Knee pain is a lifestyle-altering condition that can prevent you from doing basic chores, completing your favorite hiking trail, and even doing something as seemingly mundane as remaining seated while working.
The knees are a body part that many take for granted, and they are a part of the human body that tends to be extremely painful when injured or strained.
Sadly, knee pain is not uncommon. In fact, one in four adults is severely affected by knee pain. At Optimum Health Rehab Dacula/ Hamilton Mill, we understand that knee pain can be a severe problem with a large impact on your life, and we want to help you recover as soon as possible.
The majority of our treatments are drug-free with minimal side effects. We use the latest techniques, including regenerative therapy, to get you the care you need to recover from your pain.
Schedule your visit at our Dacula/Hamilton Mill location to see how we can help you recover from your knee pain. Call (678)546-8044 or contact us online to schedule your first appointment today.
How Knee Pain Treatment From Optimum Health Rehab Dacula Can Help
Doctors may be quick to dismiss knee pain unrelated to an obvious injury, or that may result from conditions that become more common with aging, such as osteoarthritis.
However, some types of knee pain can indicate serious health problems, warranting a visit to the doctor for a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plan.
Our medical professionals in Dacula/ Hamilton Mill have decades of combined experience and are dedicated to creating custom therapy programs for each patient’s individual needs.
Our staff will perform a diagnostic evaluation during your first appointment, looking for any visible signs of injury like swelling, bruising, and warmth of the skin.
Regenerative Medicine(PRP – Platelet-Rich-Plasma)
Platelet-rich plasma is derived from your own cells. During treatment, platelet-rich plasma is taken from your blood, concentrated, and reintroduced into damaged body parts.
This regenerative medicine procedure harnesses your body’s natural healing potential to combat shoulder, hip, knee, and joint problems.
The goal of regenerative therapies like PRP injections is to boost the body’s own natural healing abilities. PRP injections are frequently recommended for people recovering from tendon injuries and ligament damage, including those injuries that happened while playing sports.
Regenerative therapies can also stave off or reduce the symptoms of chronic conditions such as degenerative joint disease (DJD) and osteoarthritis.
Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is commonly utilized for patients with torn muscles or ligaments, arthritis, tendinitis, and sometimes other injuries. This kind of plasma contains high levels of growth hormones and proteins that encourage the healing process.
These factors are diluted throughout the blood, but in PRP, they are collected in a concentrated dose.
The plasma used for this treatment is collected from the injured patient, and once it is collected, it is injected directly into the knee to relieve pain. By using PRP, we can get those healing factors directly where they’re needed in a concentrated dose.
Most people do not have any significant side effects. However, some patients have bruising, soreness, or stiffness around the injection site, but these symptoms are generally mild and go away within a few days.
For those patients who need some kind of help with discomfort, we recommend acetaminophen, as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen, can interfere with the treatment.
PRP effectiveness depends on the patient, but many feel less pain in just a few days after receiving an injection, and in most cases, people return to their normal activities soon after.
Physical Rehabilitation
One of the best ways to reduce pain is to strengthen the muscles around the problem area. This can be done through exercises and stretches that will be part of your customized program, depending on the cause and severity of your knee pain.
To start, at your first appointment, your therapist will review your test results and diagnosis and perform their own evaluation. They will ask if you have pain and difficulty moving or bending the knee, whether you have trouble with balance, and if you can stand on one leg easily.
Additionally, your therapist may ask you to do simple tasks like walking on a treadmill, hopping on one foot, or bending your leg to see if you’ve lost or have difficulty completing any of these functions.
Next, your therapist will devise a plan to help you strengthen your knee and surrounding muscles. This can help you regain lost function and, in some cases, may reduce your pain levels while lowering the risk of future injuries.
During your sessions, the therapist will walk you through specific exercises. They may also use heat and cold therapy or electrical stimulation to help speed up your recovery.
If you struggle with some of the exercises or can’t do them for any reason, please let us know, and we’ll help you find a solution.
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation can help rehabilitate the muscles and nerves of the knee. Your physical therapist may include it in your sessions alongside a portable device like a TENS unit to help relieve your discomfort by interfering with pain signals between the brain and nerves.
For patients who have trouble with medication side effects, electrical stimulation can be a drug-free alternative for pain relief.
Neurological Treatments
Neurological testing and qualitative exams can provide helpful information when determining the extent of any damages. It can provide details on reflex times, nerve conduction velocity, and other areas indicating nervous system health.
These treatments must render a diagnosis before physical rehabilitation or other treatments can be recommended.
Depending on your diagnosis, a treatment plan can call for working with a nutritionist, creating a comprehensive care routine, and using different kinds of physical therapy techniques to maximize your chances of minimizing the cause of your knee pain.
A neurologist can also meet with you regularly to evaluate your progress, ensuring that you are trending towards improving pain-free function while keeping a close eye on possible issues like hemorrhaging (bleeding) or swelling (edema).
Common Causes of Knee Pain
Like many other parts of the human body, knees are associated with essential functions like walking or lying in bed. Knee pain is a common occurrence that affects most adults at some point in their lifetime.
To make matters worse, some may find that their knee pain is chronic, and in those cases, they should seek medical intervention to help manage their pain.
There are numerous possible reasons knee pain can arise, including arthritis, car accident injuries, sports injuries, nerve pain or damage, repetitive stress, strains, and other injuries.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a condition that appears mostly after the age of 50 and contributes to the disintegration of cartilage in the joint, causing pain. There are cases where joint replacement surgery is the only solution to alleviate discomfort.
Rheumatoid arthritis
This chronic degree of arthritis can cause severe mobility and strength issues. In addition, cartilage in the knees may become swollen and can be destroyed as this condition progresses.
There is no cure for arthritis, and as the patient ages, symptoms tend to become worse.
ACL and PCL Tears
These are two important ligaments in the knee that support its function. However, once they tear, it is extremely painful and restricts the mobility of the injured.
Usually, these injuries happen during sports activities or as the result of a car accident.
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) — These frequently result from a sudden twisting motion, such as during sports or when performing heavy lifting.
- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) — These injuries are usually caused by a direct impact, like a hit from a car accident or while participating in sports activities.
Tendon Injuries
Tears and inflammation cause significant pain in the knee. These injuries are most common from overuse and from those who are into sports or are athletes.
This kind of injury can also occur in cases where there is a fall that twisted or unstabilized the knee.
Cartilage Injuries and Disorders
There are many causes that can create injuries or disorders in the cartilage of the knee, including overuse, surrounding muscle weakness, or misalignment of the knee. These conditions can soften the cartilage of the kneecap.
When Should You See a Doctor to Treat Your Knee Pain
Many patients with slight knee pain see it resolve within a few days, but when the pain becomes debilitating and chronic, patients are encouraged to see their doctor for further examination. Pain is considered chronic after it has been ongoing for at least 90 days.
There are cases where patients must seek immediate medical care for their knee pain. These cases are when their pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:
- High fever.
- Loud popping noises when walking or moving your knee.
- Severe swelling around the knee.
- The ability to bend the knee at odd angles that are not considered normal.
- Weakness that no longer supports your body weight.
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Tired of Knee Pain? Call Us to Schedule Your Appointment
Suffering from knee pain can have severe impacts on your ability to complete daily tasks and hobbies. Don’t let knee pain stand in your way. Call Optimum Health Rehab at (678)546-8044 or contact us online to schedule your first appointment today.