Dispelling Myths About Knee Pain Treatment

When it comes to knee pain treatment, there are many unfortunate myths that exist. Luckily, Arrowhead Health Centers is committed to providing patients with the most accurate information possible. To help spread awareness about OsteoArthritis and the treatment of it, we’ve rounded up some of the the most common myths about OA & knee pain treatment. Read on to discover what’s true and what’s false when it comes to the potentially confusing world of OsteoArthritis knee pain treatment. Knee Pain Treatment Myth #1: Ice is an effective way to treat knee pain. True and False. Yes, ice will generally make your knee feel better, but only temporarily. Ice helps to reduce swelling in the  area of discomfort, providing short-term relief from the pain, but it won’t actually deliver any healing support. Knee Pain Treatment Myth #2: Rest until the pain goes away. False. While resting your legs will help reduce the pain you’re experiencing, it is not a long-term treatment option. Sitting out on the activities you onced loved is no way to deal with knee pain. Not only are you missing out, you’re actually doing more harm than good. Inactivity reduces flexibility and muscle definition, making it more difficult to get moving without pain in the future. Here at Arrowhead Health Centers, we actually encourage our patients to take part in functional strength training exercises as part of their non-surgical treatment plan. Knee Pain Treatment Myth #3: Over-the-counter pills are the best treatment for knee pain. False. Over-the-counter pills are not a medically safe or effective way to deal with chronic knee pain. While over-the-counter pills can provide short-term relief, they should not be used as a means to treat knee pain. Too many over-the-counter pills can actually be dangerous to your health. Many over-the-counter pain pills contain Acetaminophen, which can contribute to liver damage and other medical problems if taken in excess. Knee Pain Treatment Myth #4: Over-the-counter knee braces are just as effective as custom knee braces. False. Custom knee braces are designed specifically to fit your knee and your knee only. As a result, they’re able to provide more support and comfort than other run-of-the-mill knee braces. As part of our OsteoArthritis program, we fit each patient with their very own custom knee brace(s), which can be adjusted as the patient’s strength and movement advances as they progress through the program. Knee Pain Treatment Myth #5: Surgery is the only long-term solution to chronic knee pain problems. False. This is a rather unfortunate myth that many people believe to be true. While surgery can help with chronic knee pain, it is a costly, invasive, painful and exhausting process. Before you decide to undergo surgery, make sure you’ve considered all of your options. Here at Arrowhead Health Centers we offer a non-surgical OsteoArthritis of the Knee Program, which is just as effective as a full knee replacement.  Through functional strength training exercises, a tailor-made Recovery Game Plan and lubricating HA (hyaluronic acid) injections, patients can finally conquer their knee pain and return to everyday activities pain free If you’re battling knee pain, don’t waste time trying ineffective treatment after ineffective treatment. Find relief once and for all with Arrowhead Health Centers’ OsteoArthritis of the Knee Program and get back to participating in life like you used to. Schedule an appointment today by calling 623-334-4000, extension 9.