Exercise plays an important role in your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you get at least 150 to 300 minutes of exercise every week. However, exercise is not always pain free, especially in relation to the joints of the back, ankles and knees.
Causes
A wide range of causes are possible when knee pain is related to exercise. For example, tendon and ligament injuries from overuse or improper use during exercise may result in painful injuries including pulls, tears or inflammation. Exercise may also aggravate preexisting conditions in the knee that can cause pain. Conditions may include misalignment of the kneecap, gout, pseudogout, Osgood-Schlatter disease, iliotibial band syndrome or types of arthritis -- such as rheumatoid, septic or osteoarthritis. Only your doctor can provide a real diagnosis of what exactly is causing the knee pain associated with exercise.
Treatment
When you experience knee pain, one of the most recommended ways to treat the pain is through the RICE method, suggests the Merck Medical Library. The "R" of this method involves resting the knee, or taking time to sit or lay down to remove pressure and stress from the area. The "I" stands for icing the area to reduce inflammation. Ice should not be left on the injury for more than 20 minutes at a time. The "C" stands for compression, such as using a bandage or brace that applies compression to the injury site. Finally, the "E" stands for elevation, or getting the knee elevated to a point that it sits above the level of your heart.
Prevention
To prevent knee problems from occurring after exercising, you may take several measures. You can strengthen the muscles around the knee, such as the hamstrings and quadriceps, to build more stability to the knee joint. Exercises that can be used for this purpose include squats and lunges. Stretching on a regular basis is also important to prevent tight muscles, which can lead to injury.
Alternative Exercise
If your knee is consistently causing problems each time you exercise, consider changing your routine to include exercises that place less stress on the knee and surrounding tissues. Trade out the treadmill or stair stepper for a machine, such as an elliptical or stationary bicycle, that uses circular motions instead of up and down motions that impact the ground. Water aerobics may also help, as the natural buoyancy of the water removes your weight from the knee joint while providing natural resistance for strength training and aerobic exercise.
