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A bad knee can impact your life in many ways. It may not allow you to work to the standard you are used to, and it may be causing you distress in general. For that reason, we have put together this article that explains your options for when you have a bad knee.
Follow The RICE System
The RICE system, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation, is a method designed to help you care for an injury. RICE can help relieve you of pain and swelling. When applied, it could also assist your body in healing and make you more flexible.
The rest element means resting and protecting the injured or sore area. Ice means that you are applying an ice pack, or a cold pack, onto your injured knee. Compression means that you are wrapping the injured area with something such as a bandage to compress the afflicted area. Finally, elevation means ensuring that you’re lifting your knee high, so that it can recover quicker.
You should do this as soon as possible after an injury, and it can help you recover quicker. You can take painkillers and medicine in general that can help relieve you of pain in the short term. Of course, this won’t be a long-term solution.
Look Into Surgery
With some knee situations, you can look into the possibility of surgery to correct some issues. Knee problems may be diagnosed through X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans or arthroscopy. If a doctor has diagnosed you with a severe knee injury or issue in general, they may suggest you have your knee replaced or have knee surgery in general.
There are many different types of knee procedures that you could go through. This could help you address any pain you have, or deal with a lack of mobility or instability in general. The most common type of surgery is either a knee ligament or a knee replacement surgery.
Knee surgeries will usually go as intended, but they can go wrong. It will come down to the surgeon, with every decision they make having a potential impact. Surgical complications such as knee replacement issues can be difficult to deal with and could negatively impact your life, causing numerous issues. You should consult knee surgery claims solicitors like Gadsby Wicks, who can guide you through the process of making a knee surgery claim against a medical professional.
The compensation you receive can help provide you with essential financial assistance to help you in everyday life. This could help fund further surgeries and corrective procedures, fund ongoing therapies and help you recoup a potential loss of earnings.
It’s important to remember the benefits of knee surgeries. They aim to make you more mobile and reduce the risk of further damage. It may take some time for you to fully recover from a surgery, and you may need to take your time putting weight upon your knee,
Manage Your Weight
On the topic of weight, you may be able to better manage the impact of your knee and its overall health by losing some weight. The more overweight that you are, the more stress you place on your knee. There will be ways for you to manage your weight to a healthier level.
The best thing that you can do is take it easy. You can make small changes to your daily habits to lose weight. For example, you could lower the portions of your meals, or load them onto smaller plates/bowls.
You should think about what bad eating habits you currently have. You may be someone who eats to cope with emotions, which is a normal thing, but if taken too far and too severe, then it can be an unhealthy habit. Before long, you may be putting on extra weight that puts too much strain on your knees.
Wear Better Shoes
What some people don’t know is that what shoes you put onto your feet can affect the strength and integrity of your knees in a negative way. This is certainly the case for older and more worn footwear that you may have. Your shoes should have cushioned insoles within them that can help reduce stress upon your knees.
For knee osteoarthritis, your doctor may recommend special insoles. These special insoles will go in your shoe and could be measured to fit your unique situation. For other more general knee issues, you should consider wearing more cushioned and newer shoes, particularly if you want to exercise or put some strain on them.
If in doubt, or if you have any questions, then you should speak to a footwear expert, or a knee specialist. These experts will be able to give you more relevant information that can help you improve the strength and integrity knee. Listen to these experts so that you are fully aware and prepared to deal with knee issues.
