Knee stiffness is one of the symptoms that afflict individuals and makes them unable to move well while feeling severe pain, and this indicates some diseases that an individual may suffer from in the first place, in the following article we will learn about the most important information regarding this subject, so let us read the following.

knee stiffness

Individuals suffer from knee stiffness as a result of exposure to many injuries or suffering from some diseases that cause restriction of the patient’s movement, and this stiffness is associated with swelling in the knee and severe pain in the affected joint, and many reasons lead to stiffness in the knee joint, such as:

Osteoarthritis: This results in cartilage erosion in the knee.
Rheumatoid arthritis: This disease causes damage to the lining of the joint, which leads to severe inflammation.
Injured meniscus: This occurs as a result of the knee being under a lot of pressure, and this problem is more common among those who practice certain types of sports.
Surgical operations: Some surgeries result in stiffness in the knee joint, such as meniscal resection, knee arthroscopy, and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Knee stiffness when bent is a symptom of the so-called baker cysts, and this condition is defined as the occurrence of a large accumulation of fluid in the area behind the knee, and for this reason, individuals face difficulty while moving the knee during their normal daily activities, as one of the accompanying symptoms is the appearance of swelling in the area behind the knee and may extend until it reaches the leg and the feeling of very severe pain, and the knee stiffness and the inability to bend it is one of the most prominent symptoms.

What is knee joint stiffness?

Joint stiffness is a condition that afflicts the individual and greatly hinders him from moving, and this condition is accompanied by swelling and severe pain that makes the individual unable to carry out his daily activities normally, and this happens among individuals in a large percentage and is most likely the result of staying in the wrong position for a long period or suffering from arthritis or some other diseases.

What is the cause of joint stiffness?

Joint stiffness may be most likely the things that are associated with a certain age, but it may also occur to the individual at any time according to many causes and factors that lead to this: Examples of causes of knee stiffness:

Sleeping position: The way individuals sleep during the night has a major role in stiffness, and for this reason, the back and neck must be kept in a correct position, as the pain associated with morning stiffness is very severe.
Age: Stiffness in the joints occurs mostly to the elderly as a result of erosion of the cartilage, which leads to inflammation in the joints.
Obesity: Suffering from excess weight causes increased pressure on the joints as a result of fat cells releasing proteins that cause many inflammations.
Diet: The diet that an individual follows has a very high risk of developing stiffness, as eating certain foods may exacerbate some diseases, such as the effect of dairy products on gout.
Rheumatoid arthritis: This disease in which the individual’s immune system attacks healthy body cells and causes severe damage to them, causing swelling accompanied by severe pain, and the patient mostly focuses on the wrists and small joints in the hands and feet, and treatment reduces the severity of symptoms but does not eliminate it permanently.
Osteoarthritis: It is classified as a type of arthritis that causes swelling, severe pain, and a crackling sound emanating from the knee area.
Gout: Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs suddenly and without any prior warning, and the big toe is the one that initially shows symptoms more clearly, and its treatment lies in reducing the level of uric acid in the blood and taking medications that calm the symptoms.
Polymyalgia rheumatic (PMR): This disease affects people over the age of fifty and results in severe inflammation in the joints, resulting in stiffness and pain in the shoulders, neck, hips, wrists, and fingers.
Fibromyalgia: This disease has a direct effect on the muscles, and its symptoms include stiffness in the joints.
Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid gland may cause many problems, including joint stiffness, obesity, and a feeling of extreme fatigue.
Bone cancer: Most likely, bone cancer is not related to the occurrence of stiffness in the joints, but if this occurs, it is in the long bones in both the arms and legs.
Bursitis: This is when many fluids form in sacs called bursae, and its effect is greater on large joints such as the elbow, shoulder, hip, ankle, and knee, and it is treated by taking plenty of rest for some time.

Is stiff joints dangerous?

Repeated suffering from joint stiffness may be an indication of some serious diseases that need immediate medical intervention to obtain appropriate treatment immediately. One of the most well-known signs of joint stiffness is the inability to move the foot or suffering from great difficulty in moving the joint. effectively.

What are the symptoms of bone stiffness?

Swelling of the joint and redness of the area of the skin that surrounds it.
Feeling numbness and tingling.
A sensation of itching in the joint area.
The appearance of blue bruises on the leg and bleeding.
Suffering from joint pain.
A feeling of tingling in the affected joint.

Does stiffness is roughness?

There is a relationship between stiffness and roughness, as when a patient has a roughness, stiffness is one of the symptoms that indicate it, and stiffness is a sign of disease and roughness is one of them, but to ensure that there is no other problem such as arthritis or gout, you must undergo an accurate medical diagnosis to receive appropriate treatment.

Stiff knee exercises

There are many exercises that doctors may recommend in the event of a patient with knee stiffness, and it is preferable to do them under the supervision of a physiotherapist to avoid any serious complications. Here are some of the best exercises that are recommended:

The first exercise

In order to do this exercise, follow these steps:

Make sure to sit on a flat surface on the ground, then spread the legs in front of the body.
Place the right hand under the right knee while tightening the quadriceps muscle and pushing the knee down on the hand.
Lift the right heel up into the air and hold for 15 minutes.
Repeat the same steps on the left foot.
If you encounter any difficulty in doing this exercise, put a pillow under the knee and make sure that the knee rests on it, but be careful to raise the heel up in the air.

The second exercise

Make sure to sleep on your stomach and then spread the feet well on the floor.
In the next step, bend the right knee as far as you can.
Hold this position for 5 seconds.
After returning to the normal position, repeat this exercise 5 times on both legs.

Third exercise

Lie on your back and bend your knees, keeping your heels flat on the floor.
Lift the fully extended foot in the air off the ground for 5 seconds, then repeat the steps with the other foot.

What is the treatment for knee stiffness?

In order to be able to treat knee stiffness well, we must first know the causes that lead to it clearly, and for this, the patient should get a very accurate diagnosis for the treatment to produce the desired results, and some procedures can be followed to treat knee stiffness well, such as:

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Compresses: Each of the cold and warm compresses alternately between each of them can have an effective role in the treatment, and this must be repeated more than once a day for 20 minutes each time.
Losing excess weight: Suffering from obesity causes increased pressure on the joints, which increases the severity of the pain felt by the patient, and for this reason, it is better to eat balanced and healthy meals.
Taking nutritional supplements: The doctor may recommend some vitamins and important elements that the patient’s body lacks, such as fish oil.
Exercising: Care should be taken to do some exercises that help relieve pressure on the knee area.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): They are most helpful if the person’s stiffness is a symptom of arthritis.
Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: They work to significantly reduce the pain resulting from stiffness, and it is possible to take some analgesics such as acetaminophen.

Herbal knee treatment

Aloe vera: It is considered one of the most common medicinal herbs because it has many benefits in treating small skin wounds and reducing joint pain. It is placed directly on the knee area and is characterized by the fact that it does not have any side effects.
Indian incense: It is extracted from the gum of the original Boswellia trees in India, and it has a major role in treating infections. This herb is available in the form of topical tablets and creams.
Cat’s Claw: This herb contains many anti-inflammatory properties and reduces joint swelling and pain.
Eucalyptus: This herb contains many benefits that make it able to relieve pain and calm inflammation, but an allergy test must be performed before using it for 24 hours.
Ginger: Its use is very common in the kitchen and it is added to many foods. In addition to that it contains many benefits, it also works to calm inflammation and reduce the pain resulting from it.
Green tea: It has many benefits and can greatly soothe inflammation, especially those related to joints, and it is taken as a drink or as a tablet in the mouth.
Turmeric: It contains curcumin, which has many anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it is very effective in relieving pain and calming swelling.

Treatment of stiff knee joint after gypsum

After removing the gypsum, some individuals may experience great difficulty in bearing weight on the knee area and face great difficulty in standing and walking, and some procedures are taken to facilitate this:

Exercising: Care must be taken to seek the assistance of a physiotherapist to increase the strength of the muscles that surround the joint, and this step is very important, and neglecting it will lead to a worsening of the situation.
Heat therapy: Applying some warm compresses on the foot in which the gypsum has been removed helps to greatly relax the muscles and reduce the occurrence of stiffness, in addition to that, this enhances blood circulation in the area of the injury and delivers oxygen and food to it, which enhances its recovery.
Maintaining weight: After removing the gypsum, care must be taken to avoid excessive weight gain so as not to strain the joints, as this may expose the individual to many serious complications, and care must also be taken to avoid carrying heavy weights.

Knee stiffness exercises after plaster

After doing the gypsum removal, many individuals suffer from knee stiffness, and for this reason, doctors advise them to do some exercises that make them regain their physical fitness by focusing on strengthening the muscles that surround the joint, and these exercises should be performed under the supervision of a specialist doctor to avoid any serious complications.

What is the treatment of joint stiffness?

Immediate treatment of joint stiffness lies in applying some cold and hot compresses to the area of pain alternately between each of them more than once per day, as this helps to reduce the severity of pain and relieve symptoms, and care must be taken to lose excess weight to avoid any pressure that may fall on the joint while taking nutritional supplements to speed up the healing process.