Preventing a Meniscus Injury

It is always better to prevent meniscus injuries rather than try to fix them after they happen, however that is not always the situation. In any case, there are a number of things you can do to keep your knee and leg healthy and prevent further damage.

To stabilize your knee joint and increase your range of motion, maintain and build the strength and flexibility of your quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles and hip flexors. Strengthening and stretching exercises will help to keep your knee strong and supple, which will prevent further injuries (leg lifts with light weight or exercise bands are very beneficial). Proprioceptive (balancing) exercises will help retrain your position or "joint sense".

A regular exercise program that focuses on total body fitness and includes low-impact aerobic activity such as walking, swimming or biking will also strengthen your knee and keep you healthy overall.

Choose appropriate equipment for your body type and size; for example wear shoes that fit your feet and are suitable for your sport. Use knee supports as required during activities (bracing/strapping/taping your knee for extra support).

Avoid doing too much to soon to give your body an opportunity to build up its endurance. This is especially important when participating in a new activity. Gradually increase your participation to prevent overstraining your muscles. Always warm up and cool down your leg muscles before and after working them, and learn the proper form and techniques for your activity.

If you are suffering from knee or meniscus pain, listen to your body and decrease, modify and/or avoid any activities or motions that cause pain and irritation (twisting, squatting, kneeling, heavy lifting, climbing and running, walking on uneven terrain). If you are required to perform these motions at work or play and cannot avoid them, make sure you take frequent breaks and rest your knee to prevent fatigue.

Ultrasound therapy can be performed at home with a portable ultrasound device on a regular basis. If you have symptoms or are recovering from a meniscus injury, using ultrasound on a regular basis before your activity will help relax the tissue and prepare your knee and leg muscles for action, reduce scar tissue, and help diminish pain and inflammation after your activity.

If you suffer from mild inflammation or pain after certain activities or movements, implement URICE - use ultrasound therapy when you complete the activity, then rest your knee, apply a cold pack, compress and elevate your knee. You can also use anti-inflammatory medication for pain if required.

If you have been given a treatment plan by your health professional, make sure you adhere to it to ensure pain free living. In general, people who are committed to their therapies and exercises will have the best medical outcomes.

A Black Body Radiant Energy Kit is one of the most helpful tools for a wide varity of painful knee related injuries and conditions. Through the absorption of radiant energy, tissues are safely and gently heated - increasing blood flow within the treated area. Your body's natural response to this increased temperature is to try to maintain a condition of homeostasis - a balanced environment or state of equilibrium throughout the body. To do this, your body responds with a rapid increase in blood flow to the area (this is known as vasodilation), increasing the supply of nutrients to injured cells and flushing out toxins (including lactic acid, commonly found in trigger points) to promote healing. Our Thermotex Knee Pain Relief Device provides effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief with no side effects.

Our Cold Compression Wraps are recommended by countless medical professionals. That's why we sell them, because they are the best. We have noticed over time that our customers are so fond of our cold wraps that they are frequently coming back and ordering a second one. The wraps are becoming very popular with baseball and soccer trainers, and the wraps can be conveniently stored in a cooler for quick application on the field when needed.

Ultrasound therapy is also a helpful tool for pain prevention of knee injuires, and having a portable ultrasound device at home can be a powerful and convenient treatment tool. If you have symptoms or are recovering from a knee related injury, using ultrasound on a regular basis before your activity or throughout the day will help relax your muscles, tendons and tissues, diminish pain and inflammation, soften scar tissue and contribute greatly to the healing of your injury.

If you suffer from pain after certain activities or movements use ultrasound therapy when you complete the activity and then rest. Limit the application of ultrasound to a couple of treatments per day (the manual will recommend treatment frequency depending upon the injury). In between ultrasound treatments, maximize your pain relief and injury recovery by using the Thermotex Personal Therapy System. Proven Performance, Proven Relief - only found at MendMeShop.com. If you have been given a treatment plan by your health professional, make sure you adhere to it to ensure pain free living. In general, people who are committed to their therapies and exercises will have the best medical outcomes.