What is Knee Pain?

Knee pain is a term used to describe conditions or issues that lead to discomfort around the knee joint. Numerous injuries to structures can lead to knee pain, including the joint, muscle, cartilage and ligaments. Examples of knee pain conditions include arthritis and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.

Knee pain is one of the leading physical health problems in Australia. According to the Royal Australiasian College of Physicians, up to 35% of Australian adults will experience knee pain (Wiley). Trends from this study also point out that knee pain increases with age. Especially after the age of 70, people are 39-69% more likely to live with knee arthritis (E Clinincal Medicine).

Pain is categorised as either acute, subacute or chronic knee pain

Acute knee pain: (0 days - 6 weeks)

Acute knee pain is pain that lasts anywhere from a few days, up to six weeks. The cause of acute knee pain is usually a minor injury, like a muscle strain or ligament sprain. Of course, not all pain is associated with damage, sometimes just sleeping awkwardly or doing something else may flare it up without any structural damage. This type of pain usually resolves itself with movement and appropriate rest.

Subacute knee pain: (6 weeks - 3 months)

Sub-acute knee pain usually results from acute pain that doesn’t quite resolve. This can be due to more serious injury or sometimes a poor recovery. If you are still aggravating your knee pain with painful movements then it may take longer to heal and recover.

Chronic knee pain: (3 months +)

Chronic knee pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three months. Chronic pain is usually more complex and can be difficult to treat. There are usually multiple factors leading to the development of chronic knee pain, such as other injuries or health issues. Stress, lack of sleep and other lifestyle factors like obesity can increase the likelihood of chronic knee pain.

What are the symptoms of knee pain?

Knee pain is the primary symptom that may indicate a condition affecting the knee joint or surrounding tissues. These symptoms can vary from a mild and dull ache right through to sharp and stabbing pain. Knee pain is most commonly felt at the front of the knee or can be felt "in the knee".

Common complaints of pain in the knee

• Swelling around the knee joint
• Pain
• Tenderness
• Difficulty bending and straightening the knee
• Feeling of instability or “giving away” of the knee
• Knee cap tenderness
• Grinding pain when bending
• Popping or clicking sound during knee movements

People may experience

Pain areas: in the knee, calf, or thigh, muscles and bones

Sensory: calf numbness or pins and needles

Also common: instability or weakness

What causes knee pain?

Knee pain is commonly caused by injury to either the muscles, ligaments or bones that form the knee joint. Muscle and ligament injuries are usually caused from accidents and sporting injuries, whereas bone related problems usually occur over time and with age, such as osteoarthritis.

According to MedicineNet (Medicine Net), knee pain is defined as “pain that originates in any of the bony structures compromising the knee joint (femur, tibia, fibula), the kneecap (patella), or the ligaments, tendons, and cartilage (meniscus) of the knee.”

Knee pain can result from an issue in one or several parts of the knee, including:

• Muscles (strain)
• Ligaments (sprain)
• Nerves
• Bone injuries - in the knee, the bones are the femur (top of knee), tibia (bottom of knee) and patella (knee-cap).

Common reasons why people experience pain in the knee

• Sitting for a prolonged time
• Sporting injuries
• Arthritis or inflammation of the joints
• Obesity or general poor health.

This list of causes is only a fraction of the possibilities, with many factors contributing to the possibility of knee pain.

Common injuries that cause knee pain

Patella tendonitis

Patella tendonitis is also known as jumper’s knee. It is the inflammation of your patella tendon which connects the kneecap to your shin bone. This occurs particularly with overuse and in sports like running.

Sprained ligament

Tears and damages to the knee’s ligaments are usually caused by direct impact to the knee or a sudden twisting motion of the knee during acceleration. An ACL injury is one of the most common injuries in contact sports.

Torn meniscus

Similar to a sprained ligament, this can happen with high pressure and a rotational force on the knee joint. Meniscus tears usually occur along with ligament injuries.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage that serves as a cushion in the joints wears down over time. As we get older, stress and microdamage accumulates in the cartilage of the knee joints.

Kneecap dislocation

It is often caused by a sudden change in direction while the leg is planted on the ground. Kneecap dislocation can also be caused by a direct blow to the knee cap.

Fractures

Fractures are rare, but they do happen, usually in the case of extreme force directed to the knee like a large fall. Some conditions which result in brittleness or a decrease in bone density can also increase the risk for bone fracture (e.g., osteoarthritis).

Common conditions that cause knee pain

Some conditions may cause knee pain. If you have any of these conditions, knee pain could be one of the symptoms:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Lupus
• Psoriasis
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout

Sports that increase the risk of knee pain

Previously, we listed some of the more common causes of knee pain, like prolonged sitting or osteoarthritis. However, knee pain may also occur when playing sports.

Sporting events that rely heavily on agility put a tremendous amount of stress on the knee joint and the structures around it, resulting in potential injury or pain over time. Here is a list of the most common sports that result in knee pain:

• Basketball
• Football
• Gymnastics
• Competitive cheerleading
• Running
• Soccer
• Tennis

Other risk factors include

Knee pain can occur at any stage of life, even in teenagers and children. However, these risk factors might increase your likelihood of getting knee pain:

• Excess weight - Being overweight or obese increases the mechanical load on your knees, even during basic activities like walking or taking the stairs. It also increases your risk of osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
• Lack of muscle flexibility or strength - Having poor flexibility or weakness of the knee muscles can be a risk factor for knee pain. Strong muscles help maintain good control and protect your joints from injury, and muscle flexibility can help you achieve full range of motion.
• Certain sports or occupations: - There are obvious sports that put more stress on your knees than others. Skiing is a likely problem, with stiff boots and fast turning actions. Basketballers are at risk with jumps and pivots, combined with the fast-paced running up and down the court. Working in construction or other highly physical jobs can also increase the risk of knee pain.
• Previous injury - Recurrences of knee pain are unfortunately more likely once you have injured your knee. Good rehabilitation is the key to preventing that!

Consider Orthotics to Prevent Exercise-Related Injury

Sometimes the structure of your body (biomechanics) increases your injury risk. That means even the best athletic shoes won’t protect your feet when you exercise. If your feet are flat, if your arches are too high or if your legs are different lengths, you may need extra support. Customizeable Orthotic insoles such as SelectFlex could be your solution. SelectFlex are an entirely new type of dynamic energy returning insole that won ISHN’s award for Best Foot Protective Product of 2020.

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What is Biomimetics?

Biomimetics offers an empathetic, interconnected understanding of how life works and ultimately where we fit in. It is a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies used by species alive today. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies — new ways of living — that solve our greatest design challenges sustainably and in solidarity with all life on earth. We can use biomimetics (often referred to as biomimic), to not only learn from nature’s wisdom, but also heal ourselves — and this planet — in the process.

Biomimetics Brings Relief To The Body

We’re stressed. Our planet is stressed. Many are losing hope for solving the climate crisis and its many negative effects on ecosystems across the world. Biomimicry gives us hope, because we know the solutions for our greatest challenges are here, accessible, and validated by the many species still alive today. By using nature as our mentor, we get to experience the powerful healing effects it has by connecting to the natural world — while also finding empowering relief to solve these challenges together.

The 3 Essentials Elements of Biomimicry

When translating nature’s strategies into design, the science of the practice involves three essential elements: Emulate, Ethos, and (Re)Connect. These three components are infused in every aspect of biomimicry and represent these core values at its essence (Biomimicry Institute).

• Emulate: The scientific, research-based practice of learning from and then replicating nature’s forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more regenerative designs.
• Ethos: The philosophy of understanding how life works and creating designs that continuously support and create conditions conducive to life.
• (Re)Connect: The concept that we are nature and find value in connecting to our place on Earth as part of life’s interconnected systems. (Re)Connect as a practice encourages us to observe and spend time in nature to understand how life works so that we may have a better ethos to emulate biological strategies in our designs.

 

   

Agile feet can help to improve one's balance, posture, gait, and movement overall. However, feet do not function independently of the body or brain. In fact, extensive research points to a definitive foot-brain connection, which is so dynamic that when activated, it allows us to move with calm, certainty, and security.

If you wonder why you have brain fog, depression, worsening memory, or slow thinking, the clues may lie in your feet — your foot health can tell you whether your brain is receiving enough oxygen.  Poor circulation to the feet creates myriad symptoms that signal circulation in the brain may also be poor, depriving your brain of oxygen, nutrients, and function. Troublesome symptoms aren’t the only bad part of poor brain circulation. Insufficient oxygen to the brain speeds up brain aging and raises your risk of vascular dementia, and it is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s. Check out these common signs to watch for below:

• Got cold feet? Your brain could be oxygen-deprived: Got cold toes and feet? If you have chronically cold feet, you may want to investigate whether your brain is getting enough oxygen and nutrients from sufficient circulation. Have someone check if your feet and toes are colder than your ankles or calves. If so, your feet are not getting enough circulation, and your brain may not be either. Cold fingers and a cold nose are other symptoms.
• Chronic fungal growth in toenails: If you have chronic fungal nail infections or chronic athlete’s foot, this can mean poor circulation is depriving your feet of enough oxygen, nutrients, and immune cells to ward off infection. This makes the feet and toenails more prone to fungal infections and fighting them a losing battle.
• Poor capillary refill time and white toenail beds: Are the nail beds of your toes a healthy pink or a pale white? If circulation is poor, the nail beds are more white than pink. Another test is to press down on a nail bed and observe how quickly the color returns.  The pink color should return instantly. If it takes a few seconds this indicates poor blood flow to the feet and most likely the brain as well.
• Cramping in the feet: When circulation to the feet is poor, it’s common to experience foot cramps that are difficult to relieve. The feet cramp due to lack of blood and oxygen to power the muscles. You may also experience cramps in your hands, such as when writing or typing. Both are signs circulation to the brain may be poor.
• Poor brain circulation: If you think poor brain circulation may be a culprit in your brain fog, memory loss, depression, or slow thinking, it’s important to figure out why your circulation is low. Investigate health condition that cause poor blood flow and lack of oxygenation, such as hypothyroidism, anemia, a heart condition, diabetes, low blood pressure, smoking, or an overly sedentary lifestyle. Normal blood pressure is 120/80. If the top or bottom number is 10 or more points below, that means the pressure is not high enough to push blood into the furthest ends of the body. Low blood pressure is typically accompanied by low blood sugar and adrenal fatigue. In addition to addressing root causes, one way to boost blood flow to the brain is through bursts of high intensity exercise, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

The Foot Brain Connection

The  importance of healthy feet is often undervalued.  In fact, the health of one’s feet is often either neglected or abused.  Constrictive or ill-shaped shoe wear, like high heels, can often lead to foot dysfunction. However, feet do not function independently of the body or brain.  In fact, extensive research points to a definitive foot-brain connection, which is so dynamic that when activated, it allows us to move with calm, certainty, and security.  

Fascia, tendons, and ligaments are ionically charged and receive sensory information providing feedback to the brain which enables us to move with skill.   There are:

• Over 7000 nerve endings in the sole of the foot
• 26 bones in each foot that work with intrinsic muscles to provide a static or dynamic balance
• 250,000 sweat glands that can produce 4-6oz. of perspiration a day in active feet
• 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons  

All of these components, contribute information for sensorimotor control.  Everything must work synergistically to provide postural stability, balance, grip strength, shock absorption, and mobility for quiet standing, gait, and dynamic movement (The Functional Neurology Center).

How to Restore blood flow to your feet and your brain

This foot-brain connection empowers us to move in space.  Feeling our stability we gain confidence for more unbounded action and movement patterns, without it our mobility becomes restricted and diminished.  Therefore, maintaining foot health, and avoiding injuries from overuse are vital to fluid movement and optimal performance. 

Along with exercise, wearing appropriate footwear can help improve balance, especially in older people who may struggle with mobility and balance issues. This is a 24 hour / 7 day rule, whether out running errands or at home cooking dinner. The right footwear can support and strengthen your foot and arch, in turn enhancing overall balance and mobility. 

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