Did you know that arthritis affects nearly 5 million Canadians? It’s important to know that there are ways to treat it while also managing the pain and suffering that might come from it. Don’t live in pain, we here at BioPed can offer several different options when it comes to treating and supporting the arthritic knee.
This pain commonly arises after being diagnosed with a condition such as osteoarthritis. The types of pain commonly experienced are: pain that increases with activity and subsides with rest, swelling and warmth around the knee, stiffness after inactivity, reduced mobility of the knee such as inability to fully bend or fully straighten, creaking and cracking sounds when knee moves.
Although pain medication and ice packs may help heal the pain temporarily, it is important to help support the joint at the same time. Knee braces are key when it comes to osteoarthritis since they can help do that while also relieving some pain at the same time.
There are several different ways to support the knee in times of “knee-d” and here are a few things that can help:
Footwear – wearing stable and supportive shoes can help provide the support your knee requires when it comes to dealing with osteoarthritis. The wrong shoes can also increase symptoms. Lots of people also wear a pair of custom orthotics and it is important to have good footwear to be a proper base for those over-the-counter insoles or custom ones as well.
Custom orthotics – individuals who have flat or even high arches in their feet can in turn put more pressure on their knees which may cause an osteoarthritis flare up. Being “knocked-kneed” or “bow-legged” can put even more pressure on those knees and other joints in your lower limbs as well. Custom-made orthotics can also help with this by redistributing your body weight to alleviate any pressure, change the muscle tension and support the body.
Bracing – knee bracing is arguably one of the most beneficial forms of treatment and support when it comes to issues stemming from arthritis. Did you know that research has shown bracing to reduce pain by up to 48% while also improving your ability to function and live a normal life by up to 72%? There are braces available for most joints as well, not only knees. We can help you with knee, leg, ankle or foot braces as well.
Arthritis can be extremely painful and bothersome, but we don’t want to let it affect your everyday life. To get more information on how to support your arthritic joints, head to our locations page to find a BioPed clinic near you and our experts can help get you in the correct option for your specific lifestyle.
