Writing And Achy Knees - 5 Self-Help Measures

Written By: Annapurna Sharma
Wondering what writing has got to do with knees. Let me relate a small story.
Writing developed into a passion, as I was always scribbling or manipulating the key board for hours at a stretch. Sometimes with a definite goal, sometimes aimlessly. Oblivious to the subtleties of the physique, my quest to become a prolific writer grew with each day. Thanks to technology, internet an important and modern tool is at my disposal. In my endeavor, getting hooked to the WWW day-in and day-out was a sacred ritual that was never ever forgotten. Every piece that was written especially to encourage newbies went down my tract. I kept digesting and assimilating info. Then came the turn of transportation of stored info along new paths. I catabolised and anabolised and finally new buds blossomed – ‘my babies i.e. my articles’. The effort and energy put into production was immense.

The whole process was under strict guidance and surveillance. As I concentrated on this, I overlooked the background noises – ‘Ohs! Ahs! Ouchs!’ That was my knees creaking like an old chair. The hinges were loose and required greasing. I just put the matter at the far end of my head. One fine day at the break of dawn I couldn’t get up from bed – the knees ached terribly and the Ouch was longer than before. A visit to the doc was inevitable. The doc suggested that just like my privileged automobile required regular maintenance, so does my ambulatory machinery – ‘my knees’. Learnt the lesson the hard way and then set upon devising new techniques to tackle the insurgency.
Knee pain is a common complaint equally affecting all age groups due to continuous and excessive wear and tear of the knee tissue. Knee pain could be the result of knee injury or any medical condition like arthritis or even due to prolonged sitting. The treatment is entirely dependent on the diagnosis of the cause of pain. Painkillers and over-the-counter pills serve only as a temporary relief. Minor knee pain can well be addressed by self-care measures.
5 simple remedies to alleviate persistent knee pain –
  1. Rest and correct posture: Taking a break from work gives the much needed rest and time for healing of the knee tissue. Initial rest prevents further damage of the knee tissue. Prolonged hours of sitting causes joint stiffness. Frequent changing of the position of the legs is recommended. The best way to sit is to sit with stretched out legs. Sitting in awkward position strains the knee muscle. Comfortable chairs with strong back support and arm rest are preferable than wobbly furniture. Kneeling further aggravates the knee pain.

  2. Ice therapy: Ice is the best agent that reduces swelling and pain. Ice wrapped in a cloth is safe and therapeutic. A word of caution – ice should not be used for more than 15-20 minutes as it may damage the skin and nerves.

  3. Compression bandage: Skin friendly, light weight compression bandages can be used to avoid further damage to the knee tissue. These bandages can be tied tightly to render support to the knee and should not interfere with regular blood supply.

  4. Legs propped up: Knee swelling can be controlled by propping up the legs on pillows.

  5. Stretching and physiotherapy: Continuous immobility can sometimes be more harmful. Stretching exercises strengthen the knee muscles and a daily bout of such activity helps build strong knees. Physiotherapy is given to some to restore regular knee movement.
However healthy knees are a result of regular exercise, right food and stress- free life.
About the author Annapurna Sharma is an passionate and prolific writer based at Vijayawada, India.
With numerous web based articles to her credit, you can visit her blog http://aannapurnasharma.wordpress.com. 

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