Dr. Roshan Dath

Ayurveda is a very old system of medicine, which originated in India. Using herbs found in nature to cure various illnesses, knee pain can also be permanently cured with this method indigenous to India. It reduces knee pain caused by various illnesses including arthritis, inflammation of the cartilage and wearing of the patella among others.

Here are some common Ayurvedic remedies, which help reduce knee pain:

1. Alfalfa: Alfalfa is medically known as Medicago Sativa. Alfalfa is excellent for making sure that your joint pain reduces, when taken in liquid form four times a day.
2. Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is medically known as Withania Somnifera. In the West, Ashwagandha is popularly known as Winter Cherry. Also, it has a lot of therapeutic properties, which include reducing joint pains. 
3. Banyan: The Banyan tree's medical name is Ficus Benghalensis. It has a sap very similar to the form of rubber known as latex is derived from the Banyan tree. The Banyan tree's sap is externally applied over the joints and the pain usually disappears after a few regular applications. 
4. Bishop's weed: The medical name for Bishop's weed is Trachyspermum Ammi. The oil extracted from this herb is usually applied to the knees to reduce the intensity of such knee pains.
5. Celery: The medical name for celery is Apium Graveolens. Celery is not only an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and associated pains in the knees, but it is also helpful in treating gout. It is usually agreed upon that this particular treatment is usually long lasting because of its alkaline nature.
6. Dandelion: Dandelion's biological name is Taraxacum Officinale. It is rich in magnesium and is crucial for the correct mineralization of the bones. This mineralization allows the bones to become stronger and also prevents knee pain.
7. Garlic: The medical name for garlic is allium sativum. Five to six cloves eaten everyday has proved to reduce knee pains.
8. Ginger: Ginger is biologically called Zingiber Officinale. These can be easily included in your diet and go a long way in curbing knee pain.

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Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It affects millions of people around the world and is caused due to the gradual wear and tear of the protective cartilage at the end of your bones. The condition most commonly affects the joints in the hands, knees, hips and spine although it can damage any joint in the body.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis develop slowly and get worse with time, and include pain during and after physical activities like movement. The joints may become tender and may pain even with the application of light pressure. Stiffness and loss of flexibility are some of the other symptoms. The loss of cartilage due to gradual wear and tear causes the condition. It causes the smooth surface of the cartilage to become rough, giving rise to friction.

Some of the risk factors involved that can increase your chances of developing the condition are:

• Old age - The chance of osteoarthritis increases with a person's age.
• Sex - A study concluded that women are more likely to develop the condition. Although there isn't an established reason, lesser physical activity is attributed as a possible cause.
• Obesity - Having excessive body weight can be a contributing factor. This is because it puts added pressure on the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and the knees.
• Joint injuries - Joint injuries contracted due to sports activities, accidents or other such factors can increase the likelihood of this condition.
• Genetics - In some of the cases, the condition is observed to be passed from generation to generation.
• Bone deformities - Some people who are born with bone deformities and defects can have greater chances of having this condition.
• Other diseases - Having diseases like diabetes and gout can increase the risk of the condition.

Some of the complications of this disease are:

- Joint pain and stiffness may cause hurdles in daily activities. Daily activities like changing clothes can be painful.
- Some people are unable to work any longer. Joint replacement surgeries are advised by doctors in these cases. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.

Frozen shoulder is a condition when somebody encounters continuous shoulder stiffness and pain. It could last for weeks. It is likely to occur when swelling increases around the shoulder which reduces inability to move or stretch properly. This ordinarily happens when somebody is recovering from an injury. Frozen shoulder at times happens when somebody is wearing a sling or a cast. It also occurs, if someone is recovering from surgery, experiencing joint pain or facing restraint of movement for other reasons.

A frozen shoulder can go on from a couple of months to as much as 3 years and the precise cause is unknown. Physiotherapy is often to treat this condition. It has been found that posture plays a huge part in your recovery from a frozen shoulder. The urgent goal is to get the shoulder join moving once again. The sooner this is done, the better are the odds of a quick recovery. Anti-inflammatory medicines, heat application and delicate stretching activities are performed with the assistance of a physiotherapist.

Physiotherapy is very crucial for a frozen shoulder since it is very difficult to get movement in the stiff joint without any exercise, stretching or other methods used by a physiotherapist. It is mostly crucial to get physiotherapy to:

1. To reduce pain in the shoulder
2. To increase the flexibility and strength of the shoulder
3. To enhance movement of the shoulder.
4. To increase endurance of the muscles

Physiotherapy treatment for a frozen shoulder depends on the stage you are on and is customized according to the needs of your condition. Physiotherapy treatments for a frozen shoulder include:

1. Pain relief: Pain diminishing techniques including gentle shoulder movement exercises, muscle releases, needle therapy, dry needling and kinesiology taping for pain can help during the painful swelling phase.
2. Defrosting: Shoulder mobilization and stretching are the best in order to achieve a full shoulder recovery. As your scope of movement increases, your physiotherapist will then be able to give you muscle strengthening exercises to control and keep up your recently found range of movement.
3. Warm Up: Before beginning shoulder exercises for a frozen shoulder, try to warm up your shoulder keeping in mind the end goal. That is to help blood supply in the affected area and avoid future injuries. The best approach is to extend and warm up the shoulder by applying heat for 10 to 15 minutes, scrubbing down or showering with Epsom salt.

Physiotherapy does not bring out immediate results, but gradually. Flexibility will increase gradually. One should keep in mind, not to stretch their shoulder too quickly at once. This can lead to a ligament tear. The exercises should be tender and gradual. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a physiotherapist.