led to a significant growth in sportsrelated injuries in older patients.
But knee problems aren’t limited to older individuals – osteoarthritis is becoming more and more widespread earlier in life.
Previous injuries, as well as your family medical history, can make you more prone to developing knee problems, which can occur at any stage in life.
Resist the urge to rest
It’s natural to want to rest your legs if you’ve been experiencing chronic pain, especially with a condition such as osteoarthritis, the condition where cartilage (the ‘shock absorbers’ that protect your joints) in your knee wears away, causing swelling and pain.
In fact, low-impact exercise such as swimming or cycling can help to improve and strengthen the cartilage around your knees, and is actively encouraged for those who are dealing with the condition.
Your knee might not be the problem
With any kind of knee pain, it’s fair to assume that there’s something wrong with your knee, but this might not be the case.
Hip concerns can cause pain to spread towards the inside of your knee. Early diagnosis from one of our Circle Health specialists can help determine exactly where the issue lies.
A healthy lifestyle contributes to better knee health too! Being overweight places extra strain on the knee joint, so combining light exercise and weight loss can sometimes alleviate your symptoms.
By maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly, you can manage conditions such as osteoarthritis, sometimes even improving them.
Along with exercise, you may find painkillers can effectively deal with the pain, especially when used with anti-inflammatory drugs or ice packs to address any swelling.
Combining all these factors can help prevent knee pain from affecting your lifestyle. A knee replacement isn’t always necessary
If your knee pain has severely affected your quality of life, surgery may be required, but there are other options.
Physiotherapy along with a dedicated rehabilitation programme may help alleviate the pain, as well as help to strengthen and rebuild the muscles around your knee.
If the cartilage has completely worn down and you do need knee replacement surgery, you can rest assured that you are in capable hands, as I have performed over 4,000 hip and knee replacements, with each surgery tailored to the individual patient through the use of 3D imaging.
As a member of the British Association of Surgery of Knee (BASK), I have a proven track record and a high level of expertise, matched across the board at Circle Health.
Alongside a dedicated multi-discipline team, we can aid you through your pre-assessment, surgery, and aftercare as part of our knee replacement package.
Concerned about knee pain? Book an appointment today. Whether paying for your own treatment or with private medical insurance, your initial diagnosis with Circle Health is prompt, and our clinical staff can refer you for an X-ray or MRI without any waiting lists.
Speak to our friendly team today to book an appointment at your earliest convenience, and take the first step towards better knee health.