Knee Pain Relief: a book, a class and an imagery exercise.

I visualise my knee pain as a sea urchin. It is a spiky living thing that takes me by surprise. The poison from its spines spreads down my shin and up to my thigh. To help get rid of it I see myself walking into the sea. I see myself in knee deep cool ocean water with the sun glinting on the gentle waves, reflecting the blue sky above. I smell the salt air and hear the seagulls screech above me. I am bathed in cool healing water that ebbs and flows around me. As I breathe I see the ocean breathe with me to take away my pain. With every out breath it sends it away on fast currents - far out to sea. On every in breath it washes and cools and calms me, shrinking that sea urchin. l breathe my discomfort away with my exhale and watch as my sea urchin shrinks with my inhale. And I know that this will pass. “no winter lasts forever no spring skips its turn.”

The picture above is a mid journey (AI) depiction of this imagery exercise. No I don't know what the weird bobbly sea weed is doing in the picture, it was less creepy than the one below though (take a closer look at the woman's face)..

Anyway. I know my process sounds kooky but I also know that pain is created in and maintained by the brain and all of its marvellous neural networks. So, along with massaging and rolling; strengthening and mobilising; using a TENS machine; applying deep heat and getting enough sleep, I also train my brain. Imagery really works for me but I understand that it isn’t for everyone.

A book that does have something for everyone, is the new handbook out by the marvellous people of NOIgroup it has two titles and covers. I have Epiphaknee but it is also called the Knee Osteoarthritis Handbook. If you have problems with your knees I recommend that you work your way through this book. It emphasises three critical ingredients to managing knee OA which are: increasing activity, improving knowledge and decreasing inflammation. This last point is a really good one. Osteoarthritis is a process of systemic inflammation. Some things that increase inflammation are stress; pre existing health conditions; coming down with an illness; not having enough sleep; alcohol and processed foods. We can decrease inflammation through exercising, eating lots of vegetables and whole foods; through positive social interaction; our hobbies; spending time in nature and sleep.

Epiphaknee also teaches pain science and knee anatomy in a very accessible way. Here’s a photo of a neat excerpt about our chondrocytes:

And. While you wait for your new book to arrive here is my Connective Tissues of the Knee class for you to watch. It's a reminder that it is impossible for our knee joints to ever be “bone on bone” thanks to all of the tissues that support, cushion and mobilise our knees.

Be well

xx

P