Knee pain can be debilitating. It can make your simple routine tasks, like walking, climbing steps, running, bending, and getting up from a chair super demanding. Knee pain is more common in people above 50 years, although a growing number of youngsters report joint pain and inflammation in their 20s. It’s important to see a knee pain doctor in Mumbai to identify the cause of the excruciating knee pain and figure out the best treatment options. In the meantime, let’s see the impact of knee pain on your daily activities.
Impact of Knee Pain on Your Daily Activities
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of knee pain, although joint pain can also occur due to sports injuries and other medical conditions. The severity of the pain can vary from mild discomfort to sharp and stabbing pain that can be felt when you are physically active or resting. Here’s how it impacts your daily activities.
- Difficulty moving around and walking
- Pain in the knee when standing up from the chair
- Inability to perform physical exercises without pain, which further results in weight gain, cardiovascular diseases, and other medical issues because of lack of physical activity.
- Inability to carry out household chores, such as grocery shopping, cleaning, cooking, and other tasks that require movements and physical strength
- Difficulty practicing personal hygiene
Someone diagnosed with knee pain might face other problems that make physical activities challenging.
How to Manage Knee Pain?
If the pain persists and becomes severe by the day, see a healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis. Here’s what can help.
Medication: Over-the-counter medications are often sufficient to fight knee pain if it’s moderate. For more severe pain, your doctor will prescribe opioids and other prescription drugs to manage pain. Medications help you regain your mobility by fighting inflammation and the underlying issue that’s causing knee pain.
Use Walking Aid: Walking and physical activities become challenging with constant knee pain. You must use assistive devices, like prophylactic braces or unloader braces to support mobility. These devices don’t only help you regain your normal range of motion, but they balance the weight between your knees, preventing further injuries from extreme pressure on your knee joints.
Arthroscopy: A sports injuries surgeon in Navi Mumbai recommends Arthroscopy, which is a minimally-invasive procedure, for persistent knee pain. It involves an arthroscope, equipment consisting of a camera and technical tools that give your surgeon a clear picture of the inside of your knee joint. They assess the damage and make necessary repairs right away.
Does Knee Pain Require Surgery?
People diagnosed with osteoarthritis that has reached an advanced stage might require total or partial knee replacement surgery to relieve the symptoms. It’s an ideal treatment for those with severely damaged knee joints.
The procedure involves replacing the damaged joints with artificial implants that last 10-20 years. These implants are designed and implanted based on your unique knee anatomy. They restore your mobility, reduce pain and inflammation, and help you resume your routine activities. A knee replacement surgery is the last resort for patients with severe knee pain and limited mobility.