Knee pain is a common problem that happens in people of all ages. It may be a result of an injury, torn cartilage, or a ruptured ligament. Other medical conditions such as infection, arthritis, and gout can also cause knee pain.
Symptoms
The location and severity of the pain can vary depending upon the cause of the problem. The most common signs and symptoms that accompany knee pain are:
- Stiffness and swelling in the knee
- Warmth to touch and redness around the knee area
- Popping or crunching noises
- Unable to walk properly
- Inability to stretch the knee fully
- Unable to bear any kind of weight on the knee
- Deformity in the knee or leg
- Fever in addition to redness and swelling in the leg
Causes
There are several reasons that are responsible for knee pain such as injuries, mechanical problems, arthritis, etc.
- Injuries - A knee injury can affect the ligaments, tendons, or fluid-filled sac called bursae that surrounds the bone, cartilage, and ligaments that form the knee joint. It is one of the most common reasons for knee pain.
- Mechanical Problems - Some examples of mechanical problems are:
- Loose problem - Injury or degeneration of cartilage or bone causes a piece of cartilage or bone to break off and float in the joint space. This creates a problem when a loose body interferes with the movement of the knee joint.
- Iliotibial band syndrome - Athletes and cyclists are more prone to iliotibial band syndrome. This condition occurs when the tough band of the tissue extends from outside of the hip to knee in such a way that it rubs against the outer portion of the femur.
- Dislocated kneecap - This happens when the patella that covers the front portion of your knee slips out of place, usually out of the knee. In some cases, the knee cap stays displaced and the dislocation is clearly visible.
- Foot or hip pain - In case of foot or hip pain, the way of walking changes in order to avoid these pains. But this changed movement puts a lot of pressure on the knee joint leading to severe knee pain.
- Arthritis - More than 100 types of arthritis exist, which are likely to affect the knee in several ways.
- Other reasons- Excess weight, lack of muscle strength or flexibility, a previous or old injury, and involvement in a certain occupation or sports.
Treatment
Treatments vary depending upon the cause of the knee pain. Some of the treatments include:
- Medication - Doctors usually prescribe medications to help you get relief from the pain.
- Therapy - There are certain therapies or strengthening exercises that can help in reducing the pain. Strengthening the muscles around the knee can make it more stable.
- Injections - In some cases, injecting medications or other substances directly into the joint helps in relieving the pain.
- Surgery- If the reason behind the knee pain is an injury that might need surgery, doctors might recommend arthroscopic surgery, complete or partial knee replacement surgery to help you get rid of the pain.
Disclaimer: The information in no way constitutes, or should be construed as medical advice. Nor is the above article an endorsement of any research findings discussed in the article an endorsement for any of the source publications.
