The knee joint is one of the largest joints in the human body. It is subject to a great load, since it takes almost all the weight of our body. The knee joint is often injured.
The presence of knee pain can be a sign of a serious pathology. Pain in the knee joint not only limits movement and causes discomfort, but can also lead to disability.
What does knee pain feel like?
Knee pain is a common complaint and can occur in people of all ages. Pain in the knee joint itself can be not only the result of an injury, but also a sign of a serious disease (arthrosis, gout).
There are two types of pain: acute and chronic. Acute knee pain most often occurs as a result of injury or is a sign of an acute inflammatory process.
Chronic knee pain is characterized by a gradual increase in pain. The main cause of chronic pain is the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the tissues of the joint or a chronic inflammatory process. For a chronic process, the most characteristic is the presence of aching pain in the knee joint.
By nature, pain in the knee joint can be arching, aching, and also accompanied by a number of other manifestations:
- Swelling and redness in the joint area;
- joint deformity;
- Limitation of movement in the joint;
- The presence of a crunch in the joint during movement.
Causes of knee pain
Knee pain can be the result of aging and wear and tear on the components of the knee joint. The most common cause of acute knee pain is trauma and injury to the joint. The most common knee injuries are:
- Fractures and contusions, which most often occur during falls and are accompanied by acute pain;
- Torn ligaments or tendons;
- Meniscus tear;
- Dislocations of the knee joint itself and the patella.
Against the background of knee joint injuries and lesions, diseases such as bursitis and tendonitis can develop.
Other causes of pain in the knee joint include the presence of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the tissues of the joint, as well as inflammatory processes:
- Bursitis. Bursitis is an inflammation of the joint bag, which is accompanied not only by pain, but also by swelling.
- Tendonitis. Tendonitis is an inflammation of one or more tendons. This inflammation can occur when the tendons of the patella are damaged. Very often they occur in people who are professionally involved in running, jumping, skiing, as well as cyclists.
- Arthritis is an inflammation of the joint. The most common is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease in which all components of the joint are affected, mainly cartilage, ligaments, capsules and muscles. Joint inflammation can also be infectious (septic arthritis) and autoimmune (rheumatoid arthritis).
Less common causes of knee pain include the presence of cysts and tumors that compress nearby tissues, causing pain in the knee joint.
A number of factors can increase your risk of knee pain:
- Overweight. Being overweight or obese puts more stress on the knee joints, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis.
- The presence of knee joint injuries in the past.
- certain sports. Some sports put a lot of strain on the knee joint, which increases the risk of chronic injury.
- The presence of diseases such as osteomyelitis and osteoporosis, which lead to fragile bones, thus increase the risk of fractures.
Knee pain while walking
Pain in the knee joint, which increases with movement, is most often a sign of degenerative-dystrophic diseases (arthrosis). Pain occurs due to contact during movement of articular surfaces, which to some extent lack cartilage tissue.
Knee pain when extending and bending
Knee pain when extending and bending indicates an inflammatory process in the tendino-ligamentous apparatus of the knee joint, and also occurs with inflammation of the articular bag (bursitis). Inflammation of the tendino-ligamentous apparatus of the knee joint can occur when the patella tendon is damaged. Most often, this pathology occurs in people engaged in sports.
The second cause of pain in the knee joint during flexion and extension is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cartilage tissue of the joint (arthrosis).
Knee pain at rest
Shooting pain in the knee at rest, especially at night, is most often a sign of osteoarthritis. Other causes include sprains, damage to the meniscus, cartilage, inflammation of the tendons (tenditis), inflammation of the periarticular sac (bursitis).
Knee pain at night increases with age and is often seen in overweight people.
What not to do with pain syndrome
First of all, you should not self-medicate, but it is better to immediately seek help from a specialist. In no case, if there is a dislocation, do not try to straighten the joint yourself.
Avoid sudden movements, do not create a large load on the joint - this can only increase pain.
Diagnostic
If you have pain in the knee joint, you should consult an orthopedic doctor. First, the specialist interviews the patient, collects complaints and conducts a thorough examination. To exclude concomitant pathologies, the doctor may prescribe a consultation with other specialists, for example, a neurologist.
Instrumental diagnostic methods include X-ray examination, magnetic resonance or computed tomography (MRI / CT) and ultrasound of the knee joints.
Laboratory research methods are general and biochemical blood tests.
Knee pain treatment
Depending on the nature of the lesion, the specialist prescribes a specific treatment plan. Often the treatment for knee pain is complex and includes both drug and non-drug therapies.
Drug therapy includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics. These drugs reduce inflammation and pain in the joint. A group of slow-acting or chondroprotective drugs are also prescribed in courses of 3-6 months, which help reduce inflammation, joint pain, and also help slow the destruction of cartilage, for example, these drugs include drugscombined substances that contain glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.
Non-drug therapy is based on physiotherapeutic methods: UHF, massage, physiotherapy exercises, mud therapy, magnetic therapy and others. It is also recommended to wear special orthopedic insoles or shoes individually selected by the doctor.
If conservative methods are ineffective, the treatment of knee pain requires a more serious approach: the doctor may recommend various surgical methods of treatment.