Knee Pain: How to find relief?

Finding relief for knee pain

Regardless of age and overall health, knee pain can affect anyone at any time. Knee pain can be the result of torn ligaments, torn cartilage, injury, or even overuse. Pain that affects the knee area can even be the result of a medical condition. Oftentimes knee pain resolves on its own, but sometimes no matter the remedy, it can continue to cause issues and impact day to day activities. 

Who is at risk? Common causes of knee pain

Knee pain can affect people of all ages.

• Being Overweight
• Lack of strength
• Decreased flexibility
• Jobs that require repetitive stress on the knee joint
• Arthritis
• Previous injuries
• Dislocated knee cap
• Exercises with bad form (running, cycling, rowing)
• Joint Misalignment
• Wearing the wrong footwear
• Gout
• Infections

The anatomy of the knee

The knee is a complex system made up of bones, ligaments, tenders, muscles, cartilage, and fluid-filled sacs called bursae. The primary bones that make up the knee are the tibia (shin bone), femur (thigh bone), and patella (kneecap). Although the structure helps absorb shock when performing activities, the knee joint is still quite vulnerable to injury because it bears a great deal of daily wear and tear.

Knee pain come in many forms

A knee injury can affect any part of the complex system, but the most common causes come in three main categories:

Injury

Knee pain can occur from injury to any of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, or cartilage that make up the knee joint. Common issues are caused by:

• Bone fractures
• Torn meniscus (cartilage)
• Bursitis of the knee (fluid-filled sacs)
• Patellar tendonitis (common with long-distance sports)

Mechanical Issues

Aside from injury, there are also a number of mechanical problems that can cause knee pain.

• Poor walking form due to hip or foot pain
• Loose body (piece of broken bone or cartilage)
• Dislocated kneecap
• Iliotibial band syndrome (very tight iliotibial band)

Arthritis

Arthritis comes in many forms -- over 100 types of arthritis exist! Several forms can affect the knee and cause pain:

• Osteoarthritis (most common)
• Gout (uric acid crystals in the joints)
• Pseudogout (calcium build up in the joints)
• Rheumatoid arthritis (most debilitating)
• Septic arthritis (from infection)
  

Does your knee hurt? Knee pain symptoms

Knee pain symptoms may differ and depend on the location as to where the pain is coming from.

• Swelling of the area
• Warm or tenderness
• Redness 
• Weakness
• Unable to fully extend the knee
• Popping or crunching noises

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‍When should I see a Pain Management Provider?

Schedule an appointment with on of our providers if:

• You cannot bear weight on the leg
• Cannot fully extend or bend the leg
• The knee is visibly deformed
• Have knee pain associated with an injury