Elevating the affected leg can help reduce blood flow to the knee, helping to alleviate inflammation, swelling, and discomfort. Ideally, the affected leg should be elevated above the heart. To do this, lie down with the knee and calf propped up on pillows.
The bandage should provide a snug compression, but not restrict movement or blood flow. Remove compression bandages at night while sleeping. for best results. As swelling reduces it may be necessary to adjust compression bandage.
Before falling asleep or going to bed, a person can try to ice or heat their knees. They should aim to heat or ice their knees right before bed for about 20 minutes. Either method can help reduce swelling and may take away some of the pain in the knees.
Sitting with your knees crossed or bent under you over-stretches the ligaments and muscles surrounding your knee. This can also increase the pressure on your knee joints, which can cause pain and swelling.
Rest is important, especially if the cause of the swelling is overuse. But exercise is even more important, as the increased blood circulation often helps heal the swelling. Furthermore, strong muscles prevent future pain and injuries.
If your knee hurts, you might want to stay off of it. But resting too much makes your muscles weaken and often makes knee pain worse. Find a way to get moving without hurting your knee. Some good exercises for people with knee pain include walking, swimming, and water aerobics.
Doctors call this an effusion, and some people call it water on the knee. Sometimes, swelling (and the pain that accompanies it) will go away with home treatments. Other times, it may require visiting a doctor for medical treatment.
Although there are comfortable knee braces available in the market, it is not advised to wear a knee brace while sleeping unless instructed by your doctor. This usually applies to surgical patients to make sure that the affected joints stay in place, or for those who are suffering from insomnia due to their knee pain.
Drinking water can stimulate our production of synovial fluid (in charge of lubricating the cartilage), plus, reduce inflammation around the joint. And it encourages the growth of new cells in the cartilage tissues.
Seek immediate medical attention if one knee becomes red and feels warm to the touch compared with your other knee. This can be a sign of infection within the joint.
Instead, when elevating the leg use pillows or a stool. Place the pillow or stool under the ankle and calf to allow the knee to remain straight. Doing this will help to prevent a loss of knee extension range of motion and help to keep the knee straight, while still allowing for management of pain and swelling.
Avoid jarring exercises such as running, jumping, and kickboxing. Also avoid doing exercises such as lunges and deep squats that put a lot of stress on your knees. These can worsen pain and, if not done correctly, cause injury.
Best Sleep Position for Knee Pain
Sleeping with knee pain may require you to elevate the knee and leg. If so, sleeping on your back is the best option. Place pillow under both legs to elevate the knee above the level of the heart. If there is swelling in the knee, the elevation can help to reduce it.
Avoid more-strenuous or painful activities, but keep active. Try alternate activities that cause less discomfort — swimming instead of jogging, bicycling instead of tennis. For acute injuries, you may have to stay off your feet as much as possible or even use crutches for a short time.
Osteoarthritis, meniscus tears, bursitis, ligament strain, and tendonitis are some of the most common causes. Bone fractures or infections in the joint may also cause knee pain. Often, knee pain can occur due to overuse or an unexpected increase in physical activity.
According to the National Blood Clot Alliance, the signs and symptoms of blood clots include: swelling in the knee or leg. leg pain or tenderness that may feel similar to a cramp. reddish skin discoloration.
Joint aspiration involves taking fluid out of a joint, sometimes for diagnostic purposes. See What is ar Arthrocentesis (Joint Aspiration)? Joint aspiration is generally considered a quick, safe procedure. It typically involves a local anesthetic, so you'll feel minimal pain and discomfort.
Wrap an elastic bandage around your knee to help control swelling. Make the bandage fit snugly around your knee, but not tight enough to cause pain or leg swelling. Elevation. Lying down with your knee propped up on pillows may help control pain and swelling.
Knee Swings: Sit on a high chair or table (slightly on the edge) and let your leg dangle. Bend your knee as far as feels comfortable, then relax. Keep the movement controlled, not too fast. You can also straighten the leg as well.
Chronic swelling can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. In many cases, swelling can be treated at home with painkillers and by elevating your leg. However, you should see your GP if you think your knee is infected, or if your swelling doesn't go down after a few days.