Knee Pain - How to Deal With Tendonitis

Anterior knee pain is very common (pain in the front of your knee, above or below your kneecap), especially with activities such as bending, squatting, stairs or running. One major cause of this is tendonitis. There are two main tendons that get strained in your knee most commonly: the patella tendon and the quadriceps tendon.

The quadriceps muscle is the large muscle in the front of your thigh which attaches to your knee cap ("patella") via the quadriceps tendon. Your knee cap must move up and down in its groove in order for your knee to bend and straighten. Your quadriceps "tendon" comes from the quadriceps muscle in your upper thigh, and then wraps down over the knee cap. The quadriceps tendon is then referred to as the "patella tendon" as it attaches below the knee cap to your tibia, (your lower leg bone).

Quadriceps and patellar tendonitis usually occur from repetitive stresses on the tendons from repetitive bending and straightening your knee such as squatting, stairs, running, jumping or quick starts and stops. The forces going through your knee are approximately 2-3x your body weight just with walking, and up to 5x your body weight when you are running. This is a lot of stress through your joint. Muscle imbalances, as well as poor alignment within your knee joint or your lower leg or ankle can also lead to uneven forces on the tendon, which can overstress the tendon even with low impact activities. You do not have to be running or an athlete to get tendonitis. Tendonitis is also common for people who have had knee surgery in the past and moved too quickly back into activity without fully regaining the strength in their quadriceps, or fully balancing all of the muscles in their leg.

Just like in any tendonitis, if the stresses going through your tendon are too much, then you can get tissue breakdown and microtears in the tendon, which can lead to inflammation and pain and even partial tearing of the tendon. Chronic tendonitis can also lead to degeneration of the tendon and scarring within the tendon or tendon sheath, which is considered tendonosis.

Pain with quadriceps or patella tendonitis is typically right around the tendon, at your lower thigh, either right above your knee cap or below your knee cap, respectively. The tendon is typically tender to touch or massage and usually will hurt when you bend and straighten your knee. It can be swollen if severe enough and can also get stiff after sitting for a long time, or when you first wake up in the morning.

The biggest thing with any tendonitis to remember is that it is inflammation in the tendon, so rest is important. You do not want to continue to increase that inflammation; you need to let the tendon fibers heal. You can also take anti-inflammatory medication over the counter, such as Ibuprofen. If you see an orthopedic doctor you will probably be given a prescription anti-inflammatory medication, such as Celebrex or a Medrol Pack (Prednisone) which should help. The best thing you can do at home for it besides rest is icing. Better than even an ice pack, is an ice massage to the tendon, if you can tolerate it. Fill a small paper cup/ Dixie cup with water and freeze it, then you can massage the ice over that area for 1-2 minutes, or whatever you can tolerate.

Also important is gentle stretching. For your quadriceps, the best way to stretch is on your stomach so that your hip is straight. Place a rolled up towel or pillow under your lower thigh to slightly lift your leg off the surface and gently pull your ankle towards your buttock. You can stretch yourself, or if that is too difficult to do without twisting your back or your hip, then have someone gently stretch your knee for you. Just make sure they are doing it very gently and not pushing through pain. Hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds and repeat 5 times.

If it has moved from acute tendonitis to more of a tendonosis, then it is not as much inflammation that is the primary problem but that degeneration and scarring of the tendon has occurred. If so, doing massage right at the tendon would be helpful to break up the adhesions. If it's really tender to massage, you might want to do the ice massage first to numb it a little, and then massage, and then do another ice massage after. You want to be massaging back and forth over the tendon fibers, because adhesions can build up within the tendon and the tendon's sheath. Also continue with the gentle stretching.

If it does not get better I would suggest seeing your orthopedic doctor because he or she will most likely send you to physical therapy which can be very beneficial. The physical therapist, after evaluating you will most likely do the cross friction massage and the stretching for you, and they also can do modalities to help bring down the inflammation and break up the scar tissue or adhesions, such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation and iontophoresis.

You may have seen people wearing a knee strap on their knee for tendonitis. These can be helpful for patellar tendonitis. The knee straps or bands are worn beneath your kneecap, putting pressure on your patella tendon. This can sometimes help to decrease the stress through the patella tendon where it attaches to the bone. If you do have anterior knee pain from patella tendonitis (so the pain is below your knee cap, versus above the knee at the quadriceps tendon as discussed earlier) then a knee strap may help reduce your pain and the stress on your tendon with activities. However, be aware that the strap will not take the place of the other treatment suggestions discussed above. The strap is also typically only helpful for patellar tendonitis, and is not used for quadriceps tendonitis.

As the inflammation and pain go down you really want to be careful how you progress back into exercising and high level activities. Over stressing the tendon can cause microtearing and tissue breakdown, which leads to the inflammatory response and can lead to partial tendon tearing. It's a vicious circle that you need to break, so if you start going back to working out, running or high level activities too early, especially doing repetitive knee flexion/extension exercises which stress the quad tendon, such as squatting, repetitive stairs, running or the knee extension machine, it can definitely exacerbate things. If you are working with a physical therapist they should help guide you back into your activities safely.

Knee Surgery Past And Present

A guy by the name of Mack Lee Hill died in 1965 after knee surgery, according to Wikipedia. He played professional football for the Kansas City Chiefs, in the American Football League, from 1964 until his death in 1965 at the age of 25. He was born in Quincy, a small town in North Florida. His death was due to complications from knee surgery, due to a football injury.

My wife just had arthroscopic knee surgery a few days ago and she's doing just fine. Mack Lee Hill graduated from the same high school where my wife and I met. He played football on the same high school team that I did. The outcomes of the knee surgeries, however, were quite different.

I have previously griped loudly about modern medicine in this forum, but not this time. Sure, as my mother used to always say when she commented on my school report card, "there is always room for improvement". Today, however, I am very thankful for medical advances. No bloody gashing of the flesh to open up the knee. No extensive suturing to close the incision. No long and dreaded recovery, heavy medication or overwhelming pain killers, rehabilitation or intensive convalescence.

What if Mack Lee Hill had been given the same opportunity. Would he have lived through knee surgery today. I don't know all of the details or complications that took place with his procedure and so my reflection on that situation is just to say how things have changed.

Our doctor tried hard to present a pleasant "bedside manner". Other staff members did well in making us feel comfortable. No perfection yet but progress aplenty.

We were able to be diagnosed, have an MRI, get crutches, and have out-patient surgery, all at the same facility. I'm not griping, but we have good medical insurance and indeed that made a huge difference. Today I am thankful for having good medical coverage.

My wife is a little uncomfortable, she was expectantly groggy after the procedure until the anesthesia wore off. She gets the few stitches taken out in a short time and I've been here with her to make things go as smooth as possible.

During the procedure I was very nervous. We've all seen stories on TV or heard about cases where someone went in for a routine operation and died on the operating table. My wife was admittedly nervous, so no gripes today, just thanks. These past days have caused me to think about the relative nature of things. It reminds me of the old anecdote about whether the "glass is half full or half empty". Today mine is bubbling over. So thank you modern medicine and all of the sincere good folks that practice it. Thank you good medical insurance and your community for what you have provided.

And what of Mack Lee Hill? What would be his outcome today?

Sports Medicine Trends

Across the United States, hospitals are showing a particular trend. These facilities are gearing up for active patients by forming sports medicine centers. More orthopedic physicians who are new to medicine are specializing in sports medication. Medical practices are being turned into sports medication facilities. Other sports medicine trends coming up in 2011 are being discussed by athletic training pros and sports medicine physicians.

One of these foreseen trends is the establishment of more medical practices specializing in multidisciplinary sports medicine. Surgery is not the only medical approach needed in sports medication. Recovery for an injured athlete calls for the expertise of a multidisciplinary team with physical therapists, sports psychologists, nutritionists, and athletic trainers. A physician affiliated with Harvard Robert J. Nicholetta, M.D. predicts that future sports medication facilities will have all of these services in one center with room for sports medicine physicians who provide primary care.

To make this a reality many sports medicine physicians are beginning to hire athletic trainers. Athletic trainers act as physician extenders to give the flavor of a multidisciplinary approach.

Currently, many sports medication treatment centers have a focus on athletes. Concentrating on athletes who get injured in a game or practice is a common medical intervention. Another approach in use today is holding a Saturday morning clinic for sports injuries. The newest trend is to focus more on sports injury prevention. The hope is to stop a sports injury before medical procedures have to be instigated. Physicians will sponsor educational programs. Prevention before intervention is key.

Preventing ACL is a huge task and a big trend that will be seen. This will be emphasized as a prevention measure for women. Jonathan Chang, M.D. is a spokesperson for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine. He points out that, "Women have a four times greater chance of having an ACL injury as men in the same sport." Dr. Chang sees a great deal of these injuries as preventable. Focusing on preventative programs for female athletes is a definite trend.

Advances in surgical techniques for knees are shaping up to be a sports medication trend too. Anatomic reconstruction will be undergoing shifts. Surgery for ligament reconstruction will have improved outcomes because of biomechanic and scaffold development research.

Further advances in other knee surgery techniques will be made in the future. Cartilage restoration options will increase. The hope with these is to reduce the number of needed knee replacements.

Other trends worth watching are the use of shock wave therapy in treating sprains, minimally invasive surgeries, improved MRI technology to diagnose injuries, and concussion management.

Orthobiologics and Orthopaedic Medicine - Exploring Orthobiologic Treatments for Knee Osteoarthritis

Orthobiologics is a relatively new area of study that has captured the interest of orthopaedic surgeons in their effort to find ways to facilitate the body's healing process. Orthobiologics is a dynamic scientific field with new developments and discoveries attracting ongoing interest. Orthobiologics involves scientific interventions and treatments which use the body's own growth factors and proteins to help muscles, tissues, ligaments, tendons and bones heal more quickly.

There are several different orthobiological treatments currently used by orthopaedic surgeons. Three orthobiological treatments used to treat knee osteoarthritis include:

• Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP),


• Autologous Cartilage Implantation, and


• Bone Marrow Simulation

What is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)?

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is blood plasma that is enriched with additional platelets. Platelets release proteins called growth factors which speed up tissue regeneration, repair and healing. Growth factors are important in part because they facilitate a process called "chemoattraction" which draws stem cells to the location of the injury. PRP production involves several different steps.

1. Blood is drawn from the patient peripherally.


2. The blood is placed in the centrifuge to separate the plasma from the platelets.


3. This is injected into the injury site.

PRP is currently used in a variety of orthopaedic medical treatments including osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis and tendinitis. A recent article published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine stated that PRP decreases NFkB which is a major enzyme in the pathway of the formation of osteoarthritis.

What is Autologous Cartilage Implantation?

When the articular cartilage is damaged in the knee, exposed nerve endings can cause significant pain and eventually lead to osteoarthritis. Autologous cartilage implantation is a type of transplantation that takes either donor articular cartilage cells or the patient's own cartilage. Cultured autologous cartilage cells are used in order to promote growth in cartilage damage and repair the cartilage.

For the treatment of osteoarthritis in the knee, the cartilage is transplanted in the arthritic area of the knee. A recent article in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery noted that long term follow up data of 7 to 10 years suggests good to excellent results.

What is Bone Marrow Stimulation?

Bone marrow stimulation is an orthopaedic surgical technique used to help repair cartilage in the knee. Bone marrow stimulation is a treatment for cartilage injuries and degenerative problems in the knee.

Bone marrow stimulation is a surgical procedure where multiple drill holes are placed into the area of arthritis in the knee. The body's own stem cells invade that region producing fibrocartilage which is a scar tissue like cartilage. This type of transplantation has decreased results over time whereas the autologous transplantation has better longevity.

Orthobiologics Offer Promising Future

Orthobiological treatments offer a promising future to an orthopaedic surgeon who treats degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis of the knee and osteoporosis. Further research and new treatments are currently being explored and new advancements in orthobiologics are continually introduced. One of the latest innovations includes liquid allografts or so called bone glues that mend bone fractures while supporting the healing process.

Dealing With a Hurt Knee - Running Problems - Improve Your Stability and Reduce Your Pain

A hurt knee running outdoors is a common injury. While running outdoors offers you excellent health benefits in addition to the wonderful feeling of the wind in your face, it is also an activity that is prone to the most hurt knees. If you get a hurt knee while running, there are several different treatment plans that you can follow.

The treatment options that you choose will depend on the immediate cause of the hurt knee:

Is it a Torn Ligament?

Very often, a hurt knee form running is brought on by a torn ligament. While this is a common problem amongst runners, it is certainly not something that should be a life sentence for you! Your physician may only tell you to rest your knee. Sometimes surgery is unavoidable and you can also use a well designed knee support for a conservative approach, when possible.

Do you have Osteoarthritis of the Knee?

Although not life threatening, this is an incurable condition and is usually treated by a doctor with the use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (speak with your physician about your particular situation). These drugs can help contain the swelling that is usually associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Unlike a torn ligament, which calls for a period of rest, if the knee pain is due to osteoarthritis it is sometimes far better to keep moving and exercising to prevent the knee from becoming rigid. Wearing a knee brace while moving will support your knees and help you to maintain proper alignment; thus staving off the pain and rapid degeneration of the knee. (Remember to speak with your physician about your activity levels.)

Is it Due to Rheumatoid Arthritis?

If you get a hurt knee running, it can also be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis. This is also an incurable condition that can affect anyone, including children. It usually presents with pain and swelling and in some cases, a fever. This is an auto immune disorder and is different than other types of arthritis. However, you do not have to just sit there and succumb to the numbing pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Your doctors can prescribe some medication to help manage the pain and a knee brace can help keep you well supported and mobile.

When to Seek Knee Surgery

If you are consistently bothered by knee trouble, you may be a candidate for knee surgery. However, knee surgery should only be attempted when all conservative methods of treating the knee have failed. Using over the counter medication, anti-inflammatory drugs and even a knee brace can help keep your knee feeling fine and can sometimes even prevent you getting a hurt knee running or walking.

Many cases of a hurt knee are the result of a torn ligament. To protect your knees whilst running, you should wear a knee brace and also make sure you warm up sufficiently so that your joints are warm and limber before you set out at full throttle.

Discover How the Correct Stiff Knee Remedy Depends on You

Are you having trouble with your knees currently?

The basic factors that a doctor will consider when deciding on the right stiff knee remedy include the following:

o Your age
o The reason for the stiff knee
o The severity of the condition
o Your general health
o Your weight
o Future use of the knee

Obviously, the stiff knee remedy for an 80 year old person will not be the same as it is for a 20 year old athlete. A full examination, the cause of the condition as well as the other above factors should figure in to the stiff knee remedy.

Your Age and How it Affects your Knee Treatment

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions of a stiff knee and is not a disease that only strikes older people, contrary to popular belief. If the cause of the stiff knee is OA (osteoarthritis) and the person is a young person in good health, knee surgery may be considered. Conservative treatment with a knee brace may be used after the knee surgery to prevent a further breakdown of the knee. On the other hand, treating knee pain and other knee issues with the use of knee brace has shown positive results, without having surgery. Sometimes these knee supports are the key to keeping you away from the surgical intensive care unit after an invasive procedure.

How The Reason for the Stiff Knee Affects Treatment

If the cause of the stiff knee is a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, then knee surgery is not always an option. If the cause is due to a torn ligament or cartilage, the treatment will usually follow a more conservative approach with knee surgery being the last option.

Why the Severity of the Condition Affects the Choice of Treatment

In addition to the above, the severity of the condition will greatly impact the stiff knee remedy. If the condition has reached a point where the individual cannot walk, then a doctor will most likely take a more aggressive approach to treatment.

How General Health and Weight Relate to Treatment

An individual who is in good general health and maintains a healthy weight has a better chance of responding positively to any type of medical treatment for a stiff knee. A person who is overweight and in poor health will most likely not respond as well. Simple, right? If you are in good health and want to avoid surgery, you will probably do well using a knee brace and taking anti-inflammatory medication to control the stiff knee (speak with your physician about pain medications prior to use).

Future Use of the Knee

A stiff knee can be one of the first signs of arthritis or future knee problems. Wearing a knee brace, maintaining an ideal weight and getting proper exercise is one way that you can stave off these problems.

ACL Surgery - The Cost of a Knee Reconstruction

Be prepared! When you commit yourself to having ACL Reconstruction Surgery, one of the things you most definitely need to know up front is what it will cost you. That is, how much your wallet or bank account will suffer. Though it is always helpful to view this sort of knee treatment as an investment and view it as a way of avoiding more costs down the track if you do nothing.

For those that have been diagnosed with a torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), the options are somewhat limited given that the cruciate ligament is one of the main ligaments in the knee joint and provides most of the knee's stability. And if it is completely torn, unfortunately it won't heal and it can't be repaired.

In the case of most ordinary people who are not rolling in money, the investment in major knee treatment is really important to know. And to be perfectly honest, you really don't find out all of this up front before you commit to having your knee surgery. What you need to find out is a breakdown of the major items of surgery or rehabilitation, what the full costs will be for each, what your out of pocket expenses are (after Medicare or Private Health Insurance rebates), and what the potential cost range could be - depending on your surgeon, other medical specialists, and level of health insurance.

Here is a list of the things that will cost you money if you go ahead and have a knee reconstruction:

1. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Scans and X-rays before ACL surgery


2. Orthopaedic Surgeon Consultations


3. ACL Reconstruction Surgery


4. Surgical Assistant


5. MRI in the hospital after Knee Surgery


6. Hospital Costs


7. Anaesthetist


8. Physiotherapy Treatment and Rehabilitation (eg. Gym, Massages)


9. Medicines (eg. Painkillers, Anti-inflammatory tablets or Cream)


10. Equipment - eg. Knee Brace, Running Shoes

Most of these are unavoidable, many are necessary to ensure full recovery, and ALL these things can add up to a significant amount of money that comes out of your pocket. Be prepared!

Recovery From Canine Luxating Patella Surgery - It's NOT As Easy As It May Seem

Your dog has had successful surgery for a luxating patella (dislocating knee cap/trick knee/floating kneecap). He's passed the zonked out from medications period and even with the cast on to hold the knee rigid, he seems to be navigating quite nicely.

Feels like smooth sailing from this point on, doesn't it? Maybe not. It depends if you know a few very important points about recovery from trick knee surgery.

Simon's Case

As an example of what can happen (cause I too thought recovery would be a breeze), let's talk about my handsome pup Simon - true to his Cockapoo mix, he is a sweet, affectionate, and easily trained animal.

When he was a year old, he had trick knee surgery. And everything went fine - the bandage and suture removal were routine - no infection. He did develop a bump at the suture site, but that disappeared after a few weeks. Post surgery visits to the veterinary surgeon were also routine.

But then - about week 4 of the ten-week recovery period - sweet Simon began to show classic behavior problems. Excessive barking and whining were a few issues that started up. And curiously, puppy biting crept into his play. This last item was particularly troublesome because I had been careful to address biting, a common puppy phenomenon, early in his development.

Why Behavior Problems?

As unacceptable as this situation sounds, it is perfectly understandable. Here's a dog who has to be constrained so he doesn't damage surgical repairs. Simon was confined in a pen or room so that he could not run, jump, or play with the other dog in the family. It's unfortunate that the vets who dictate post-surgery recovery rules fail to explain what might happen as a result of enforcing these rules.

In case you are not yet familiar with post-surgery restrictions, here are Simon's:

No stair climbing.
No running.
No jumping on people or furniture.
No playing with other pets.

These rules serve a purpose by protecting the healing canine knee, but they also imply confinement and inactivity.

At the time his behavior changed, Simon had been couped up for three to four weeks. True, we paid attention to him, carried him in and out of the house for "bathroom breaks," walked him once a day, and made sure he had plenty of toys.

Clearly, it wasn't enough. I increased the walks so that he would get tired (and not gain weight) and spent time re-directing the biting to a more acceptable action, like playing with a special toy. The barking and whining also were addressed by diversioning the unacceptable behavior.

Does Tape For An ACL Injury Work? Kinesio Tape For Knee Pain - Special Report on Support

Does taping your ACL injury, or tape for a knee injury really work?

Is there anything else you can use that would be better to help support your knee?

1.) Introduction

ACL injuries can happen in contact or non-contact situations. Nobody will argue that. You can easily plant your foot and twist your leg and all of the sudden you can actually find that you have torn your ACL, especially when you are moving at a fast pace. - The question is though, does taping really help support your knee? - What if there was something better you could use that would help support your knee when you have knee pain, or a ligament injury for example?

2.) Taping

Tape may have some effect on your knee, but there are a lot of "what ifs" with taping. Let's think about this for a second... What happens to tape when you start moving your leg around a lot, or when you start to sweat? Would you trust tape to really do the job when you really need a high level of support? - Taping kind of reminds us of holding your car together with duct tape? Maybe it will work on some level, but something is not really right about the whole thing...

3.) Knee Braces Can Really Provide The Support You Need

When it comes to bad knee pain, or an ACL injury, it is time to really start to consider using a quality made lower profile knee brace. Why? - Well, for one a well designed brace will not slide off your leg when you start to sweat... unless you are wearing it really loosely. Plus, it is a lot harder to overpower a knee brace than it is to overpower tape. Wouldn't you agree with that?

Knee supports can definitely help to provide you with improved support and they can do so with a light weight, lower profile knee design. Many people shy away from a knee brace because they worry that it is going to be something that is big and bulky. The truth is that many designs exist today that are really light weight. If they were not, many knee brace companies would be out of business because nobody would ever wear their braces.

The protection, pain reduction and support of a knee brace can really take you much further than the benefits of taping, and we hope this article has helped you think about this difference.

*This is health information. We really believe in the benefits of knee braces due our experience in helping thousands of people. However, we have to refer you to your doctor for medical advice for your particular situation.

Workplace Knee Injuries

Unfortunately, many workplaces are full of hazards that can cause serious injuries to employees. While the risks posed by heavy machinery, tools, and high heights at a serious construction site are fairly obvious, there are potential causes of injury in almost any type of work environment. A simple leak or exposed cable can create a dangerous situation in even the most comfortable and low-stress office environments.

Knee injuries are one common type of on-the-job injury. Unfortunately, they are also difficult to recover from, since the knee is a complex body part and a load-bearing joint. A person can do serious damage to their knees in a number of ways. Common sources of occupational knee injuries include hyper-extension from unnatural body movements, slips and falls, impacts with hard surfaces, overuse or repetitive motions, twisting or abnormal lateral movements, awkward turning or stopping.

If a worker is unfortunate enough to suffer a serious knee injury, the consequences can be painful and long-lasting. Physical symptoms can include knee pain, stiffness, numbness or tingling, popping, swelling, limited range of motion, or sensitivity to pressure. If a person's job requires regular strain to be put on an injured knee, the problems will only get worse. This is why jobs involving physical labor are the most common sources for workplace knee injuries.

Knee injuries can result in problems that extend far beyond the reach of physical pain, though. Medical bills can put serious financial strain on a family, particularly if they do not have good medical insurance. If the injured individual is the family's main provider, the results can truly be catastrophic, forcing a reliance on credit cards and other debt-inducing payment methods. Having to take time off work to recover will only make the financial strains of a knee injury more devastating. Even if an injury appears to have been cured, there is a chance that serious, expensive surgery may be necessary to fix problems in the future.

If an employer does not keep a workplace clean and free of unnecessary obstacles, the risk for workers suffering knee injuries will be greatly increased. When a negligent employer does not meet safety standards and puts their employees in harm's way unduly, they should be held responsible for their actions. Employees can seek compensation by contacting a legal professional experienced in dealing with workers' compensation cases.

Articular Cartilage Injury

Injury or damage to the tough cartilage that covers the ends of bones is articular cartilage injury.

Articular cartilage (AC) is very smooth and hard. It is composed of collagen, which is present on a bone's articulating surface (surfaces that come into contact with other bones).It is responsible for smooth interaction between two bones in a joint. Thus, any damage or injury to AC causes disruption in the flexibility of joint movement. It is also extravascular, i.e. it has no direct blood supply. This results in slow healing after the injury.

Symptoms of Articular Cartilage Injury:

• Intermittent pain in the knee joint.
• Swelling in the knee joint.
• There may be 'locking' or 'catching' of the knee due to loose bodies present within the joint.
• There may be audible 'clicks' with knee movements.

Causes of Injury to Articular Cartilage:

Injury can occur to the AC as a solitary condition on its own or the injury may occur in relation with other knee injuries. The anterior cruciate ligament helps in preventing rotation of the knee. Due to this reason, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are usually associated with injury to the medial and lateral surfaces of the femur and tibia. The articulating surfaces of the femur and tibia become injured due to an ACL tear caused by a twisting movement.

Forceful impact on the knee joint, such as a tackle in football or rugby also causes articular cartilage (AC) damage. AC damage is commonly associated with injury to other structures within the joint e.g. ACL and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears, damage to medial and lateral meniscus and dislocation of the patella.

AC damage results in inflammation and pain in the knee joint. It is also known to progress the commencement of osteoarthritis. In case of severe injury to the AC, fractures occur in the bone lying below it. This condition is also known as an Osteochondritis Dissecans or Osteochondral Fracture.

Treatment of Articular Cartilage Injury:

• RICE technique application to minimize the swelling.
• NSAID's such as ibuprofen help in easing pain and swelling.
• Patient should see a sports injury specialist.
• An x-ray or arthroscopy confirms the injury.
• Rest should be taken by the patient.
• Rehabilitation program should be started.
• In case of a fracture (osteochondritis dissecans), surgery is required to fix the broken fragment.
• Other surgical measures involve recruitment of marrow stem cells into the affected area by piercing the subchondral bone in an effort to accelerate recovery of the articular cartilage itself.

Read more article related to knee injury on: https://www.painassist.com/sports-injuries/knee-injuries/

Reducing The Appearance Of Scars After Knee Surgery

Knee surgery is a procedure that helps to restore mobility and independence to a large number of people. New arthroscopic techniques have reduced the amount of physical trauma patients experience during and after the procedure. Additionally, the recovery time afterwards is lessened for many patients who receive this kind of advanced care. Patients are always left with some scarring after the surgery has been completed. There are a number of treatments that are possible in order to reduce the appearance of scarring and assist in proper recovery.

Massage And Physical Therapy

The scarring that occurs after knee surgery often affects areas above and below the skin. Some of this tissue becomes dense and starts to make the knee feel stiff. One common way to help reduce the appearance of a scar beneath the skin while also loosening the tissue is to have regular massages and to engage in exercise or physical therapy every week. The correct type of massage combined with a good exercise routine will increase the flexibility of the area and prevent scars from forming harmful bonds with important tendons. Particularly active individuals will need to have therapy for quite some time, since the tension from the knee causes scar tissue to regenerate over time.

Silicone Creams

Silicone has become one of the most popular ways to reduce the appearance of scars on the skin. A silicone scar gel is applied to the surface of knee after the wound has closed, but before the final layers of tissue have fully formed. The gel will reduce the swelling that causes some of the discoloration and restore the skin to a more natural appearance. Additionally, a silicone scar gel that is applied soon enough will assist in regulating collagen around the area resulting in long-term scar fading. A silicone scar gel is particularly effective after knee surgery, because the scars are normally hypertrophic.

Plastic Surgery

Scar tissue inside of the knee is almost never removed surgically. Certain formations on the skin, however, can be treated with plastic surgery if other options are unavailable. These procedures involve the use of ablative lasers, microdermabrasion and even skin grafting. The results are not always consistent and some treatments will actually increase the density of the scar tissue. Lasers are gaining acceptance for use in cases where large keloids form that stop the patient from being able to bend the knee freely. Removing the surface of the scarred skin with microdermabrasion techniques will temporarily reduce the appearance of scars but will also reduce sensitivity in the area.

Unexplained Knee Pain - Healing Knee Injuries Without Surgery - Special Report

How are your knees feeling lately?

Do you suffer from pain and you are not exactly sure how or when it started?

1.) Introduction

Knee pain is a problem that can often times be dealt with, without having to go in for surgery. Let's face it though, we all know that there are those instances where surgery is your best option... However, a qualified knee surgeon will tell you that they would like to avoid knee surgery if possible and that is what this article is all about. We provide this free information to help you reduce or prevent knee pain from happening in the first place!

2.) Knee Pain Sources

Our bodies are wonderfully constructed, but they do break down. The knee can suffer an injury to your meniscus, ACL, MCL, PCL, or LCL for example. (The last four acronyms talk about the major ligaments in your knee.) Unfortunately, it does not take a trauma for you to have knee pain. It can come on as a result of aging, "wear and tear" and a non-contact accident. For example, if you plant your foot and twist your knee it is possible to really hurt yourself. These are some of the common reasons why people suffer from knee pain and although we want to make you generally aware of some common culprits, we are more willing to help find you a solution to your problem!

3.) A Powerful Method For Pain Reduction & The Promotion of Healing!

One of the best ways to help you reduce knee pain is by using a low profile, light weight knee support. If you have never thought about using one of these supports, now should be the time. Why? - You may ask... A knee brace will help to keep your knee secure while you move. Sometimes your physician will ask for it to be locked in extension, but usually people can use a knee brace with a very healthy range of motion. This means that you will not be stopped from doing the activities you want to.

One interesting point is that many people tell us that their pain goes down the moment they put the support on. The sense of security that they help to provide can be a great physical and emotional boost for people as well. Moreover, these kinds of supports (when quality made) are able to help limit those movements that will further your injury level. It is in these moments where the promotion of healing happens and you benefit!

*This is health information. Knee braces can be extremely effective for people, but this article is not meant to replace the medical advice of your physician.

Knee Pain Relief - Knee Braces For High Impact Sports

Do you like playing high impact sports?

If so, you may have unfortunately experienced a knee injury or have knee pain that has kept you out of the game and away from the sport you enjoy.

Fortunately there is a way that you can help support your knees. There are various knee braces specifically designed to help protect your knees structural integrity and a well designed knee brace can help keep your knee injury from getting worse. - All too often people in contact sports people suffer an ACL tear, MCL tear, or meniscus tear (and sometimes all of the above at the same time).

You may be under the assumption that only expensive, customized knee braces are the only ones that can help keep your knee stable You may have heard from someone that this is the only and best kind of knee brace... Besides being much more costly, customized knee braces do not necessarily offer you any more protection from knee injury or protection than a non custom knee support. There are many non custom knee braces, which have been specially designed for use with high impact sports. Not only will you save some hard earned cash with his style of non custom knee brace, over that of a custom knee brace, but they are usually just as effective. - Typically, the only time you will have to think about getting a custom knee brace is if you are different than almost everyone else anatomically. This, of course, is usually not the case.

If you have suffered a knee injury or have had surgery, it is very important that you consider wearing a knee brace that is going to assist in stabilizing and protecting the knee from further injury or discomfort. If you continue to play a high impact sport such as hockey, football, or rugby that is great, but without having the proper support for your knee, you may unfortunately have some regrets down the road.

The longer you continue to put extreme pressure on your knees without having an adequate support can make any injury get worse or possibly make a previous injury re-occur. We do not want this to happen for you, but it is something that you should really think about, especially on a knee that is still in the process of recovering.

You need to take good care of your knees, in order to take part in your favorite sport as long as you can. One of the the best ways to help ensure that you are going to be able to do so is to find a proper knee brace. Well designed knee braces which are designed for sports are a great way to help keep your knee protected, and can help reduce pain/discomfort and help prevent future knee injuries from happening. Investing in a proper knee brace now would be a wise decision, because it may save you a lot of money in the long run, in case you would happen to damage your knees seriously and require surgery. Not only would surgery be costly, but it would also mean you would be missing time from playing the sport you like best and you can not put a price on that.

ACL Repair Surgery Is Not the Only Option

All athletes around the world will surely agree that an ACL injury is one of their scariest injuries. This is basically because a healthy knee is a very important part of an athlete's physical condition. ACL injuries are very common among skiers, football players, and whatever sports involve so much physical motions and contacts. What makes this injury so serious is the fact that it can mean the end of an athlete's career. Fortunately, there are a couple of options in terms of ACL repair surgery.

The very first symptom of an ACL tear is the popping sound inside the knee joint that is surprisingly audible, which is commonly followed by severe pain and too much swelling in the knee area. There are worse symptoms that may appear, depending on the severity of the damages done to the ligaments. Many tests are also available these days that can assess the stability of the knees at first. The results will then be examined by a doctor, and the extent of the injury will be eventually figured out. It should be noted that too much swelling may impede the visibility of the exact damage, so usually, a couple of weeks would be needed to let the swelling subside.

An ACL injury can be very critical and devastating, so it is necessary that the right ACL repair surgery be done to allow the patient to gain back his or her physical form and also to be able to play the sports again. The technology has led the way for a patient's better chances of recovery. The initial stages of the surgery will be focused on minimizing the swelling. So after the injury is sustained, ice packs should be placed on the affected knee every two hours.

There is no way that the torn ligament can be repaired, so the treatment is called reconstructed through the use of a different tendon or ligament. Most of the time, what is used is either the hamstring tendon or the patella tendon. Surgeries are actually not the only option of people with torn ACL. If the patient does not need to have a physically active lifestyle in the future, then there is no need to undergo an invasive ACL surgery.

Rehabilitation is the other way to treat an injury in the ACL. The rehabilitation program would first need to focus on the reduction of the swelling of the knee. The joints will also need to be able to have various movements again. The next part of the program is the strengthening of the knee and the muscles around the knee joints. If the damage to the ACL is not so extreme, physicians would often recommend only the rehabilitation instead of an ACL repair surgery.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury - Who Should I See About My Torn ACL?

If you suspect that you have torn your Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), it can sometimes be a bit confusing as to who you will need to see about it. There are a number of things that need to happen for you to ensure that your injury is diagnosed correctly, completely, and treated the right way. And there are different medical professionals who have different skills and focus that may assist you in this process.

Here are the key professionals that you will most likely need to see about your torn ACL, with a brief summary of what each of them will do for you and how they can help you:

1. General Practitioner (GP) - Usually where most people go first. The GP, your local family doctor, does have an important role to play. The GP is not necessarily going to be able to diagnose a torn ACL very easily unless they have a particular interest or speciality in orthopaedics or fitness.They will press different parts of your injured knee and ask you questions, but they will not give you a definite diagnosis. Where the doctor really comes in handy is for writing you a referral to get an x-ray and an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). The x-ray will check for bone damage and the MRI will check for soft tissue damage. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament falls into the soft tissue category which is primarily made up of ligaments, muscles and tendons. You will often find that you can't get a x-ray or MRI without having a written referral. Importantly, you would also need to visit the doctor to get a referral to an orthopaedic specialist.

2. Physiotherapist - Contrary to the understanding of many people, you actually do not always need a referral to see a Physiotherapist. For example, in Australia you certainly don't need a referral. It is suggested that you see a Sports Physiotherapist. They are the ones that see the most patients with this type of injury. So why should you see the Physiotherapist? Well, it is because they will be able to confidently diagnose your knee injury and most of the time can confirm whether or not you have an ACL tear. They will generally conduct 3 movement tests on your knee to check the state of your Anterior Cruciate Ligament. If they determine that your Cruciate Ligament is not torn, they will be able to treat your knee for the existing pain and discomfort. They will guide you through the necessary recovery from whatever the actual injury may be, and you will most likely not have to see anyone else. If the Physiotherapist is unsure, they will send you for an MRI and quite possibly and x-ray at the same time. If they are sure it's a torn ACL, they will explain your options to you, treat your knee for the swelling and discomfort, and suggest you see an orthopaedic specialist if you are interested in an ACL Reconstruction.

3. Radiographer - Quite simply, these are the people that perform the MRI and x-ray on your knee. They will provide you with large film photos of the inside of your knee and write you a report of their findings and observations. It may take a couple of weeks before you can get an appointment and it may take a couple of days to get your photos and report.

4. Orthopaedic Specialist - These are the experts in this area. You will generally need a referral for your first visit to the Orthpaedic Surgeon, though not for subsequent visits. They will confirm whether you have a torn ACL by a combination of the 3 movement tests, asking you how you injured yourself, and of course consulting the MRI and x-ray photos. They will explain in detail the options for ACL Surgery and will give you some idea of the costs. Though it is important to note that there are very few places where you will find out up front exactly what costs you can expect throughout the entire ACL Reconstruction and recovery process. The cost of the ACL Surgery performed by the Orthopaedic Surgeon is certainly going to be your biggest cost.

5. Massage therapist - These are the people you would see in the event that you have stretched or strained muscles during your physical activity and need a massage to either loosen up the muscles or relieve some of the tension in your muscle groups. After having an ACL Reconstruction, you will have a leg that is quite stiff and sore however you need to check with your Orthopaedic Surgeon or Physiotherapist whether it is advisable to have a massage and at what point in your recovery it would be appropriate and safe. Once you are well into your ACL recovery period, seeing a massage therapist can be helpful as you return to physical activity and get back into your sport.

As you come to terms with the possibility of tearing your Anterior Cruciate Ligament and deal with the pain resulting from your injury, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out who you really need to see about the knee injury. It is always advisable to get an injury checked by an appropriate medical professional rather than let it go and hope that all will be well. And as you weigh up the decision over ACL Surgery, ask the medical professionals as many questions as you can and do your research to arm yourself with as much information as you possibly can so that you don't run into any surprises.

So You Think Your Knee Pain is Not Affecting Your Sex Life?

Well Think Again...

Every time you take a step and experience pain, tenderness, swelling, discomfort, etc. in your knees the rest of your body MUST compensate for that experience. This is a fundamental principle on how your body is designed to function. If you have pain in your knees your body compensates in the hips, lower back, upper back, neck, shoulders, and arms.

You name the body part and your body is holding tension to compensate for your knee pain.

You can compare the body to a bicycle wheel with spokes. If you tighten one of the spokes this changes the tension in the rest of the wheel. The very same thing happens in your body when you have knee pain.

Now with that understanding of the interrelatedness of your body parts, here are some of the ways your knee pain is affecting your sex life.

First of all, from the basic standpoint of not being able easily bend your legs presents a difficulty in itself. This in conjunction with the inability to kneel also plays a large role in depriving you of a more fulfilling sex life.

Second, looking back at the example of the bicycle wheel, your body tenses up to protect your knee from getting injured further. Which causes your hip begins to pull up and compensate for the knee injury. You will immediately start to feel tension build in your lower back as you lean more onto the opposite leg stressing that as well. Much of the tension which goes into leaning to the other side is experienced in your pelvis were there are some very sensitive organs for both men and women. This is the prostate for men and the uterus for women.

These organs also experience the stress and tension that translates up the body from the knee injury. Some of the symptoms that you may experience as a result of the tension in your pelvis are:

In Men:
- Decreased Sex Drive
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Premature Ejaculation

In Women
- Decreased Sex Drive
- Sexual Difficulties
- Severe Menstrual Cramps

These of course can change over time and the longer you take to address your knee pain the worse the situation becomes.

The third affect knee pain has on your sex life has to do with your nervous system.

You see when your body is experiencing knee pain. A part of your nervous system (The Sympathetic Nervous System) is turned on which is designed for the response of either "Fight, Flight, or Freeze." With your body experiencing knee pain it is unable to resolve this conflict to get to a state of relaxation (The Parasympathetic Nervous System). All this tension stuck in your nervous system never allows your body to relax enough to be able to experience the sex life you were born to experience...

How you approach your knee pain has a lot to do with the duration you can expect to experience your knee pain. If you are looking to "put a bandage" on it, meaning take pain killers and pretend it will go away. You are less likely to have long term beneficial results in your body.

However, if you approach your knee pain as an opportunity to learn more about your body and discover the underlying causes associated with your knee pain. You are more likely to not only overcome your knee pain, you are also more likely to live a richer more fulfilling sex life.

Finding the Right Knee Brace For Proper Therapy and Relief

Various ailments can affect the knee, which extremely vulnerable and prone to injury. For each potential problem, a different treatment may be required, ranging from surgery to physical therapy or the use of a knee brace. Often, a combination of treatments are required, but the proper bracing will relieve pressure from the knee and provide stability. A brace can be used to relieve pain and rest the knee if there is a strain. It can also be useful as an alternative to surgery, and it provides relief from pain resulting from injury or a permanent, disabling condition.

A protective knee guard can be simple and strap on around the knee. Such a product serves to relieve pain caused by arthritis or tendonitis. It reduces stress on the knee cap, tendons, and muscles and can be worn as needed for therapeutic use. Another type surrounds the knee on the top and bottom, supporting full mobility and providing pain relief. The type of knee brace needed depends on the nature of the pain and the affected tendons or muscles.

Elastic knee supports are flexible products that can be worn around the knee and the surrounding area. They are light and washable and don't retain heat and moisture, so comfort is not an issue. A variety of other knee bands and straps provide a simple solution to pain and discomfort. Similar styles include neoprene sleeves, compression braces, and other slip-on and stretchable braces.

For a more serious condition, you may require a knee immobilizer, which is often needed post trauma or post surgery. This can feature multiple straps and lock closures and cover a significant portion of the leg. Some products in this category are more adjustable than others, but all offer a comfortable solution to prevent the knee from flexing.

A hinged knee brace is another option. One example features polycentric hinges that provide medial and lateral support. There are a few of these available, but for ACL, MCL, or LCL instabilities, a mechanical brace might be required. This also has a hinged design and guides the tibia so movement doesn't further damage the knee. It provides support after injury or repairing surgeries. A knee cage is another product with a hinged design, but is suited for controlling hyperextension.

There are many knee braces available and the type you need depends on your condition and level of discomfort. Braces are generally inexpensive but sophisticated medical apparatuses can cost more, providing essential support for the specific condition. Some braces are available in sporting goods stores, but all kinds are available on medical product websites. Reputable sites sell quality products from well-known companies. Online ordering and door-to-door delivery add convenience to the process of obtaining a brace.

Major brace brands include Pro Band, DJ Orthopedics, Banyan Health Care, Brown Medical, Core Products, and Trulife. This is important to keep in mind if you need extra support for your knees, whether you have a specific model in mind or are browsing the catalog online.

Knee Injury Treatment With Six Homeopathic Medicines

Knee injury treatment with homeopathy may need the skilled services of a professional homeopath. Any injury can be complicated. And other treatments can prevent the best selected homeopathic medicine from working as it should.

These blockages can be cleared using certain homeopathic medicines, but that does require expertise. This is generally not within the scope of a homeopathic home prescriber.

However, if your knee injury is recent and you haven't treated it with anything as yet, then the right homeopathic medicine may be all you need for its speedy resolution.

Knee injury treatment is limited to the tissue that occurs here - tendons, ligaments, nerves and bones.

When treating injuries with homeopathy, it is generally considered wise to start them all off with the use of Arnica (as a medicine rather than a cream). This can prevent any serious developments. It may be the only medicine you will need.

But it is likely that you will also need a medicine for the injured tendons or ligaments.

The right choice of medicine depends on your symptoms. If the pain in the knee feels like a bruise or an ache, plus the knee feels weak, as if it would give way, then the homeopathic medicine Ruta may be the best choice for a speedy recovery.

If your knee suffers more with a stiffness than a weakness and that the pain is hugely relieved by heat packs - the hotter the better - then the medicine Rhus tox may be your best option.

Nerve pain from an injury tends to have a stinging or a shooting sensation. It's like an electric shock. This is best dealt with by the use of Hypericum.

An injury to the bone may best be dealt with by the use of Ruta. These are normally injury to the lining of the bone (periosteum) or the bone injury is minor, such as a bruising.

Fractures are best dealt with by the use of the medicine Symphytum, but because of the speed of the action of this medicine, it is better not to take it until after the fracture has been set. Any pain before the cast is in place may be relieved by Bryonia.

Bad injuries often create shock, so Aconite may be needed as the first medicine.

All these medicines mentioned here are available in comprehensive homeopathic home prescribing kits, especially those for sports injuries. The information here may be too much, if you are just getting started with homeopathic home prescribing.

If this is the case, then consult with a professional homeopath. You will never be able to deal with every eventuality yourself, so it is a good idea to know of a good one.

My Twins and Me - Life After Knee Surgery

2005 had arrived not soon enough for the twin sisters, they had gone through and successfully had rehab done on knee reconstruction surgery in 2004. They continued training harder and harder working on their squat, calves and hamstring area of their injured leg to help build up that support their knee would require with the tough sporting season ahead. This preparation was vital to no more issues with there knee and to mentally get them in that go forward mood and preparing for the up coming challenges of their favourite sport netball in 2005. They had set goals together on where they want to be in the 2005 season.

What goals should be set?

Goal -1 - Stay injury free.

Using the methods learned through their rehabilitation time before and after their knee surgery. The other factor was that they gave more than a 100% in rehab to get back to this stage of their recovery process. Also being mentally and physically fit was a huge bonus as well for their come back trail in the their sport of choice netball. Along with this goal of staying injury free they had to put their knee to the test of physical activity, then and only then can they be confident enough to really push forward.

Goal - 2 - Keep improving training systems.

This is to benefit the recovery progress through their netball season, remembering that your training will help you to excel in your preferred sport but also in your physical being. With this there has to be a balance of how much and how far you push your self with these new systems, remembering that every now and then you will need a break to rest and re-energize. The program you will require will need to be written up by a person who specializes in the particular sport of your choice and with also the ability to input other sporting techniques to improve you on your quest.

Goal - 3 - Make representative teams.

With the training programs you put into place to support your self they should improve your chances of making these representative goals. Obviously over coming your injury so that your are 100% fit will also increase your shot at that level. The other factor is that most representative sports are near the end of a season, so your actions through the season at the top level of play will also contribute to your success. Through the season the top coaches of these teams will do the rounds to select prospects for trials or will have someone attend these fixtures to do it for them. So being prepared and injury free is a big bonus to making the top-level teams.

How do you prevent the injury re-occurring?

By completing your goals you have set up and following through with them religiously and having faith in your body and your abilities to come out on top. Listen to the experts; your physio and surgeon with any advice they have to give you regarding protection of your injury as your build up your physical strength again. Learn about your injury on how it can occur and be prevented from happening again to the same leg or the other. There will times when this injury cannot be unavoidable but preparation before hand will increase your chances of this not happening.

So your goals and aspirations will only happen if you put in the hard work you need to do to succeed, because there will be others who are not coming back from a serious injury that will be training just as hard as you to make it to the next level in their sporting careers. Use the resources available to you and do not be afraid to ask for help.