The amount of rest needed varies widely and depends on the person, but expect anywhere from a few weeks to a few months before a significant reduction in pain and swelling is noticed. Pain with OSD can be sporadic or nearly constant; it usually occurs in just one knee, but sometimes develops in both.
Always wrap ice or frozen gel packs in a thin towel in order to prevent frostbite on your skin. If you don’t have any ice or gel packs, then use a frozen bag of peas from your freezer.
Knee braces can be found at stores that sell rehabilitation and medical supplies — ask a physical therapist, physician, or chiropractor for more info. Alternatively, you can try a patellar tendon strap, which fits around your leg just below your kneecap. It can support your kneecap’s tendon during physical activity and distribute some of the force away from the tibial tuberosity. [7] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Complete inactivity is not necessary with OSD, but consider switching to other fun activities that don’t involve jumping or running, such as swimming, rowing or golf.
Keep in mind that NSAIDs do not shorten the course of OSD. [9] X Research source Steroids such as cortisone have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, but injections should not be given to adolescents with OSD due to the risk factors — mainly, potential tendon weakening, local muscle atrophy and reduced immune system function.
To stretch your quadriceps while standing, bend your leg behind you so your knee is bent, your heel about at the level of your butt. Grab your ankle and pull your foot toward your body until you feel a nice stretch in your lower thigh and knee. Hold for about 30 seconds and repeat three to five times daily until you notice reduced symptoms. Stretches for the hamstrings, which are also commonly tight, may also be performed. Bending over at the waist and trying to touch your toes is a good basic hamstring stretch.
The therapist may use a focal cross-friction technique on your kneecap area if they think there’s a build-up of scar tissue. Always drink lots of water immediately following a massage in order to flush out inflammatory by-products and lactic acid from your body. Failure to do so might cause a headache or mild nausea.
Acupuncture points that may provide relief to your knee pain are not all located near where the pain is — some can be in distant areas of your body. Acupuncture is practiced by a variety of health professionals including some physicians, chiropractors, naturopaths, physical therapists and massage therapists — whoever you choose should be certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
Health professionals who make custom orthotics include podiatrists and some osteopaths and chiropractors. Some health insurance plans cover the cost of customized orthotics, but if yours doesn’t, then consider a pair of off-the-shelf insoles — they’re considerably less expensive and may provide quick relief.
Although a single ultrasound treatment can sometimes completely relieve your pain and inflammation, more than likely it will take three to five treatments to notice significant results. Therapeutic ultrasound treatments are painless and usually last 10 – 20 minutes.
Physiotherapy is usually required two to three times per week for four to eight weeks to positively impact chronic musculoskeletal problems. A physical therapist can also treat your knee with therapeutic ultrasound, maybe even tape your patella and possibly also make you a pair of custom orthotics.
X-rays, bone scans, diagnostic ultrasound, MRI and CT scans are tools that specialists may use to help diagnose your knee pain. Your doctor may also send you for a blood test to rule out rheumatoid arthritis or a bone infection.
