Pinnacle: Knees Getting Bigger?

Pinnacle: Knees Getting Bigger?

He a l t h & F i t n e s s The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Have you noticed in recent years that your knees seem to be getting bigger? Is this correlated with more popping, grinding or even pain when you bend, squat or kneel? This can be a sign of advancing stages of arthritis. The knees have two main fat pads, which reside just above and below the kneecap. These help to cushion the knee and assist with lubricating fluid flow around the joint. With arthritis, inflammation in the joint causes the fat pads to gradually thicken, choking the joint fluid flow. This leads to a vicious cycle of decreased lubrication, more wear, pain, and swelling. Will I need surgery for my knees? The good news is that recent studies show 60-70% of knee osteoarthritis patients can avoid surgery by getting PT first .(1) In fact, surgery should always be considered as a last resort after conservative measures have been tried. Furthermore, physical therapy is actually 40 times less expensive than a total joint replacement! (2 ) Improve your joint lubrication A physical therapist can actually help the lubrication in your joints through improved joint motion, strength, balance and coordination.The better lubricated your knee joints, the less friction and wear occur, reducing inflammation and pain. During knee treatments, our therapists work to improve your patella (kneecap) and joint mobility. This improves the mobility of the tissue around the joint, especially the fat pads. This in turn, leads to improved blood flow, joint lubrication and decreased swelling. The result is fast pain relief, improved motion, strength, and abilities to do physical activities. Walking, bending, jumping and squatting can then be done without pain. Put your knees on the right path to health with a visit to your physical therapist. If your knees are feeling tight, stiff, weak, or are just starting to bother you, come see us, before it becomes a REAL problem. Call us today and talk to your physical therapist about your knees. (1).KatzJN,BrophyRH,ChaissonCE,etal.Surgeryversusphysical therapy forameniscal tearand osteoarthritis.NEnglJMed.2013 (2).http://www.healthline.com/health/total-knee-replacement- surgery/understanding-costs#1 A Telltale SYMPTOMof Arthritis

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To Make Your Knees Feel Great

Exercise Essential 3. Strengthen your hip and quadricep muscles – Do exercises to strengthen the outer hip and your gluteus muscles. The stronger your hips are, the better supported your knees are. In addition, doing knee extension exercises while sitting helps to strengthen the quadriceps muscles, which help to support the knee joints. Talk to your physical therapist about which exercises are right for you. Knee pain doesn’t have to slow you down. There are many ways to naturally relieve knee pain, and get your joints moving the way they should. Here are some tips to help your knees feel great: 1. Stretch your inner thighs – The adductor muscles on the inner thighs can tighten over time. This increases the pressure on the inner aspect of the knee. Try this stretch; in standing with your feet apart, keep one foot flat on the floor, then lean away bending the opposite knee. Feel the stretch on the inner thigh, but be gentle! Hold for a good 30 seconds and repeat 3-5 times in a row on both sides. 2.Getyourkneecapmoving –Freelymovingpatellas(kneecaps), are a sign of good knee health. In a sitting position with your leg out straight, hold onto your kneecap and gently push it down towards your toes and back up towards your head. This should not hurt! Repeat 10 times each direction and then do side to side. Repeat 2-3 times in the day.

4. Go walking – Sitting for prolonged periods leads to stiffening and weakening of the whole body, especially the lower legs. Try to get out and consistently walk 20- 30 minutes a day. Start with a time that you can tolerate and never push through pain. 5. Ice and heat – Heat helps with circulation flow, and feels great to soothe arthritic knees. A hot soak in

the bath can go a long way to soothing aching knees. However, if your knees tend to swell after being on your feet for too long, use an icepack wrapped in a pillowcase for about 10-15 minutes. This reduces inflammation; be sure to check your skin regularly to make sure it does not get very red. 6. Get a regular physical therapy checkup – Think of your physical therapist as the mechanic for your body. Give your knees and body a regular checkup. We evaluate the movement of your joints and prevent problems before they really begin to develop. Regular visits to your physical therapist can make a difference in the long-term health of your knee joints, and keep you from spending a fortune on more expensive and invasive procedures.

Staff Spotlight

We’d like you to meet Kellie Watson!

SINGLE KNEE TO CHEST Stretches Knees

Kellie is one of our awesome Techs at the Post Falls clinic. She has worked for Pinnacle for almost one year and has learned a lot about physical therapy. Kellie splits her time between Pinnacle and a Pediatric Occupational Therapy clinic in Coeur d’ Alene. She plans to attend Occupational Therapy school

While lying on your back, hold your knee and gently pull it up towards your chest. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 6 times.

next fall to receive her MOT. Kellie is a great teammember here at Pinnacle and we are lucky to have her! Say hello to Kellie next time you come visit us. Free Pain Scre

Patient Results

IronPatient CONTEST To celebrate this year’s Ironman 70.3 we’re having a little competition of our own!

I am able to do almost everything! “Thank you for helping push me duringmy physical therapy for my bilateral knee replacements...Today, five months after surgery, I am able to do most everything I was able to do before having my knees replaced.” -B.J. Local business owner

Practice News

Keep all of your scheduled appointments during the month of June and you will be entered to WIN AN IRONMAN WATCH!!!

Our very own Mark Bengtson, MPT, Owner of Pinnacle Physical Therapy was recently asked to join the Inland Northwest Spine Consortium. Mark will join some of the brightest minds in the northwest on the subject of spine care utilizing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach. Mark is honored to be a part of such a great group of thinkers and leaders in their fields. We are very excited to see what comes of this consortium. When great minds come together, it’s truly incredible what can happen!

CALL TODAY!

Post Falls Location Phone: (208) 777-4242

Coeur d’Alene Location Phone: (208) 665-2000

Post Falls Location 1590 East Polston Avenue, Suite B Post Falls, ID 83854 Phone: (208) 777-4242 Fax: (208) 777-4020

Coeur d’Alene Location 3322 Grand Mill Lane Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 Phone: (208) 665-2000 Fax: (208) 665-2009

www.pinnaclephysicaltherapy.org