Knee pain is one of the most common pain complaints. It can come with or without injury. The common causes of knee pain include:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the type of arthritis that most of us will develop as we age. If you have this condition, you may have knee pain that has increased gradually over time. You may experience stiffness when first arising in the morning or after prolonged sitting (a symptom known as gelling). This condition comes from the destruction and loss of cartilage between the knee bones. There are treatments that our providers offer to help with arthritis knee pain without surgery.
Injury
Injuries can cause resultant ligament tears or sprains such as in ACL, PCL, or meniscus. Injuries may also cause dislocations and fractures. Do not wait for a scheduled medical evaluation if you have had an injury with severe pain and swelling, especially if you are unable to bear weight on the knee. You should be seen urgently at the ER, urgent care, or your primary doctor’s office. If the symptoms persist after urgent treatment, please give us a call, we may be able to help.
Gout
This condition comes on suddenly in the form of an attack where an individual will have very severe pain in a joint such as the knee. It is caused by a metabolic condition where a substance called uric acid is deposited into body tissues. Uric acid actually crystallizes in the joints into needle-like crystals that causes severe pain in the joint, swelling and inflammation. How did the uric acid get there? Uric acid is a byproduct of the breakdown of a substance called purines. Purines are found in a lot of different foods. Food that are high in protein are in general high in purines too. Food such as anchovies, gravies, kidneys, liver, sardines, and sweetbreads are particularly high.
Bursitis
Bursitis can cause knee pain as well. Bursas are fluid filled sacs on the outside of some bones and joints that allow tendons to glide smoothly over them. The knee joint has bursas that can become inflamed and cause knee pain. Our providers can diagnose this and other causes of knee pain to decrease the inflammation and treat the problem – not just treat pain.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is an inflammatory disease that results in painful, swollen joints such as the knee joint. There are medications that treat Rheumatoid arthritis, but sometime other treatments are required. Our practice has providers trained in the treatment of knee pain.
Muscle Imbalance
Sometimes knee pain can come from an imbalance of the muscles that supply the knee. This imbalance can lead to the kneecap pulling to far to the left or right. It may also cause the knee joint to wear out faster on one side or the other and cause pain. As Physiatrists, we are trained to assess an individual’s gait (walking), evaluate, and treat muscle imbalances without surgery.
Infection
Infections in the knee can be very serious, even life-threatening. If you have fevers or chills, or if the knee feels hot and is red, do not wait for an evaluation. Proceed to your primary doctor’s office, urgent care, or emergency room immediately.
Keeping Your Knee Healthy
After you receive treatment and your knee is feeling better, let us help you by giving you the tools to keep your knee healthy and pain relieved.