Did you know the knee is the largest joint in the human body? That’s right – the joint responsible for helping you move great distances in a marathon and holding heavy weight in a back squat can also be responsible for bringing all that movement to a resounding halt. 

The knee is no stranger to injury, from runner’s knee to arthritis and infections. It is important to keep your knees well-kept because, over time, even the strongest joints will begin to break down.

Thankfully, there is a treatment that is very simple and easy to use – no surgery or habit-forming medications required!

Keep reading to learn more! 

Why is My Knee Clicking and Painful? A Closer Look at Knee Pain Symptoms

Unfortunately, there’s a lot that can go wrong with your knees. Knee pain is a common complaint among people of all ages, affecting both seasoned athletes and the evening stroller. 

While the causes of knee pain can vary, knee sprains are among the most common injuries people experience.

Sprains can happen to anyone, and they occur when the muscles that connect the bones are stretched too far. Second- and third-degree sprains are the worst of them all; these ligaments are actually torn. Healing could take weeks and involve hours of physical therapy. 

While a knee strain can account for many people’s pain, causes can range from an injury to arthritis. Common causes at the root of your knee pain can include: 

  • ACL Injury
  • Fractures
  • Dislocated kneecap 
  • Hip or foot pain
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Gout 
  • Runner’s knee 

Knee Pain Symptoms 

A burning pain in the knee is not the only tell that something is amiss. In addition to knee pain, there are other signs that can tell you your knees are having trouble:

  • Swelling
  • Inability to walk
  • The sound of grating
  • Numbing
  • Discoloration
  • Popping, crunching, or clicking noises 
  • Redness and warm to the touch

If you are having any of the following symptoms of knee pain or distress, visit a pain management clinic near you as soon as possible. Your physician will help you get to the root cause of your pain and aid in providing a treatment plan best suited for you and your needs.

How to Reduce Knee Pain While Walking, Running, or Just Moving Around 

After your pain management physician discovers the root cause of your knee pain, they will work with you in building a specialized interventional pain management treatment plan. 

Treatments will vary depending on your medical history, activity level, and other factors, but you may come across these possible treatment methods: 

  • Physical therapy: Physical therapy will work to strengthen the muscles around your knee to ensure its stability. If you are an athlete or live an active lifestyle, exercises to correct movement patterns may also be taught to help you establish good technique – and put less strain on your knees.
  • Injections: corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections may be given into your knee joint to lower inflammation and reduce your pain symptoms. 
  • Arch supports: Some knee pain is a direct result of incorrect pressure applied when walking, running, or engaging in other physical activities. Arch supports can help shift pressure away from the side of the knee, lessening its pain. 

Even though you have plenty of options for dealing with knee pain, perhaps the most practical solution is a good knee brace. Although they do have their limits, using them is indispensable if you want to prevent further damage to your knees.

What is a Knee Brace and How Can It Help? 

A knee brace is a medical device used to stabilize the knee joint. Your pain management physician or healthcare provider may use knee braces to treat certain knee injuries, including: 

  • Knee sprains
  • Runner’s knee
  • Kneecap instability
  • Knee arthritis 
  • Patellar tendinitis or other tendon-related issues 

Utilizing medical knee braces in combination with other knee pain treatments is the fastest way to treat your joint pain and get back on your feet. The best thing about knee braces as a treatment is that they are fairly simple and easy to use. 

Knee pain and arthritis are problems that happen to almost everyone in their life but, with the help of a knee brace, it can make the treatment easier.

Pain Specialists of Charleston offers knee braces through our DME department in our office. Talk to your medical provider if you are interested in adding a knee brace to your treatment.

Don’t Know What to Do for Your Knee Pain? Let Pain Specialists of Charleston Be the Answer

Going toe-to-toe with your knee pain management in Charleston, SC can sometimes be a tricky undertaking on your own. While rest and ice may do the trick, sometimes you need a bit more help than you’re willing to admit. 

That’s where we step in. At Pain Specialists of Charleston, we understand the road to a pain-free life can be daunting – that’s why we use interventional pain treatments to help our patients say goodbye to pain without worrying about surgery or medications. 

Whether you’ve had a recent injury or multiple surgeries, we treat a wide variety of conditions using innovative, non-surgical treatment approaches. 

Schedule an appointment with us today and reclaim your quality of life! 

Sources: Mayo Clinic & Cleveland  Clinic.