The top 7 things that increase knee arthritis pain (and 5 ways PT can ease it)

Arthritis is a condition involving inflammation in the joints. It can happen anywhere there are joints in the body, including the knees. Arthritis in the knees can cause significant pain and interrupt a person’s daily activities. 

If you have arthritis pain in your knee, keep reading. We’ll go over some factors that have the potential to increase arthritis knee pain and some treatments that can help.

What are some of the top factors that could actually increase a person’s knee arthritis pain?

Believe it or not, there are several factors that can increase a person’s pain from joint inflammation. Having one or more of these factors doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have knee arthritis or pain, it just increases your chances of it.

• Being overweight — It’s more common to see someone who is overweight develop arthritis in their lower limbs, like the knees. The excess body weight places strain on the joints and increases a person’s risk of developing joint inflammation.
• Getting older — Arthritis is also more commonly seen in older adults. It can occur in young people but is more likely to occur in those higher in age.
• Developing an infection — If you’ve ever had an infection in your knee or knee joint, you’re more likely to potentially develop arthritis. 
• Performing repetitive motions — Repetitive motions can also cause chronic joint inflammation and pain. If you’re involved in an occupation that requires repetitive physical movements, your joints may be subject to high levels of stress that can develop into chronic inflammation.
• Being a smoker — Smoking is another risk factor that increases a person’s chances of developing joint inflammation.
• Having sustained an injury to the knee — If you’ve sustained an injury to your knee in the past, you may be more likely to experience arthritis in your knee. Knee injuries can place stress on the joints in the knee, which can lead to chronic inflammation.
• Having a family history — If you have one or more people with arthritis in your family, this could put you at a higher risk of developing arthritis yourself.

What are some of the symptoms of this condition?

• Pain during movement and after inactivity.
• Stiffness after inactivity.
• Swelling and inflammation around the joint.
• Reduced range of motion in the knee.

What are some treatment methods for someone who has arthritis knee pain?

• Physical therapy — One of the most common treatment methods for someone who has arthritis that affects their ability to walk and move comfortably is physical therapy. Physical therapists are experts in being able to help their patients reduce pain and inflammation within their patients’ pain threshold. 
• Increasing gentle physical activity — Another common treatment method for someone who has joint inflammation and pain is increasing gentle physical movement levels. Regular physical activity is one way to help reduce joint stiffness and pain. Inactivity can make arthritis symptoms worse, which is why gentle physical activity is often a good treatment method for arthritis pain.
• Anti-inflammatory medication — Anti-inflammatory medication may be another helpful treatment method for those with joint inflammation in their knees. It’s a short-term solution that lasts for only a few hours at a time. This method may be better for someone looking for quick relief, rather than lasting relief. 
• Topical creams — There are topical creams on the market that may be applied on the skin for pain relief around the joints. Similar to anti-inflammatory medications, topical creams are a short-term pain relief solution. 
• Corticosteroid injections — Corticosteroid injections are a mixture of pain-relieving and inflammation-reducing medications. They can be injected into the joints to help relieve pain and reduce swelling. These injections typically only last a few weeks at a time, and the number of times that a person can get injections into the same joint is limited. 
• Surgical procedure — Surgery may be an option for those who don’t respond to the more conservative treatment options. Surgery may not always result in the desired effect and can even result in additional complications.

Why should you choose physical therapy as your primary treatment method for your arthritis knee pain?

• Improve range of motion — One of the benefits of using physical therapy as a treatment for arthritis knee pain is that it can help make movement easier to perform. It can improve your range of motion so that you can walk, sit, stand and move with relative ease.
• Decrease pain levels — Physical therapy is also helpful for those with arthritis because it can potentially decrease pain levels. PT can be used to enable more comfortable movement through gentle exercise. 
• Reduce stiffness — PT can help patients who have arthritis in their knees by reducing stiffness. The movements performed during each session can contribute to increasing physical activity, which makes joints less stiff.
• Avoid future flare-ups — Physical therapy may help reduce the occurrence of knee arthritis flare-ups in the future.
• Protect the joints — Physical therapists can help patients build strength in the muscles around the joints to better protect them.

Alliance PTP can connect you with the physical therapy practice you need for arthritis pain in the knees

At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need. 

Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help you address the pain that occurs in your knees because of arthritis. You don’t have to remain limited by your arthritis pain. Physical therapy can help reduce the pain in your knees so you can get back to doing what you love. 

Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform. 

Come find help for your injury or chronic condition today!