One of the most common reasons that seniors complain of pain is because of their knees. All of our joints end up showing the effects of time but our knees wear out just from all of the walking we do over the years. For those who spent years jogging or engaging in other sports, the knee pain can be worse.
What is the cause of knee pain?
Many things can cause that ongoing ache in your knees. Obesity causes your knees to work overtime as they carry that extra weight everywhere. Trauma to your knees, such as a fall, can cause damage that remains unseen but shows up in your later years. Any high impact sport will affect your whole body. Though sports are good for you, they do cause damage to joints.
Can knee pain be fixed?
Depending upon the degree of pain and disability you have several options to help your knee pain. Consult with your healthcare provider. They will usually advise a combination of physiotherapy and pain medication. For many seniors who have severe pain, surgery will often be advised. In the most extreme cases it will be a full knee replacement.
What can I do to help my knee pain?
Many seniors can help relieve some of their knee pain on their own. For those who are overweight or obese the first step is to lose weight. A physiotherapist can help you with an exercise programme that will not only help the pain but at the same time get you back in shape without further damaging your knees. Walking is one of the best exercises for pain in any part of your body.
For caregivers of seniors with knee problems, try to get your patient to eat a healthy diet and help them with exercise. Some may have limited mobility or have just had a knee replacement. In these cases support would include attending medical appointments as well as shopping for your patient. To read more on knee pain and how to care for seniors in pain, click here.
