knee over-use! Help!

[clarefirth]

I've diagnosed my self as over using my knees during a variety of activities such as tennis, running, dancing and going to a lot of stand-up gigs!
Both knees started off being v stiff and now it's starting to get painful especially after some of the above ativities.  I wondered if there's any advice about how to cope with it and help it given that i still want to be able to do some form of exercise and keep up with my dancing. I'm only 31 and don't want to lie down just yet!
Frustrated from Manchester!

[PattiAnn237]

I would definitly ice and elevate after any sort of activity, also try taking motrin, or someother kind of ibuprofen, its an anti-inflammitory.  If you don't already, try doing some leg strengthing activities, either at gym or at home with ankle weights.  Good luck, and take care!

~Patti

[ariel]

And if it is just an overuse "injury" at present, be careful - you don't want to end up like most of us here with "chronic" injuries - follow what Patti mentioned and if you're still getting pain after a couple of weeks of relative rest then go to your doctor - personally, just for the moment, I'd completely stop doing any high-impact excercise - it's not worth turning an over-use niggle into a long term inury.