What Causes Knee Pain?

Bursitis is inflammation of a fluid-filled sack, called a bursa, near the knee joint. There are bursas near all joints in the body, and 11 near the knee. Their job is to cushion the knee joint, reduce friction and reduce pressure between the bones and tendons near joints. Causes of bursitis can include frequent kneeling, a blow to the knee from a fall, bacterial infection or complications from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Treatment includes physiotherapy, steroid injections and drainage of the sacks. Surgery can also be prescribed in some cases.

Housemaid’s knee, despite its name, is more common in men than in women. Medically called prepatellar The knee is the largest joint in the body, which is probably why knee pain is such a common complaint to doctors among all age groups. Yet though it’s common, there are many different types of knee pain, as well as a range of causes. Treating knees successfully requires good communication between doctors and patients.

There are two main categories of knee pain: acute and chronic.

·         Acute knee pain develops suddenly, usually from a sports injury, fall or accident. Sprains, strains and tears in the soft tissues in the knee—tendons, ligaments and cartilage or menisci—can be caused by a single twist or blow, or overuse for a long time, which causes repeated minor injuries. Bone fractures are less common than soft-tissue injuries but are more common in young children, who have more delicate bones, or in people with osteoporosis.

·         Chronic knee pain forms over time. It is caused by misalignments such as knee dislocation or by underlying issues such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, gout, damaged cartilage, torn ligaments and even bone tumors. Osteosarcoma is the second-most prevalent bone cancer and most commonly occurs in knees.

Learn more about key forms of knee pain

Here are some common reasons patients visit knee doctors. You might find some of the symptoms familiar:

Runner’s knee is known in medical books as patellofemoral pain syndrome. Symptoms include grinding or popping sensations in the knee, pain behind or around the kneecap, pain while bending at the knee, swelling and pain that gets worse when walking down stairs or down a slope. It can be caused by overuse or repetitive bending, high-stress exercises, direct trauma such as a fall, misalignment of the kneecap with leg bones, or weakness or imbalance in muscle strength.

Chrondromalacia patella is the softening and breakdown of cartilage under the kneecap. Caused by misalignment of the kneecap as it moves over the thighbone, it’s especially common in women. The most common symptom is a dull ache behind the kneecap. Prolonged sitting makes it worse. Treatment with rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medication usually leads to recovery.

Osteoarthritis affects more than 33 percent of people over 65 years in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This degenerative disease is characterized by deterioration of cartilage, overgrowth of bones at the edges and increased bone density. Symptoms include pain that gets worse with use, stiffness that can improve after 30 minutes of activity, swelling and a grating sound or sensation that accompanies movement. It affects women more than men. Obesity, age and previous knee injuries are risk factors. Treatment includes topical creams and pain medications.

bursitis, it is the inflammation of the bursa in front of the kneecap. It affects people who spend a lot of time kneeling, and can be caused by a sudden fall or blow to the knee, as well as repetitive pressure, infection, gout and rheumatoid arthritis.Treatment includes rest, ice, elevation of the knee and anti-inflammatory medications. Doctors often ask patients with this condition to kneel less.

Baker’s cyst, which doctors call a popliteal cyst, is caused by the build-up of fluid in one bursa, the popliteal bursa behind the knee. Symptoms include pain, swelling or a lump behind the knee, pain in the knee or calf, and clicking or locking of the knee.These symptoms usually mean there is an underlying condition such as gout, hemophilia, lupus, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or an injury. Treatment of the underlying cause usually resolves the cyst, but rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications and compression bandages are also often used.

Jumper’s knee, or Patellar tendonitis, is an overuse injury to the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap to the shinbone. It’s caused by frequent jumping and landing, and it commonly affects athletes who play sports such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, skiing, football, soccer and even tennis.Symptoms include pain and tenderness over the tendon, thickening of the tendon, stiffness and pain that gets worse from jumping or running. Treatment includes rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, stretching and strengthening exercises.

Iliotibial band syndrome is inflammation or tightness in the iliotibial band, the ligament that runs from the hip to the shin on the outside of the thigh. It’s usually associated with cycling, hiking or weightlifting and is one of the most common overuse injuries for runners. Rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, stretching, strengthening exercises and massage are common treatments.

If you experience sudden acute pain or have chronic knee pain after activity, talk to your doctor about sports injury knee pain for proper diagnosis and a recovery plan to get you back to yourself. In2it Medical can help