Knee pain 101 - a proactive approach?

A common predicament affecting people in all walks of life, age doesn’t seem to discriminate when it comes to that pain in your knee! While there are a multitude of reasons why you might be experiencing knee pain, the approach for each will likely be quite similar. While it is often important to have things assessed by the appropriate health professional - there are quite a number of things we can start doing ourselves! 

First things first we want to get a rough idea of the severity. Did pain come on quite suddenly or gradually over time? Can you remember what initially brought on the pain? Maybe there was a pop, clicking or giving way of the knee where we felt it buckle under our own weight? Is this pain keeping us up at night and/or impacting our ability to complete day to day tasks or affecting our ability to carry our tasks in work? Is our pain exceeding 4/10 pain and showing little to no improvement? If you have answered yes to any of these, it is probably most prudent to have things assessed. This may have little impact on how we treat the injury but it can be important to rule out more serious pathology and provide reassurance on the structural integrity of the joint.

On the other hand, we may be experiencing some knee pain that is on and off and is often lower on the pain scale with some more notable triggers such as early morning stiffness, pain after exercise or things as simple as coming down the stairs. The pain often improves through some gentle movement and rest but may not be showing any major signs of improvement. It is likely that this type of knee pain may be going on for a slightly longer period of time.

So what can we do here? Is there an approach that each individual above can take that will likely lead to more favourable outcomes? In my opinion - there is a lot we can start doing in the early stages. Once we have arranged an assessment where necessary. We can continue to exercise or start some gentle exercise if we haven’t already. If lower body exercises are too painful, focus on what you CAN do!

There is no harm in focusing some time on upper body strengthening and possibly finding a mode of cardio you can do pain free, cycling can often be most helpful here where we can sufficiently train our heart and lungs while getting some gentle movement and increased blood flow to the knee. As time goes on - incorporating more lower body strengthening work can do wonders for your knees as it helps to build muscle around the joint which can help to better support the joint and in many cases will often result in an improvement in symptoms while developing resilience to further injuries!

If you are on the fence about online coaching and want to know a little bit more about the process - just email me the word “ready” and I will be in touch!

I am also delighted to announce that I am now offering an in person Personal Training service at kingfisher fitness club Waterford! Please get in touch through the contact information below or call into reception to check availability and avoid disappointment as spaces are limited! Please visit my new website www.coachedbycashel.com for more info!

Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. 

I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought. For any questions in relation to this topic or training, nutrition, etc. or for coaching inquiries simply message me on my business page on instagram @coachedbycashel_ or by email - contact@coachedbycashel.com