There are some simple treatments that can decrease the stress that having arthritis or being overweight places on the knee. By doing so, you can walk and exercise with less change of knee pain. This plan is designed to stabilize your knee through the use of a knee brace and preventing excessive pronation of the foot that occurs with increased weight and has been shown to sometimes decrease knee pain in those with arthritis and/or carrying too much weight.
Try the following the 6-step home treatment plan for 3 weeks.
If you are not better, see a knee specialist. Although in most cases the suggestions below can help knee pain, it is hard to predict how the arthritic knee will react to any treatment and pain can sometimes increase even with minimal changes to foot function. If pain increases, stop using the items and see a knee specialist. In addition, if you have suffered an acute injury to your knee, then see an orthopedist right away. If you are in Seattle, we can refer you to some of Seattle’s best orthopedic surgeons.
6-Step Plan for Arthritis in Knee Pain:
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Use a Knee Brace that stabilizes the knee
We recommend the Comfort Elastic Knee Stabilizer. In our research, we have found that this stabilizer or brace is one of the most effective, and comfortable braces made for arthritis of the knee. We recommend this brace for the following reasons:
- It has comfortably placed side stabilizers to provide the weakened knee with needed stability and support—an added feature that most arthritis knee braces do not provide
- It provides even compression and support to weakened and injured knees
- Anatomically designed, this elastic support/stabilizer comfortably contours to the shape of the knee
- It is cool to wear and allows free ventilation
- It is an easy sleeve to apply to the knee
- Hand washable and latex free
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Use an arch support in your shoes
You can help protect you knee by supporting your foot. A number of studies have shown that preventing excessive rolling-in (pronation) can help reduce stress on the knee. One of the best prefabricated orthotics is the FootChair Adjustable Arch Orthotic. The FootChair works well because its firm adjustable arch and stable material acts to limit excessive pronation. It is the best OTC arch support for knee pain we have found. It is the only OTC orthotic to have an adjustable arch using removable pads
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Use shoes with excellent support features
You can find a list of Seattle area shoe stores on our Shoe List. If you don’t have a good shoe store nearby, these Orthofeet Shoes for Women and Orthofeet Shoes for Men provide great support for flat feet.
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If you are going to wear flip-flops or sandals, use a sandal with a built-in orthotic
The arch support in these sandals will support the arch and limit rolling in that can lead to knee pain. We recommend the Orthaheel Arch Support Flip-Flops and sandals for their exceptional arch support. These are by far the best orthotic sandals available.
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Ice the knee three times each day for about 10 minutes
The Active Wrap Knee Cold/Hot Therapy Wrap is an excellent choice. Unlike typical ice packs, this Wrap is specifically designed and patented for the unique curvatures of the knee. While many ice packs freeze solid, ActiveWrap packs stay soft and flexible when cold so they mold comfortably in place.
For times you cannot ice, use Biofreeze Roll-on cold application.
Start your treatment right away with the self treatment of knee arthritis listed above. The items you order fromwww.FootAnkleStore.com should arrive in just a couple of days.
Call today for an evaluation in our convenient Seattle office. If you have an acute knee problem see your local orthopedist who specializes in the knee.