A Warm Salt Potli on a Stiff Knee
Rock salt dry-roasted, tied in a clean cloth, tested on the wrist, and held on a stiff knee for a few minutes. External heat only. Not on a hot, red, or swollen joint.
Important: this remedy is only a supportive home measure. Keep taking any medicine your doctor has prescribed, monitor your readings, and consult your doctor before adding anything new.
Dry warmth for a few minutes, then stop
Heat a small handful of rock salt in a dry pan until warm, not smoking. Tie it in a clean cloth. Test the bundle on the inside of your wrist. Hold it on a stiff, not inflamed, knee for a few minutes. This is external warmth. It does not heal arthritis, a torn ligament, or a fracture. It does not go inside the joint and you do not eat the salt afterwards as medicine.
Do not use it on a hot, red, or newly swollen knee, on broken skin, or if you cannot feel heat well. A fever with a hot joint, a knee you cannot bear weight on, or pain after a fall needs a doctor. Do not sleep with the potli on the skin. Reheat only if you wrist-test again.
Ingredients
- A small handful of rock salt
- A clean cotton cloth
- A dry pan
How to prepare
- Warm the salt in a dry pan on low heat. Do not add water or oil.
- Tie it in the cloth. Wrist-test. If it feels hot, wait.
How to use
- Hold it on the stiff knee for a few minutes, over skin that is intact.
- Lift it often. Do not trap it under a tight bandage.
- Stop at the first discomfort. Do not eat the salt.
Helpful habits
- A thick cloth protects better than a thin one.
- If the salt smells burnt, throw it out and start again with less heat.
Precautions
- External only. Not on a hot, red, swollen, or broken knee.
- Wrist-test every time. Do not sleep on it.
- Not a treatment for arthritis, injury, or infection. A hot joint or a fall needs a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the potli on a red swollen knee?
- No. Heat on a hot, red, or newly swollen joint can make it worse. See a doctor instead.
Should I swallow a pinch of the warmed salt?
- No. The salt is only the filling of the cloth. Do not eat it as a remedy.
Can I leave it on all night?
- No. A few minutes, while you are awake, and lift it often. Sleeping on a hot bundle can burn the skin.
