Welcome back.

How are you today?

How’s the knee feeling?

Are you seeing progress?

Is the knee pain beginning to affect your mood and outlook on life?

If it is, you’re not alone.

Pain of any kind can weigh heavy on the heart and spirit.  You can begin to feel you may be doomed to a life of pain and struggle.

Physical pain can often be accompanied by mental distress.  And this is serious business.

Often, you have to change how you move about the world, both literally and figuratively.

This can lead to feelings of inadequacy.

Maybe you are forced to change your daily routine because it takes you longer to prepare for your day.

The knee pain can be enough to keep you from enjoying the activities you used to engage in for fear of re-injuring your knee.

If you now need help to do the things that once came easy, you may be left  feeling emotionally and physically dependent on others.

All of these experiences can lead to feelings of depression, especially if you valued your physical abilities.

The one thing I know is that as tough as it is, you can’t give up.

You must have emotional support from your family and friends.

You must talk about how you feel and let it out.  Holding it in only adds weight to your spirit.

You have options.

One of the best ways to help your emotional state of mind is to actively pursue ways to heal the pain and discomfort.

Pursue every option and exhaust all potential treatments.

Start with the ones that are less extreme and can pay higher dividends.

Try this for starters:

• Discuss all potential options with your doctor.

• Then read, research and educate yourself on what you can do that may bring relief.

• Never do anything that causes further damage.

• Be realistic with your expectations.

• Look for any kind of progress and validate it.

• Congratulate yourself often for taking a proactive approach.

• Stay physically active, even when you feel down in the dumps.  It is a widely accepted theory that the endorphins released through physical activity can help relieve both physical and emotional pain.

• Get stronger and more flexible.  When you keep the muscles that support the joint strong and flexible, you’re providing a tremendous relief to the joint.  This can ease and/or eliminate pain and discomfort.  And, what a relief that is on your emotions and outlook on life.

• Lose weight.  If you’re overweight, this leads to more joint pressure and subsequent pain.  Give yourself and your joints a break by losing excess body fat.  You’ll look better and feel better about yourself.

Listen, I know it hurts.  I’ve been there.  Just remember you have options.  And, you’ll probably never exhaust all of them in your lifetime.

So take it one day at a time as you pursue each of your options.

Being passive is a sure way to remain in pain.  This injury is nothing personal.  It was an accident.  That’s all, nothing else.

Now you must do what it takes to keep living.  And not just existing, but really living.

Do me and you a favor and tell me about your story.  It’ll help to get it out.

You have friends here that understand.

I’ll read and reply to all your stories in the comments section.

Hang in there.

I’ll be here when you need help.

Get strong and stay strong,

Rochelle Gravance