Your knees are responsible for a lot of important functions. They help support your body weight, they allow you to walk and they absorb the shock when you jump. Because they are such a vital part of your body, you should do your best to take care of your knees.

It’s normal to have sore knees every now and then in your life. Sometimes, sore knees are the result of running too much or lifting heavy objects. Usually, this kind of pain is not serious and can be treated at home.

At Franklin rehabilitation in Franklin, Wisconsin, we can help take care of any serious knee problems that may affect you. We can help in cases of minor knee pain as well, but you may be just fine on your own with the following home treatments.

Four treatments for knee pain

1. Rest — If your knee is in pain, it’s important to get off of it and allow it to rest. Resting allows your body to divert more resources to the injured area to help it recover. You’ll still need to do some light stretches and exercises every now and then, but you should generally be taking it easy. 
2. Compress — Wrap a compression bandage around your knee to help provide some support and assist in reducing any swelling. A compression bandage may help soothe pain as well.
   Take care to not wrap a compression bandage too tightly. This can reduce your circulation and cause further harm to the injured area. 
3. Ice — Apply a bag of ice or a cold pack to your knee to help reduce swelling and inflammation. This can also help reduce some of the pain.
   Don’t ice your knee for too long because the cold can cause your blood vessels to constrict. Ice your knee two or three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes. 
4. Heat — Applying a heat pack to your knee can feel much more soothing than icing your knee. However, heat can cause the inflammation to grow worse, which is why you must ice the injury for a couple of days before heating it.

Contact Franklin Rehabilitation

If these home treatments aren’t helping you feel any better or if your knee injury is too severe, you need professional help. Our physical therapists at Franklin Rehabilitation are trained and experienced in many techniques to help treat knee pain.Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.