What is Knee Pain?
Knee pain is common across all ages and can result from injuries like ruptured ligaments or torn cartilage. Conditions such as arthritis, gout, infections, physical activity, and obesity can also cause severe knee pain. Some causes are not related to underlying diseases.
Examples include:
- Strenuous physical activity
- Lack of use
- Injuries such as sprains or strains
- Prolonged sitting on the knees.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
Some common causes of knee pain include:
- Osteoarthritis: Pain and inflammation are caused due to the degeneration of joints.
- Tendinitis: Knee pain is caused due to climbing or walking up an incline.
- Bursitis: Inflammation is caused due to injury in the knee.
- Chondromalacia Patella: It results in degeneration of cartilage for poor alignment in the knee cap.
- Gout: It is caused by the formation of too much uric acid.
- Baker's cyst: It's a fluid-filled cyst that causes bulge or tightness behind the knee.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: This causes painful swelling and eventually joint deformity and bone erosion.
- Meniscus Tear: It's a rupture of one or more cartilage in the knee.
- Torn ligament: It's a severe sprain that causes inflammation and ankle instability, leading to difficulty walking.
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Factors Influencing Knee Pain
- Injuries in the knee can cause bleeding or swelling
- Sprains and strains
- Infection
- Bad posture will affect the knee
- Infection
- Not warming up after a physical activity
- Improperly stretching the muscles near the knee
Signs and Symptoms of Knee Pain
Common symptoms of knee pain are:
- Swelling and stiffness
- Redness and warmth to touch
- Weakness
- Popping or crunching noises
- Inability to fully straighten the knee
- Constant ache
Preventing Knee Pain
Preventive measures can help alleviate some types of knee pain. If you experience severe knee pain due to physical activity, consider lifestyle changes to help manage the pain. This includes:
- Opt for low-impact exercises : Instead of engaging in heavy exercises, you can focus on low-impact exercises that put less pressure on your knees.
- Weight loss : Aim to lose weight, as excess weight can directly affect your knees.
- Walking : Opt for walking instead of running to reduce the extra pressure on your knees.
Common Risk Factors for Knee Pain
There are several factors that can increase the risk of knee problems. Some include:
- Excess Weight : Overweight and obesity are important risk factors for knee pain, as they can increase stress on the knee joints. This increases the risk of osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
- Lack of muscle flexibility : Insufficient flexibility increases the risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect joints and contribute to muscle flexibility.
- Sports : Certain sports, such as basketball, football, running, and jogging, can place a significant amount of stress on the knees
Diagnosis of Knee Pain
A healthcare provider will start by asking questions about your overall health and then inquire specifically about the cause of the knee pain
- How long does knee pain last?
- How severe was the knee pain?
- Is there something that makes you feel better or worse?
A knee examination includes assessing the range of motion, ligament stability, tenderness, and swelling. Comparing the affected knee with the other often suffices for diagnosis and treatment.
Research shows an experienced examiner is as reliable as an X-ray Additional tests may be required, such as: Radiological tests:,Plain radiography, MRI Blood test: If gout, arthritis, or other medical conditions are suspected, a healthcare professional may order blood tests.
Joint fluid removal: Helps diagnose certain conditions by removing a small amount of fluid from the knee joint.
Treatment of Knee Pain
Treatment options for knee pain are as diverse as the conditions that can cause the pain:
- Medication: Medications can treat underlying conditions or relieve pain. If you regularly use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs for knee pain, consult your Doctor.
- Physiotherapy : Physiotherapy strengthens knee muscles, enhancing stability and optimal movement. Working with a physical therapist helps prevent and manage injuries.
- Injections : In some situations, injecting drugs directly into your knee can help. The two common injections are corticosteroids and lubricants.
- Surgery : Knee operations range from arthroscopic surgery, which uses small incisions and a fibre-optic camera to view inside the knee, to total knee replacement.
- Partial knee replacement : In this surgery, the surgeon replaces damaged parts of the knee with plastic and metal parts. Since only part of the knee joint is replaced, this procedure has a shorter recovery time than a total knee replacement.
- Total knee replacement: In this procedure, the knee is replaced by an artificial joint.
- Other therapies: Acupuncture has shown some relief from knee pain, especially in patients with osteoarthritis. Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements have shown mixed results in studies.
When to Visit a Doctor?
Any knee injury that is caused by sudden trauma, like a road accident, needs immediate medical attention.
If there is any considerable pain, cuts or swelling, then it should be checked by the Doctor. Visit your Doctor if you've the following problems:
- Significant swelling
- Severe pain
- Fever
- Swelling around the joint
- Unable to walk
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Natural Home Remedies
Follow some of the home treatments that will help you get relief from the knee pain:Physical activity: Exercise helps strengthen the joints. Engaging in proper exercise can help relieve knee pain.
Strengthening Exercises:
- While lying or sitting on the bed, stretch your legs.
- Do step-ups
- Sit on a chair and stand; repeat this for a minute.
- Hold the chair and start doing squats.
- Weight loss and diet: People who are overweight are at a higher risk of experiencing knee pain. Losing weight can help alleviate knee pain, including pain caused by arthritis.
Maintaining a proper diet can help reduce knee pain. A balanced diet includes:
- Fruit, vegetables and fibre: High
- Meat, animal fat and other fat: Low
- Massage can provide significant relief for knee pain. Regularly massaging your knee can help alleviate discomfort.
- Heat and cold packs can effectively treat knee pain. Heat relaxes the muscles and improves lubrication, reducing stiffness. Ice reduces pain and swelling. Use a warm pad or water bottle for heat and wrap ice in a cloth for cold therapy.
