Knee swelling which is also called the knee effusion can be very painful. It might signal an underlying problem in the knee such as mild osteoarthritis, overuse injury, or non-septic knee bursitis among others.
Even so, there are other procedures such as knee surgery that can also cause swelling on the knee. In this post, I want to show you how to reduce swelling in knee including by use of the right medication too.
In case your knee is swollen here are some options that will work for you. They are simple and you can try them any time.
If you put a pack of ice on the knee, it will help the swelling to reduce. You can ice your knee at least once a day or as recommended by your physician. Here is how you apply ice on your knees.
NOTE: You should never apply ice directly on to your swollen knee.
If you are an active person, an athlete, or a sportsperson, you can get some relief by taking a rest. Rests will help you by refraining from sports that would have otherwise aggravated the pain.
You can take a 24 hours break or longer to give the joint enough time to repair and also recover. Nonetheless, you can still exercise the joint lightly by gently flex it, raising, and straighten it.
This will help to maintain a good range of motion. It will also help the fluid to flow out of the knee joint and in turn reduce the swelling.
Isometric or contracting exercises are some of the most recommended. They will help to strengthen the muscles around your knees so that you get the support your knee joint needs. They are also ideal at reducing excess fluid around the knee.
When you compress the knee, you may use an elastic bandage or even neoprene sleeve to wrap your knee. Keep it snugly around the knees so that it prevents any fluid from either collecting in stagnating around the knee joint.
In addition to all these, you can always use an anti-inflammatory medicine. These can always be prescribed by a physician or your personal healthcare provider. Take pills or get the shots (injections) recommended for your knees.
Massage is very good for swollen knees. Massage helps to drain fluids and to keep your knee less painful. It is one of the best options for swollen knees and has been used for a very long time.
Find a professional massage therapist. Or take a few lessons and learn how to massage knee to reduce swelling.
Unlike the regular swelling of the knee, knee surgery has an all different approach. Let me show you how to reduce swelling after knee surgery. I will use a few do’s and don’ts to make you understand it better.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons website says that knee swelling after knee surgery can last longer than three months. To speed up the recovery and help reduce the inflammation and pain they recommended the use of an ice pack at least three to four times a day.
You may also like our best ice packs for knees, ice machine for knee, best knee pillows, Hyperextended knee reviews.
While recovering, you shouldn’t schedule any additional surgical procedures. From dental surgery to minor surgeries including those of bladder and intestines make sure you consult your doctor first.
Even better, you should shelve them off until you are fully healed. Undertaking such procedures might lead to infections.
If you have a rehabilitation routine, make sure you play by the rules. Take enough rest, use ice, compress your knee, and finally keep the knee properly elevated. Watch your weight and prevent any additional strain.
NOTE: There are many other things that you can do. However, these are some of the most important ones to remember. You should make sure that you follow them well once you have learned how to reduce swelling after knee surgery.
If you are thinking of a better way of how to massage knee to reduce swelling these tips will come in handy as you figure out your move. Make sure you follow each one of them and you could be up and about in no time.
