Knees are like a Swiss army knife – they assist us sit, stand, walk, run, jump and dance. But when it hurts, it’s hard to take into consideration the rest.
Feeling constant pain? Coping with painful stiffness? Surprised by the pain when shooting? Each sort of knee pain is exclusive, with a spread of possible causes and treatment options.
But we’re here to walk you thru essentially the most common causes of knee pain, how knee pain symptoms and pain location can aid you make a diagnosis, and when to see your doctor so yow will discover answers and get back to activities you enjoy.
Causes of knee pain
Many adults will experience knee pain in some unspecified time in the future of their lives. There are mainly two sorts of knee pain: acute knee pain and chronic knee pain.
While there may be some overlap, various kinds of knee pain are sometimes related to different underlying conditions.
Common causes of acute knee pain
Physical activity is the most effective things you’ll be able to do to your body, but sometimes unexpected knee injuries occur. Common causes of knee pain from injury or overuse include:
- Sprained or strained ligaments
- Tendons
- Tendon or meniscus tears
- Stress fractures
- Dislocations
- Runner’s or jumper’s knee
Common causes of chronic knee pain
Chronic knee pain is long-term discomfort, swelling, or tenderness in a single or each knees. Pain is taken into account chronic if it lasts about 12 weeks or more. It could possibly be constant pain or recurrent, meaning that the pain may go away at times but return frequently.
Probably the most common reason for chronic knee pain in adults is osteoarthritis, which is inflammation of the joints caused by normal age-related changes. Other causes of chronic knee pain may include gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Very rarely, chronic knee pain will be caused by an infection of the bones or joints of the knee, or by a tumor.
Knee pain symptoms by location
Having the ability to locate the location of knee pain is useful in diagnosis and treatment, but first let’s take a take a look at what makes up the knee itself. The knee joint is made up of three essential bones:
- Tibia (tibia)
- femur (thigh bone)
- patella (kneecap)
Each end of the bone is roofed in a layer of cartilage that absorbs shock and protects the knee, allowing it to glide and glide in a fluid motion. And bones are held together by muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
As we mentioned earlier, osteoarthritis is one of the vital common causes of chronic knee pain – and people can experience pain anywhere within the joint. It’s a low-grade arthritis that’s commonest in people over 50 years of age. Often X-rays show reduced cartilage and the person experiences less range of motion.
Along with possible arthritis, there are specific conditions which can be normally related to pain in specific areas of the knee.
Pain above or above the kneecap
Pain within the upper a part of the knee near the femur or above the kneecap, which may often be felt when happening stairs, could also be because of:
- Bursitis Bursitis (a fluid-filled sac that helps cushion joints) is commonly caused by repetitive movements or overuse, but trauma or inflammation, reminiscent of rheumatoid arthritis or gout, can even cause bursitis.
- Quadriceps tendonitis – Inflammation of the tendon connecting the quadriceps on the front of the thigh to the highest of the kneecap. This is often related to repeated use or stretching of ligaments.
Pain within the lower a part of the knee
Lower knee pain can often be related to the next conditions:
- Osgood-Schlatter disease – A condition common in children where the patellar tendon pulls on the expansion plate of the knee during rapid growth.
- Inflammation of the patellar tendon – Inflammation of the tendon under the kneecap, also called “jumper’s knee”, which regularly occurs in athletes who jump or run.
- Patellofemoral instability – A condition once often called a traumatic patellar luxation. The kneecap rests in a groove formed by the femur. But it might probably partially (sublex) or completely (dislocation) slip out of the groove.
Pain on the inside the knee (pain in the course of the knee)
Pain on the inside the knee, which is the a part of the knee closer to the middle of the body, can occur for a lot of different reasons, including:
- Medial collateral ligament injury – Such a knee injury, also often called an MCL tear, is commonly caused by sudden rotational or twisting movements in sports reminiscent of skiing or basketball. It could possibly even be caused by a direct impact to the surface of the knee or by bending the knee strongly inwards.
- Medial meniscus tears Often a sports related injury that happens once you twist or turn your knee severely.
Pain on the surface of the knee (lateral knee pain)
Pain on the surface of the knee will be caused by:
- Iliotibial band syndrome – A typical condition in long-distance runners and cyclists where there may be damage to a powerful band of tissue called the iliotibial band or IT band.
- Lateral collateral ligament injury – Such a injury, also often called an LCL tear, is most frequently caused by a direct blow to the inside the knee or by bending the knee excessively outwards.
- Lateral meniscus rupture “When the cartilage within the knee is torn, it is commonly the results of overuse and twisting of the knees.
Pain deep contained in the knee
Pain in the course of the knee, including behind the kneecap, will be the results of the next conditions:
- Anterior cruciate ligament rupture – Also often called an ACL tear, that is an injury that may occur during sports, heavy falls, sharp rotational motion, and work-related injuries.
Pain behind the knee
Pain behind the knee is often caused by aspects reminiscent of:
- Baker’s cyst – Fluid-filled sac that happens when excess synovial fluid flows through the back of the knee joint capsule (because of osteoarthritis or meniscus injury).
- Posterior cruciate ligament injury – Also often called a PCL tear, it normally occurs when the knee is directly impacted during contact sports reminiscent of soccer or rugby, or in a automotive accident.
Tips on how to tell in case your knee pain is serious
It’s never a great idea to disregard knee pain that’s severe or persistent. Make an appointment with a knee specialist or find the closest orthopedic office if:
- You possibly can’t lift the load in your knee
- Your knee buckles, clicks or locks up
- Your knee is deformed or swollen
- You possibly can’t bend your knee or have trouble straightening it
- You might have a fever, redness or warmth around your knee, or a number of swelling
- You might have pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, or discoloration below the knee
- You might have pain after three days of treatment at home
Diagnosing knee pain
Scheduling an appointment with an orthopedic doctor is the most effective solution to discover the reason for your knee pain. During your visit, your doctor will likely ask you questions on past injuries and medical history to seek out clues as to what’s causing your knee pain. They may also do a test by bending, straightening, turning, or pressing on the knee to feel for the injury and learn how well the knee moves and where the pain is. Your doctor may additionally ask for an X-ray, MRI, or other imaging tests to get a greater picture of what is going on on in your knee.
Knee pain relief and treatment options
If nagging knee pain has turn out to be an unwanted a part of your life. There are non-surgical knee treatment options you’ll be able to attempt to aid you find pain relief, including:
- The activity keeps your joints moving, which reduces stiffness and aids in weight reduction to take pressure off your knees.
- Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain medications and injections for knee pain to assist manage knee pain and reduce swelling.
- Physiotherapy to strengthen muscles and joints and improve mobility. The very best part is that you simply normally don’t need a physician’s referral to begin physiotherapy, nevertheless it’s a great idea to check with your insurance company to grasp your coverage.
- Orthobiology is a treatment option that may also help relieve pain and restore function.
Knee substitute surgery
When other treatments have stopped working well or chronic knee pain has begun to affect your every day life, knee substitute surgery is usually a life-changing option that can mean you can get back to doing what you’re keen on.
It is usually considered a protected procedure and has a high success rate. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reports that more than 90% of contemporary knee replacements are still functioning well 15 years after surgery. But knee substitute is a giant decision. first step is to review the signs that chances are you’ll need a knee substitute and discuss your options together with your orthopedic surgeon.
Get help together with your knee pain
In case your knee pain symptoms seem severe or worsen, make an appointment with a knee specialist or find urgent orthopedic care near you.
In case you’ve been using home remedies for nagging knee pain nevertheless it’s not convalescing, making an appointment with a physical therapist is an important first step. They’re experts in helping people heal from acute injuries in addition to those that have been fighting chronic pain for weeks, months and even years.
Your physical therapist can work with you to create a customized treatment plan based in your unique must aid you get back to your favorite activities as quickly as possible.