OH MY ACHING KNEES!
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
References
Chronic Knee Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis
Knee Pain https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/knee-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20350849
