One of the most commonly injured parts of the body is the knee. Many people experience knee injuries and knee pain, and almost everybody will have those types of issues at one point during their life. If you are struggling with knee pain at the moment, there are steps that you can and should take to deal with your knee issues. Then, you can be sure that you are doing everything in your power to reduce or resolve your knee pain. 

Don't Do Exercises That Cause Knee Strain

If you are an athlete or you are just dedicated to working out regularly, you may be of the mind that you should work through the pain you are experiencing when working out. However, when you have knee pain, you do not want to push your knee too hard. 

Exercises like squats put a great deal of pressure on your knees and can cause strain, especially if your knee is already sore or injured. Avoid exercises like squats, lunges, or weight-lifting that involves the legs for at least several days. This will give your knee a much-needed break. If you feel the need to work out, focus on your upper body and give your lower body some time to rest. 

However, you should not avoid exercise entirely and stay couch-bound. It is better to do some light exercise to avoid allowing the knee joint to get too stiff. So try to get up and go for a walk or even a jog. Swimming is also a good exercise option as it is not hard on your joints. 

Get Your Knee Checked Out

Even though you may think your knee pain is minor and no big deal, you should get your knee checked out by a doctor when you have knee pain that lasts more than a day or two. The best place to start is by going to your general practitioner or family doctor. 

They will examine your knee by physically moving and pressing on your knee joint. This checks where exactly the pain is in your knee as well as looks at your range of motion. Your doctor will likely also order x-rays or other scans to get an internal look at your knee joint. 

Once they have a look at the test results, they will either prescribe treatment or refer you to an orthopedist. 

Get the Surgery If a Doctor Recommends It

You need your knees to be in the best possible shape if you want to be able to function at work and in your everyday life. As such, if you have a knee problem that your doctor believes would benefit from orthopedic surgery, you should take their advice. 

Getting knee surgery is not something that you may want to work into your daily schedule, but if your knee problem is chronic and significant, you do not want to put off surgery. You will prolong your pain and could potentially make your knee problem worse and more complicated. The sooner you get surgery, the less damage will already be done to your knee and the better the situation will be for you. 

Now that you know what you should do when you experience knee pain, you can start taking steps to deal with and manage your pain.