As we grow older we begin to experience body pains, especially knee joint pain. This can be just from the wearing on the joints that happens over time and turns into arthritis, because of an unexpected injury or due to bursitis and its inflammation. The pain can be decreased by taking some of the stress away from the joints. Managing the pain is easy if you use a few of these suggestions.

Most people know to apply an ice pack to the sore knee. If an ice pack is not handy then it is easy to make one by freezing some water in a Styrofoam cup one uses for coffee. At least four times a day for about ten minutes will help the soreness of the joints. Using the makeshift cup with frozen water works well and as the ice melts down the cup can be peeled away.

Using ibuprofen will be helpful but buying them over-the-counter will not work. The dosage needs to be a lot higher than the 200 milligrams per tablet you can buy without a prescription. The dosage should be more than 800 milligrams per tablet.

A knee brace is for supporting the joint and managing the pain. The brace will hold the knee in place and keep it from turning and will add warmth to the joint for comfort. This also enhances a healing of the joint.

The condition of your feet will affect the pressure on your knee joint. Using arch supports in your shoes will help to balance your legs and take stress off your knee joints. If your shoes are wearing unevenly it is a clear sign that either your feet turn in when you walk or there is a pronation problem. Pronation is when the bones of the foot rotate so that the weight is mainly carried on the inside of the foot which throws the whole body out of alignment.

Probably the biggest stress on the knees is from being overweight. The weight that we carry puts an enormous strain on the knee joints because they take the brunt of the body weight. Just a small reduction in weight will make a huge difference.

The process to overcome knee joint pain takes time and consistency in treatment. Doing some squats will strengthen the thigh muscles and lend more support to the knees. Contrary to what you might think, walking will help the knee joints because it lubricates the joint but it is essential to walk on dirt or a track that is soft and use good walking shoes that cushion your feet. Shoes that have padding will absorb a lot of the shock to your bones as you walk.