Did you ever have an older relative warn of bad weather when their knee started to ache? Have you become that older relative now?
Around the world, about 365 million people are dealing with knee pain and inflammation thanks to osteoarthritis (OA), which is the most common form of arthritis. And each of these people share a few things in common, including knee pain that comes and goes with activity and, often, weather changes.
While Texas winters aren’t known to be snowy and freezing, they do present some extra challenges for people with knee arthritis. To help you better navigate this season, the team of board-certified orthopedic surgeons at New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine shares some strategies for managing knee pain.
When discussing knee OA management, it’s important to plug in some basic realities up front, including the fact that there’s no cure for arthritis. In addition to that reality, the joint disease is progressive, so your knee issues can get worse.
So, when we discuss management, we mean preserving mobility, reducing pain, and slowing the damage in these large joints.
Here, our orthopedic experts offer some great strategies for managing your knee OA and preserving mobility this winter and beyond.
Knee pain can flare during the winter because colder temps can make your joints stiffer and also reduce blood flow. On really cold days, it’s a great idea to warm up, starting your day with some stretches that slowly get your knees working and moving.
Bear in mind that even though it’s cold and your knees are stiffer, it’s still important to move, which brings us to our next best practice….
Winter in New Braunfels, Texas, is often a better time to be active than the hot summer and we want you to join in. We know that knee pain can be a tough hurdle to overcome and it’s a motivation killer, but movement is key with arthritis.
By moving, you get your blood flowing, which can deliver critical resources to your beleaguered knees and you can ensure that the supporting tissues around your knee are strong.
A great tool for managing the pain and inflammation of knee OA is hot and cold therapy. You can use an ice pack on your knee after activity, when inflammation can flare. Then you can swap over to a warm/hot bath to soothe achy knees or to warm up your knees for activity.
A fast track to premature knee OA is carrying extra weight, which applies to nearly three-quarters of adults in the United States. If you really want to improve function in your knees and reduce pain, shedding extra pounds is a great step in that direction.
Our team routinely helps people navigate the world of arthritis, and we know what works. For example, corticosteroid joint injections are great tools for temporarily relieving the pain and inflammation in your knees so you can take more sustainable steps to promote healthier knees.
As well, we can go over other therapies that can help.
If the cartilage in your knees is severely damaged, we can discuss more aggressive options, such as surgical options that can help you move again without pain.
Between our treatments and your lifestyle efforts, there’s every reason to believe that your knees won’t stop you from enjoying life this winter and every other time of year.
To get started on a knee-healthy program this year, we invite you to contact New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine to set up a consultation with one of our knee experts. You can send your appointment request online or call 830-341-1386.
