Take as much bed rest as possible in case your knee hurts, don’t run, jump or squat, keep on exercising your knee to make it stronger and the knee pain will automatically go away, use knee sleeves for running when your knee hurts or better still, do not run at all. We have grown up with these myths about knee pain and at one point or another, we have all believed in them to some extent too. How many of these word-of-mouth beliefs are actually true? Let’s debunk some of the common myths about knee pain.  

1. IfExperiencing Pain, Don’t Exercise 

This is a lie that you have been made to believe your entire life. Exercising, especially non-weight bearing exercise helps alleviate the pain and improves the quality of life in patients suffering from knee pain1.   

Non-weight bearing exercises, like cycling, swimming and power walking, are a crucial part of rehabilitation in cases of chronic knee pain. In cases of arthritis, exercise can help improve both knee pain and knee function2.  

2. BedRest Improves Knee Pain 

This statement is only partially true. Bed rest and immobilization helps only when you have sustained a knee injury or are suffering from acute flare-ups of arthritis and you need to stay off your feet for only a short time period.  

Pain is your body’s way of warning you to go easy, but in most of cases, confining yourself to your bed, especially for a longer duration, will do more harm than good. For example, if you are suffering from osteoarthritis, mobilization helps reduce the pain and morning stiffness associated with the condition3.  

3. JointInjections Are the Ultimate Knee Pain Treatment 

Yet another misconception is that joint injections are the cure for knee pain. Knee pain can easily be controlled with oral medications, especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).  

However, due to their adverse effects on the stomach, long-term use of NSAIDs is not advised. Newer drugs, which are not as harmful for the stomach as their older counterparts and topical formulations have also been introduced. 

4. ColdWeather Worsens the Joint Pain 

It is not the weather that takes a toll on your knee but the environmental pressure changes that cause your knee pain to worsen. Drop in the atmospheric pressure during the cold weather, causes your joint to swell up resulting in the exacerbation of pain. 

Warm and cold weather have no significance when it comes to knee pain. However, the ambient pressure and humidity have a direct correlation with knee pain4. Visiting a rheumatologist is the best way to get valid information about knee joint pain, what’s causing it, how you can prevent it and how to treat it in the long run. Only by adopting healthy lifestyle habits can you keep your knees healthy and happy.  

(Written by Marjin Ayak- chief editor at Running Addicted) 

References 

1. Thomas, K. S., et al. “Home based exerciseprogrammefor knee pain and knee osteoarthritis: randomised controlled trial.” Bmj 325.7367 (2002): 752. 
2. O’Reilly, Sheila C., Ken R. Muir, and Michael Doherty. “Effectiveness of home exercise on pain and disability from osteoarthritis of the knee: arandomisedcontrolled trial.” Annals of the rheumatic diseases 58.1 (1999): 15-19. 
3. Moss, Penny, KathleenSluka, and Anthony Wright.”The initial effects of knee joint mobilization on osteoarthritic hyperalgesia.” Manual therapy 12.2 (2007): 109-118. 
4. McAlindon, Tim, et al. “Changes in barometric pressure and ambient temperature influence osteoarthritis pain.” The American journal of medicine 120.5 (2007): 429-434.