Knee Pain Relief: Holistic Solutions Part Two

Knee Pain Relief:

Holistic Solutions

Part Two

By Ashley Redford

MA, HHE, CSMT, CAMT, CAYT, CWHP

 It brings me great joy to live in a body that is fifteen years older and no longer limited 

by moment-to-moment pain.

I hope you were able to work with the tennis ball on your Sp10 point and found some relief. I was just telling one of my clients tonight that he can sleep on his side with a pillow in between his knees and place the tennis ball on the same point to work on bringing more circulation and release of tension and pain to the knee area while he sleeps. He looked shocked but quite pleased when I asked him how he might feel in the morning after having this area worked on for a few hours every night while he slept. I have used this on myself for years to decrease back pain from a tight psoas/groin area and usually recommend this for all of my pregnant gals to keep their hips open and low back free from pain and stiffness. Give it a try and see how you feel in the morning. If you forget to move the tennis ball to the other side, you will still get benefits, but bilateral work is ideal.

Here is a photo of PRT for sleeping at night with Sp10

You will love this!

So what about the long list from Part One? Where does one begin? Well from a western medical perspective, they use the RICE acronym. This stands for Rest, Ice, Compression (massage/acupressure/wraps/supports/braces), and Elevation. 

So you want to rest your knees first. This means to modify or completely 

take a break from your workout routine or physical activities that demand a lot from your knees. It means be more conscious of your bending, squatting, kneeling, and walking down stairs. Becoming more aware of how your foot actually touches the ground when you walk can determine if your knee is collapsing on the inside/medially if you are rolling your foot out and straining the outer/lateral part of the knee, if you hit the ground hard with your heel aggravating the attachments to the back of the knee, or if you walk on the 

ball of your feet and create strain on the front of the knee. Ideally you want to remember the 5-points on your feet: tips of the toes, back of the heel, top of the foot, inner middle of the foot, outer middle of the foot. With these points in mind, stand on your feet pressing them down into the floor and expanding out to each point. You want your weight to be evenly distributed on both sides of your body each time you take a step and 

you want to step ~ heel-to-toe. This will allow the knees to rest and work less.

Most of us know that if the knees are swollen/inflamed/hot/burning, we need to ice them. The rule is to ice within 24-72 hours of the time of injury/strain and when there is recurring inflammation. There is a topical gel that I usually recommend for all of my clients and students that is called Biofreeze. It is a topical anti-inflammatory and comes in a roll-on that is easy to run/workout with or travel with. You may be able to get it online, but it is mostly sold by medical practitioners. Icing to decrease inflammation should be done for 15-20 minutes at least 2x's each day until the inflammation is resolved.

The flip side of this from a Chinese Medicine perspective is when the area is "stiff" or "cold." Then it is suggested to apply heat to bring blood and circulation to the area. I have used this on myself and have spoken with clients and students who have benefitted from this approach, especially during the colder seasons. So you have a couple of options here. The warming topicals I use on clients are TigerBalm and White Flower Essence. Make sure to wash your hands and do not rub your eyes until your hands are thoroughly washed. A rice sock works great. All you need is rice and old tube sock and a microwave. 

Compression…here is where the Point Release Technique comes in handy as well as soft tissue work/therapeutic bodywork/acupressure. I have taken a number of photos so you can see what I usually do for myself with PRT to resolve pain in my knees. I find that if I am diligent for a complete hour with these points, the pain is significantly reduced or resolved altogether. Soft tissue work, therapeutic bodywork, and acupressure is best taught privately or received in a session by someone who knows how to work with knee pain, injuries, or strain. For now check out the following photos and give them a try. If your knees give you a hard time getting into any of the positions, 

try to modify your posture to make it work.

 Outer/Later Knee in Hip Opening Stretch position…

You will want to rock forward/back on the tennis ball so that you are increasing/decreasing the pressure. If you place your hands on your knee, you will increase the pressure. Your rocking can be slow or fast, whichever feels best. Move the tennis ball slightly to open other points on the outer knee. Do this for a good 5-minutes 

then switch knees.

Inner/Medial Knee in Hip Opening Stretch position…

You can rock with your upper body moving slowly forward/back or you can rock your hips forward/back/side to side. Engage your glute muscles and press hip forward and knee down on the tennis ball to increase pressure. Shift your hips forward (like a forward pelvic tilt) or backward (pelvic tilt) to shift the angle. My students know this as the Lower Spinal Flex. Move the tennis ball to open other areas on the inner knee. 

Do this for a good 5-minutes then switch knees.

 Behind the Knee Attachments in Hip Opening Stretch position…

Straighten the leg and place the tennis ball tight behind the knee. Then bring the heel up to the thigh as far as is comfortable. Rock the hips side to side while holding the heel up to the thigh. Do this for a good 5-minutes then switch knees.

Behind the Knee Attachments in Hip Opening Stretch position…

Follow the same guide as above but with the foot behind instead of in front. You will get a different angle and will add an additional 5-minutes per knee and increase the benefits. 

By practicing PRT, you are fulfilling the Compression part of the western medical approach as well as adding gentle stretching, movement, and acupressure point stimulation. The last part of the acronym is Elevation. Elevation is important to allow the knees to completely relax and rest and to allow any stagnation of energy to circulate upward instead of pooling downward. When the swelling pools downward it can increase leg swelling for some people and that is not a desirable outcome. So if your knees are swollen, painful, hot, or stiff, elevation is an excellent solution at least until the swelling 

goes down or is completely resolved. 

Okay you might say. But there are a number of other options on your list from Part One. Yes. This is correct. If you find that there is something from the list in Part One that you would like further information on, feel free to comment and I will either respond back or write a Part Three on that topic. Until then, enjoy practicing PRT and experiencing the benefits of having happy and pain-free knees. Make sure to let me know if you have any questions about one of the positions and if you find this blog useful, 

share it with your friends and family.

Take Care! 

PRT at the back of the knee attachments while sitting in crossed leg position. 

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