by Dr. Renee Matthews, BDO Contributing Writer
As you grow older, you may notice your knees locking up more. Knee stiffness is a result of poor flexibility or muscular imbalances in the legs and often occurs in older adults and people who are very physically active.
Below Dr. Renee shares her go-to remedies for those suffering from stiff knees.
Q: I am 57 and my knee is locking on me sometimes or gets stiff on me. What can I do? – L. Pratt
A: This is the most common kind of knee pain and can hit you at any age — your 30s or 40s as easily as your 60s and 70s.
Stiff knee remedy
To help alleviate the “creaking” and soothe the discomfort, use the following as a stiff knee remedy:
Go Anti-inflammatory.
Use food to fight back. Start eating anti-inflammatory foods to reduce the amount of inflammation in your system. Also, try aspirin or ibuprofen. Acetaminophen is a good pain reliever but does not reduce inflammation.
RICE therapy.
Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation can help reduce swelling and pain.
Physical therapy.
Exercise that strengthens your quads and hamstrings may help relieve the pressure on your knees.
Knee braces.
They can take pressure off the arthritic area.
Cortisone injections.
An occasional injection of this steroid may lessen the swelling and achy pain.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and can cause pain and stiffness.
It is often called wear-and-tear arthritis because it comes with the aging process.
You can take glucosamine and chondroitin because you may have osteoarthritis.
If that does not work, you should talk to your healthcare provider so they can make certain it is nothing that requires surgery.
They may refer you to physical therapy where you will learn exercises that you should do daily to help you with your knee.
