OH MY ACHING KNEES!

ByBody Harmony Physical Therapy Hours

Do your knees hurt when you get up from sitting after a long time? Do your knees hurt when you walk, run, and/or when you go up and/or down stairs?

Symptoms of Knee Pain

  • swelling in knee joint
  • sharp or aching pain
  • weakness

There are many causes of knee pain, ranging from arthritis to injury, to more serious causes such as cancer:

  • Osteoarthritis: wear and tear of cartilage in the knee joint
  • Patellar tendonitis: common overuse injury also known as jumper’s knee
  • Bursitis: inflammation of fluid-filled sac in knee joint
  • Chondromalacia patella: damaged cartilage under the kneecap
  • Gout: arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that causes painful swelling and can eventually cause joint deformity and bone erosion
  • Dislocation: dislocation of the kneecap most often the result of trauma
  • Meniscus tear: a rupture in one or more of the cartilage in the knee
  • Torn ligament: tear in one of the four ligaments in the knee — the most commonly injured ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
  • Bone tumors: osteosarcoma (second most prevalent bone cancer), most commonly occurs in the knee

Factors that may make chronic knee pain worse:

  • injuries to the structure of the knee can cause bleeding and swelling and can create a chronic problem over time if not treated properly
  • sprains and strains
  • overuse
  • infection
  • bad posture and form when doing physical activity
  • not warming up or cooling down before or after physical activity
  • improperly stretching the muscles

When to see a doctor

  • Inability to bear weight on the injured leg or feeling that the knee gives out
  • Marked knee swelling
  • Inability to fully extend or flex your knee
  • Obvious deformity in leg or knee
  • Presence of fever, in addition to redness, pain and swelling in your knee
  • Severe knee pain that is associated with an injury

Tips for Home

  • Apply ice or heat
  • Supportive shoes with good shock absorption
  • Low impact exercises to reduce stress on the knees
  • Stretching of various leg muscles such as hamstrings, iliotibial bands, quadriceps, hip flexors, adductors, calves
  • Leg strengthening such as wall squats and straight leg raises
Book an Appointment

References

Chronic Knee Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and  Diagnosis

Knee Pain https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/knee-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20350849

Similar Posts

Rectocele: anatomical defect and functional disorder

Rectocele: anatomical defect and functional disorder

ByBody Harmony Physical Therapy Hours

Rectocele is a type of prolapse that involves a bulging of the rectum into the posterior wall of the vagina. Patients with rectocele may present with a variety of symptoms. The often report defecatory problems, such as obstructed or incomplete defecation, needing to splint to evacuate the rectum or fecal incontinence. Many also report pain…

Bladder Awareness Q and A

Bladder Awareness Q and A

ByBody Harmony Physical Therapy Hours

This month, we celebrate Bladder Awareness. We hope to highlight commonly asked questions about the bladder and explain why better bladder awareness can help improve overall health. A snippet on bladder function The bladder is essentially an organ that stores urine. Blood filters through the kidneys where impurities are removed. These are transported to the…