Stiff knee is the strain in moving the knee joint or loss of motion in the knee. It is the trouble to straighten or bend the knee, and has a negative effect on everyday living. It is a common condition that may occur as a result of arthritis, injury or infection to the knee.
Knee stiffness also occurs due to the trauma in the knee joint, knee tendinitis, knee bursitis, gout, formation of excessive scar tissue or thickening of the knee capsule. It may also develop due to the mechanical block in the displaced bone.
If you are suffering from knee stiffness you will experience:
- Knee pain while bending
- Redness and swelling in the knee
- Stiffness in the morning
- Fever
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of sensation in the lower leg
- Burning sensation in the joints
- Serious symptoms could be severe bleeding, uncontrollable stabbing pain, inability to move and deformity in the knee bones.
Some common ways of treatment include:
- Cold therapy or cryotherapy, in which extreme cold activates the immune, endocrine and nervous system to reduce the pain and inflammation.
- RICE therapy. Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation can help reduce swelling and pain.
- Aspiration, that uses a needle to remove excess blood and fluid from the area by giving a local anaesthetic. It relieves the area from the pressure of pain.
- Physiotherapy, the common method to strengthen the muscles of the knee. The physician recommends exercises to help increase the range of knee movement.
- Dietary changes to facilitate weight loss and lower the amount of uric acid in the body helps.
- Anti-inflammatory medications alleviate pain in sore knees and soothe the discomfort. The most prescribed medications are aceclofenac and acetaminophen.
- The knee support will help prevent further damage and speed the recovery process. A variety of knee support options are available.
