Knee Pain
Knee pain will happen to anyone from any age and it may start abruptly usually after an heavy physical activity, injury such as sprains or strained ligaments, exercise, cartilage tear, sitting in a constrained area or knees for a prolonged time, tendonitis or underlying diseases such as arthritis, gout, infections. Most commonly it was due to aging and it will start as a mild discomfort which will in turn become worse.
Causes of Knee Pain
The causes of knee pain are numerous and it can be divided into two; medical conditions or injuries and overuse. Being overweight and obese also might pose as a problem for knee problems and can trigger pain.
Arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lupus, gout, baker cysts, osgood-schlatter disease, bone cancers, infection in the bones of the knee or in the knee joint are some of the medical conditions that can cause knee pain.
While bursitis, dislocation of the knee cap, fracture of the kneecap or other bones, Iliotibial band syndrome, patellofemoral syndrome, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), meniscus tear, strain or sprain are due to injuries and overuse.
Celebrities with Severe Knee Joint Pain
Celebrities are human too and they also suffer pain as we do, especially those who suffer from knee joint pain. Some of the celebrities listed here have come forward to help other people learn from the conditions. Usually they share their stories on symptoms and how they face it and what kind of treatment they undergo to treat their chronic knee joint pain.
Anthony Robert McMillan OBE, who is known professionally as Robbie Coltrane, is a famous Scottish actor, comedian and writer who is known for his portrayal as Hagrid in the franchise of the Harry Potter movie was diagnosed with terrible knee osteoarthritis and his pain is unbearable and his mobility is cut short where now he has to depend on his wheelchair to move around.
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, known famously as "Shaq", is a popular American former professional basketball player who now is a sports analyst on the television program known as “Inside the NBA.” Shaq O'Neal is highly praised as one of the excellent basketball players and centers of all time who is just over 7 feet tall and has a large frame that puts a lot of pressure on his knee joints and ankles and for over a decade he has been suffering from osteoarthritis and extreme pain.
Steven Victor Tallarico who is professionally known as Steven Tyler who is a singer, songwriter, musician, actor and television personality had severe knee pain and had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery which did not help and led him to have a total knee replacement surgery.
Eldrick Tont "Tiger'' Woods, a famous American professional golfer. Tiger Woods had an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery for his knee pain. Along the way he also developed arthritis in his knee and he subscribed to Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) to relieve his pain and improve his mobility. His choice of PRP is an ideal option because it is non-invasive and requires a little to no down-time like mainstream surgeries which will take him out of the gold game for months. The injections of PRP were so effective that he used it again for his Achilles tendon injury.
Jane Seymour Fonda is a famous American actress, influential political activist, environmentalist, and fashion model who had a knee replacement at the age of 71 because of the unbearable pain she undergoes.
Michael Kirk Douglas is a well-known American actor and producer who is famous for his role in Fatal Attraction and his famous father Kirk Douglas has undergone knee replacement surgery due to their terrible pain.
Caitlyn Marie Jenner is a well-known American media personality and retired Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete who lived with osteoarthritis for over twenty years. She modified her lifestyle instead of undergoing knee replacement surgery. She encourages people to find some other passion or something else to do if they cannot continue playing a sport they love.
Theo James Walcott is a famous English professional footballer who always plays as a forward for Southampton and the English national team ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) which kept out of the game and World Cup in 2014. He mentioned in the media, how the pain is so bad.
Famous People Who've Had Joint Replacements
We are going to list down some famous people who had joint replacements to show that you are not alone and it is good to refer to your healthcare provider if you have knee pain.
- William Martin Joel, a popular American musician, composer and songwriter who is nicknamed the "Piano Man".
- Former President George H. W. Bush and his wife, former first lady Barbara Pierce Bush.
- Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, a famous American musician and songwriter.
- Stephen Ray Perry, an American singer and songwriter.
- Lionel Brockman Richie Jr., a famous American singer, popular songwriter, great musician and record producer.
- Steven John Carell, an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director.
- Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger, a famous Austrian-American actor, former popular bodybuilder, film producer, businessman, and former politician who served as the 38th governor of California from 2003 to 2011.
Home Care
Knee pain due to an accident or injury has to be referred to a doctor while managing the symptoms of knee pain will be beneficial for those who have not developed severe pain. Sleep using a pillow underneath or between the knees to reduce pain and swelling.
First, make sure to take enough rest and avoid activities which will aggravate the pain and if possible try avoiding putting weight on the knee. Apply ice every one hour for about 15 minutes and after the first day, apply 4 times in a day. Always cover the knee with a towel before applying ice and avoid sleeping while applying ice or leaving it too long.
To reduce any swelling, the knees have to be raised as much as possible. Get some elastic bandage or sleeve which is available at any pharmacy to provide support and reduce swelling. For pain and swelling you can take ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Make sure you are not allergic to these medicines or if you have any other medical problems. If the pain and swelling continues after a day or two, then pay a visit to a doctor.
The following are general tips for lifestyle changes that help relieve and prevent knee pain. Before starting your exercise, always warm up and after exercising, make sure to cool down. If possible walk down hills instead of running down. At times it is good to bicycle or swim instead of running and if the urge still persists then run on a smooth and soft surface like a running track instead of running on cement or pavement.
If you are overweight or obese, then lose weight because for every pound of extra weight puts about five extra pounds of pressure on the kneecap when you walk up and down the stairs. The amount of extra pressure increases greatly when you are jumping. Try using special shoe inserts and orthotics or arch supports in case you have flat feet. Apart from that make sure you have a well made, well fit and good cushioning running shoes.
Home Remedies
The following are two home remedies for knee pain using the common spices used for cooking which have to be used together.
First, take 5 teaspoons of fenugreek seeds and 3 teaspoons of cumin seeds and soak it overnight in a glass of water and in the morning filter and drink on an empty stomach.
Second, take 2 teaspoons of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of asafoetida and soak them in water to make a paste and apply this paste to the knee and cover it with a clean cloth or bandage.