Knee Pain in Older Adults: Care and Prevention
Aging naturally brings about changes in our joints, including making our knees more susceptible to stiffness, inflammation, and discomfort. However, it’s essential to understand that knee pain in older adults isn’t inevitable! Elliott Physical Therapy offers several strategies to help you stay healthy and active, no matter your age.
Knee pain is relatively common, and it can have multiple causes. For older adults, knee pain typically stems from osteoarthritis, which occurs when the cartilage and bone tissue in the knee degenerate, leading to pain and inflammation. However, more active individuals could also develop knee pain from overuse injuries in the knee tendons or ligaments.
Regardless of the reason for your knee pain, our team can help reduce pain, strengthen the muscles around your knee joint, and keep you moving comfortably. The sooner you address knee pain, the more likely you’ll retain mobility and independence.
If knee pain is slowing you down, it’s time to take action. Keep reading to learn how physical therapy helps manage knee pain in older adults.
Addressing Knee Pain In Older Adults
Because we offer a tailored approach to knee pain relief and prevention, we always start with a comprehensive assessment that includes a health history and a detailed examination of your symptoms. We’ll also evaluate your knee mobility, leg muscle strength, movement biomechanics, and balance. All this helps us create a personalized treatment program that addresses your needs.
We’ll typically start with targeted mobility exercises to improve your knee’s range of motion and reduce stiffness. Additionally, we may use manual therapy techniques, such as joint mobilizations, to relieve tightness and enhance movement.
Next, we’ll guide you through targeted exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee, particularly the quadriceps and hamstrings. Strengthening these muscles provides better support for the joint, easing pressure and reducing pain.
For older adults specifically, we might also suggest balance and stability exercises. These help reduce the risk of falls and associated injury.
Preventing Knee Pain in Older Adults
Fortunately, many of the methods we suggest for addressing current knee pain can also help prevent it! Perhaps the most important is regular exercise, which offers several benefits. Firstly, moving your knee joints keeps them healthy and lubricated. Secondly, exercise helps strengthen the muscles around your knee, stabilizing the joint and reducing your risk of injury.
Seeking prompt treatment for any knee injuries you suffer is also important for preventing knee pain in older adults. The sooner you address issues with your knee joint, the better your overall outcomes will be. So, if you notice any pain or restricted mobility, schedule an appointment with us at Elliott Physical Therapy to find out what’s going on and what you can do to address it.
You Don’t Have to Live with Knee Pain in Old Age
Just because knee pain is common as people age doesn’t mean you have to experience it! Our team will work with you to find a treatment and prevention program to keep your knees healthy so you can stay active, mobile, and independent for as long as possible.
Want to learn more? Contact your nearest Elliott Physical Therapy clinic today!