During social distancing, you might start experiencing knee pain. This can come from two opposite sources: being unusually sedentary, or being unusually active. Due to social distancing, many are staying home, chilling out, and catching up on Netflix. Others are switching up exercise routines, turning to jogging or running as an outlet for energy and a desire to stay fit.
Knee Pain Caused by Inaction
When your routine changes, your muscle groups, tendons, and joints are affected. If you are older, carry any extra weight on your frame, or have suffered a joint injury in the past, a sudden cessation of your normal daily activity can cause your knees to swell and become painful.
You can also experience knee pain if you’ve changed your work conditions. If you’re working remotely, you may not have access to your normal desk and office chair setup. Changes in posture can affect your knees, especially if you’re bending them more than usual to fit them under an unfamiliar desk well.
You can help alleviate knee pain by finding ways to get the movement back into your daily routine. If you’re working, get up and move around every 60 to 90 minutes. Move away from your desk to eat, choosing a straight backed chair at a normal height table if possible.
Take short walks when you can, or workout on a home treadmill or stationary bike to provide flexion to your knee joints. Finally, make sure your diet is non-inflammatory, and take analgesics as necessary, to mitigate pain symptoms so you aren’t tempted to skip your mini-workouts.
Knee Pain Caused by Over Activity
If you’ve shifted your workout routine to mostly or exclusively running or jogging, you could have brought on a case of runner’s knee. If you have pain under and around the knee cap the cartilage has become inflamed.
You can help prevent runner’s knee by making sure you stretch properly before beginning your run, working up gradually on speed and distance, and not “pushing through pain.” Take it easy at first, and build up your endurance over weeks, not days.
Instead, plan out a conditioning running workout like you would with any new exercise routine, and realize that you won’t become a marathoner overnight. Support your knees by wearing the correct shoes and running on safe terrain.
Cool off properly after your run, and take a long hot shower when you are done. If you experience knee pain, wrap, elevate, and ice the knee, and rest it for a day or two. If knee pain persists, seek the advice of an orthopaedic doctor like Dr. Strasburger.Are you experiencing knee pain? Quick action should be taken in case of a serious knee injury. Contact our office to book a consultation with Dr. Strasburger today.