7 Knee Pain Relief Strategies That Ease Aching, Swollen Joints Quickly and Naturally
Plus see the simple exercise that takes pressure off sore knees
Stubborn knee pain can make everything from climbing stairs to walking the dog seem like a monumental effort. And the aches and stiffness only become more common as we age. The good news? You don’t have to suffer in silence. We’ve rounded up the best expert- and study-backed strategies for relieving knee pain that soothe discomfort quickly and naturally. Keep reading to discover home remedies that have been proven to work in the long term.
7 knee pain relief tips
Whether you’re a first-time sufferer or have dealt with chronic knee pain for years, these simple tricks can provide real relief.
Supercharge your smoothie
Adding a scoop of bromelain powder (a compound derived from pineapples) to your morning smoothie could help relieve pain, swelling and stiffness in your knees. A British review notes that taking 540 mg daily of the natural enzyme reduced symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knees by 80 percent in three weeks—and the benefits were still going strong at a follow-up four weeks after people stopped taking it.
Woman's World Answers
Bromelain works by breaking down inflammatory compounds, helping calm swollen tissues and restore movement naturally. Don’t drink smoothies? It works just as well stirred into your oatmeal or a glass of juice.
Massage your quads
Feel like massaging your sore knees only makes them worse? To better treat knee pain, try focusing on the quadriceps just above the knee instead. Tight quads pull on the knee joint, increasing pressure and pain. Massaging them relaxes the muscles, boosts blood flow, eases tension around the joint and improves movement for lasting knee pain relief.
In fact, a study in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork found that quad massage not only provided relief from knee pain and stiffness but also made walking and climbing stairs easier. The best part? The study participants reported that a quick afternoon massage tamped down pain for hours and even helped them sleep with less discomfort.
Also smart: Strengthening your quads. Having strong quadriceps—the big muscles at the front of your thighs—helps keep your knees in place, “buffering them from shock and strain,” explains Jo A. Hannafin, MD, PhD, director of orthopedic research at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery. Try a wall sit: Stand with your back resting against a wall and your feet spread slightly apart in front of you, about a foot from the wall. Slowly lower yourself to a sitting position. Hold 10 seconds, then return to your starting position. Repeat five times per set for three sets.
Stand tall
According to physical therapist Rick Olderman, when you stand and shift your weight to one side, you’re putting a surprising amount of pressure on that leg’s knee joint. “And because women tend to be more flexible than men,” he says, “their knees can almost literally get bent out of shape.”
The surprisingly simple fix to reduce knee pain at home? “Just stand with your weight evenly over both feet,” he says. “It’s the quickest and easiest way to take pressure off your knees.” (Learn more ways to strengthen your knees here.)
Swap your NSAID
While NSAIDs can offer knee pain relief, they can come with downsides like stomach upset. Now, research points to a gentler fix for those who experience knee pain. A four-week study in Trials found that curcumin—a potent compound in the spice turmeric—soothed painful knee inflammation just as effectively as NSAIDs, but without the drugs’ side effects.
Not only that, people taking it lost a pound a week by the end of the study! The study-proven supplement: 500 mg of BCM-95 turmeric, taken three times daily.
Tip: Take your capsule with food to boost its absorption.
Walk uphill for five minutes
Believe it or not, strengthening the muscles around your knees (especially your glutes) takes pressure off achy knee joints. It’s kind of like a chain reaction: The stronger your buttocks, the more strain they take off your thighs when you walk— which takes a whole lot of stress off your knees, Olderman says. A sure way to strengthen your bottom? Pencil in some physical activity like walking uphill for a few minutes each day. (Discover more powerful health benefits of walking here.)
Put your feet up—literally
To reduce pain fast, simply lie down, “take a couple of pillows and elevate them to the level of your heart,” advises orthopedic surgeon Miho J. Tanaka, M.D. This simple knee pain relief remedy pushes back the fluid collecting in the knee, reducing swelling that triggers discomfort.
Even if you’re not in pain at the moment, try putting your feet up anyway and relaxing, urges Olderman. Chronic stress can trigger pain by causing the tissues around the knees to tighten.
Loosen your hamstrings
“Flexible hamstrings—the muscles in the back of your thighs—help take pressure off your knees” to relieve pain, says Dr. Hannafin. To limber yours up: Lie flat, keeping one leg bent with your foot on the floor and raising the other one up to about a 90-degree angle. Relax for a count of five, then slowly lower your leg to the floor and repeat on the other side. The relaxing part is important, stresses Dr. Hannafin: “The ‘stretch receptors’ in your muscles activate when you relax.”
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
