Does it happen that your knees wake you from sleep, very often? By the time you get into a deep sleep, a debilitating nocturnal pain disrupts your sleep spoiling your entire mood? It is very common and there are solutions using which you can avoid such nightmares.
It was found that sleep disturbance affects up to 10.2 million adults with arthritis. To prevent knee pain at night, you need to understand some of the causes behind it which we have mentioned below and what you can do to treat your knee pain. Let’s see.
Causes of Knee Pain at Night
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.19.4" src="https://ultracarepro.myshopify.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/osteoarthritis-stages.jpg" force_fullwidth="on" custom_margin="||20px|" box_shadow_style="preset1" /][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.19.4" custom_margin="||20px|"]One of the major causes of nightly knee pain is Knee Osteoarthritis. When after a long tiring day, where your leg muscles were constantly working out, as soon as you lay down to rest, the muscles surrounding the knee begin to relax and the bones end up rubbing against each other causing pain because the cartilage between the bones is thin in osteoarthritis.
Other forms of arthritis like rheumatoid and gout, ankylosing spondylitis, bursitis, tendonitis, can flare up knee pain at night badly.
Even obesity or overweight is yet another reason for knee pain at night-time because it is the knees that carry the body load during the day.
Long sitting for hours with folded knees or in the same position can also cause your knees hurt while sleeping.
How to Relieve Knee Pain?
To prevent your knees from disturbing your sleep, you can try following preventive measures and natural remedies for knee pain to get a good night’s sleep.
1) Practice Pain Management During the Day
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.19.4" src="https://ultracarepro.myshopify.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/yoga-for-back-pain.jpg" force_fullwidth="on" custom_margin="||20px|" box_shadow_style="preset1" /][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.19.4" custom_margin="||20px|"]Pay attention to your activities during the day. Make sure you are not overusing your knee joint.
❖ Take breaks periodically to let your knees rest if walking long-distance.
❖ Avoid running on a treadmill, instead, exercise on a bicycle or an elliptical to reduce strain on the knee joints.
❖ Avoid stairs whenever possible.
❖ Change or stop any activity that is putting excess strain on your knees.
❖ Wear knee guards when engaging in sports and other activities to prevent any serious damage from happening
❖ Exercise and perform stretches whenever possible.
❖ Wear proper footwear – avoid heels.
❖ Use Physiotherapy Machine.
2) Prepare for the Night
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.19.4" src="https://ultracarepro.myshopify.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/man_shower-1296x728-header.20180510181534707.jpg" force_fullwidth="on" custom_margin="||20px|" box_shadow_style="preset1" /][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.19.4" custom_margin="||20px|"]❖ Get a good 20-minute warm bath before sleeping. It will relax your aching joints and help you get good deep sleep.
❖ Have an anti-inflammatory diet to minimize the intensity of knee pain at night
❖ Find a comfortable sleep position. Place a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side, or under your knees if you sleep on your back.
❖ If you find it difficult getting in and out of bed, use satin sheets and wear pyjamas as they will reduce the friction that leads to tugging.
❖ Cover your knees well if its cold.
❖ Use a heating pad or an ice pack for 15-20 minutes before bed to relieve knee pain
3) Knee Pain Treatment Measures You Can Try at Home
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.19.4" src="https://ultracarepro.myshopify.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ST.jpg" force_fullwidth="on" custom_margin="||20px|" box_shadow_style="preset1" /][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.19.4" custom_margin="||20px|"]❖ Shed those extra kilos. Reducing your body weight will help reduce the amount of strain your body puts on your knee joints.
❖ Try water exercises as pool-based activities take some of the gravitational force off of your knees, they are relaxing.
❖ Practice knee strengthening exercises or physiotherapy exercises for knee pain
❖ Use compression wraps or knee supports
❖ Get a professional massage
❖ Practice U.R.I.C.E i.e Ultrasound, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation technique throughout the day as and when you feel stress on your knees.
Take Care of Your Knees, They Will Take Care of You
Our knees are at constant use during the entire day and we only care about them when they hurt. A little care and attention to our lifestyle can keep them in good health for a longer period of time.