6 Ways To Deal With Knee Pain Caused By Weight Gain

Your knees are the shock absorbers for your body; soaking up the stress that you put on your legs through the day.  But when you put on extra kilos, your knees are the first ones to feel the impact.

The result: knee joint pain. 

During a recent study by British doctors on the relation between weight gain and knee joint pain, it was seen that people with higher BMI are more likely to suffer from knee pain.

In fact, continuous pressure on knee cartilages due to excess weight are more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis.

Manage weight to reduce knee pain

The first move to ensure that your knees are not injured is to manage your weight. Try to lose weight and bring your BMI under permissible levels.

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Exchange your regular diet for one that aids in weight loss. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables,and reduce fats to bring your weight under control.

Snacking on super foods based munchies like health bars, and trail mixes are a good way to stave off hunger and lose weight.

Top 6 Home Remedies for Knee Pain

1. Massage therapy for knee pain

Massage has healing powers and work wonders on knee pain. Massage therapy is good in overcoming knee injuries and making our knee strong and flexible.

Massage with Ayurvedic oils makes the movement of joints easier. Steam bath and sun bath is also effective in strengthening your knees and joints.

2. Cold compress

Applying cold compresses to the painful knee is one of the best and easiest ways to reduce pain and swelling.

1. The cold will constrict the blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the affected area and thus reducing swelling.
2. Wrap a handful of ice cubes in a thin towel
3. Apply the compress to the affected knee area for 10 to 20 minutes
4. Do these two or three times daily until your pain is gone

3. Use cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin which has natural analgesic or pain-relieving properties that produces warm sensation and reduce pain in the affected knee.

• Prepare a mixture by adding two tablespoons of cayenne pepper powder in one-half cup of warm olive oil. Apply this paste on the affected area twice daily for at least one week.
• You can also mix one-quarter or one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder in one cup of apple cider vinegar.
• Soak a clean washcloth in this solution and apply it on the aching area for about 20 minutes once or twice daily until the pain and inflammation is reduced.
• You can even apply a gel containing 0.0125 percent capsaicin topically to reduce knee pain.

4. Ginger alleviates knee pain

Whether knee pain is due to arthritis, muscle strain or injury, ginger is an effective remedy to alleviate the pain. Ginger can reduce swelling on the knee as well as the pain.

• Crush a small piece of fresh ginger root, add to one cup of water and boil it for 10 minutes. Strain and add a little honey and lemon juice.
• Drink two to three cups of this ginger tea daily until the pain is gone.
• You can also massage the affected knee with ginger oil two or three times a day until you are satisfied with the results.

5. Turmeric as a pain relief

Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin that has anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties that help reduce pain.

Also, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) reports that turmeric may slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, one of the main causes of knee pain.

1. Add one-half teaspoon each of ground ginger and turmeric to a cup of water and boil it for 10 minutes. Strain, add honey to taste, and enjoy twice daily.
2. Boil one teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of milk. Sweeten with honey and drink it once daily.
3. Another option is to take 250 to 500 mg turmeric capsules three times daily.

6. Lemon helps sooth knees

The citric acid found in lemon works as a solvent for uric acid crystals, which is the cause of some types of arthritis.

• Cut one or two lemons into small pieces.
• Tie the pieces in a cotton cloth and dip it in warm sesame oil.
• Place the cloth on the affected knee for five to 10 minutes.
• Do this twice daily until the pain is gone completely.

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