Knee pain is often associated with old age but you will be surprised to find out that more and more young people are reporting experiencing joint pain in the knee as well. This is because being physically active increases one’s risk of suffering from a knee injury, causing damage to the cartilage and resulting in premature osteoarthritis. As such, pain in the knee is often one of the most obvious signs of the condition.

Learn more: Knee Pain: Causes, Other Symptoms & Treatments Available in Singapore

While it is always advisable to seek prompt knee pain treatment in Singapore, there are also some simple lifestyle changes you can make to manage symptoms and complement treatment for more effective pain relief.

Keep reading to find out more.

Manage Knee Pain With Lifestyle Changes

1. Maintain a healthy weight

Heart diseases are some of the most common medical conditions linked to being overweight and obese. Although that is accurate, what many do not realise is the impact excess weight has on the joints – extra pounds add unnecessary strain to the weight-bearing knee joint, causing the cartilage to wear down and become damaged faster. Knee pain then surfaces as a result.

However, maintaining a healthy weight can help to lessen the stress on your knee joint, relieving knee pain in return. Take note of your BMI, make small changes to your diet such as cutting down on sugar, and exercise regularly to shed those extra pounds.

Losing weight is a great way to manage knee pain before you can seek treatment, so completing daily activities will no longer be a challenge.

2. Do exercises designed to increase flexibility and mobility

Most knee pain treatments start off with non-surgical methods, such as physical therapy which includes exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles and soft tissues in your knee joint. Strengthening the muscles that support your knee reduces the stress put on the joint, helping to reduce pain significantly.

Thus, it is always a good idea to try these exercises at home to manage knee pain or continue doing these exercises taught during physical therapy diligently for enhanced results. Some knee conditioning exercises you can attempt include heel cord stretches, half squats, and hamstring curls.

3. Wear proper-fitting footwear

Every time you strike the ground with your feet, the impact first travels from your foot to your ankle, up your knees and then to your hips and back. Hence, proper-fitting shoes are essential to help you maintain the right posture and gait to avoid putting more stress on your knee joint.

Peek into your shoe cabinet and remove shoes that are too big, small, tight or flat. Keep a lookout for footwear with sufficient arch support, an appropriate level of flexibility and feel comfortable on your feet without any pinching or squeezing when shopping for shoes.

Try switching out ill-fitting shoes with proper-fitting ones before you seek knee pain treatments in Singapore – it might provide you with temporary relief before your appointment.

4. Try low-impact exercises

If you have always been participating in high-impact exercises and sports such as those that involve a lot of running and jolting movements, it may be time to try low-impact ones instead. High-impact motions can create a force equal to about 2.5 times your body weight, causing you to put more stress on your knee joint.

On the other hand, low-impact exercises like swimming and yoga are equally effective in helping you to maintain fitness, minus the extra stress on your joints. Try them out to see if there is any improvement in your knee pain.

5. Mix up your exercise routine

Repetitive motions can also result in wear and tear of your knee joint, causing pain. Although some jobs require constant walking and squatting which is inevitable, mixing up your exercise routine to prevent putting repetitive stress on your knee joint is something you can control.

For instance, instead of jogging every day which can result in a runner’s knee in the long run, switch some days out with strength training to relieve pain and reduce your risk of injury.

Seek Knee Pain Treatment in Singapore Early

These lifestyle changes may help to relieve pain temporarily or manage symptoms, but they cannot replace proper knee pain treatments.

If pain persists or worsens, it is advisable that you seek prompt advice as the doctor will be able to accurately diagnose your condition and provide the most appropriate treatment to help you enjoy life once again.

We provide a range of non-invasive treatments at Thomson Wellth Clinic, a sports medicine centre in Singapore, for patients who do not require surgery or for patients who prefer non-surgical options to manage their condition and knee pain. These treatment options range from Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy to INDIBA Active Cell Therapy, which aims to relieve pain, accelerate healing and prevent recurrences.

Learn more about PRP Therapy, Low-Level Laser Therapy and INDIBA Active Cell Therapy: 3 Treatments Used by Sports Injury Specialists in Singapore

Get in touch with us today to find out more!