Knee Pain: Know About The Causes, Treatment & More

One of the most frustrating and uncomfortable conditions in the form of pain can be identified as knee pain. At one time, it was considered a common problem among older ones. But now, you can spot its presence in people of different age groups. It can be due to aging, a sudden or overuse injury. Even some medical conditions like arthritis, infections, and gout can also contribute to elevating the level of knee pain. If someone goes through this condition, he may compromise in doing various physical activities. During intense knee pain, a person may even struggle to walk some steps properly.

Before knowing the causes and treatment options for knee pain, firstly let's know something about what is knee pain.

About The Knee

Our knee is the largest and one of the strongest joints in the body that tolerates a lot of stress in day-to-day activities. It helps to bear around 3/4th of the body's weight. A person needs the presence of healthy knees for sitting, climbing, running, walking, and standing. There are four major things from which our knee is made up of. They are bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.

1. The knee joint is formed where three bones femur, tibia, and patella meet.

2. Four ligaments are there to keep the bones together and stay the knee in its place.

3. Cartilage is a slippery substance that acts as a shock absorber and also safeguards the knee.

4. Tendons are tissues that help to attach muscles to bones.

Knee Pain Causes

There are multiple causes of knee pain to observe. We are listing some of them.

1. Arthritis

It is a joint inflammation sickness that can be terrible for our joints. Especially regarding the knees, two of its renowned kinds; osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can severely affect their health. Osteoarthritis proves to be a degenerative disease in which the cartilage wears away. This condition can be due to obesity or a repetitive injury. On the other side, rheumatoid arthritis can cause the joints to become inflamed and may also tear down the cartilage. Such conditions can give rise to pain and movement problems.

2. Torn Cartilage

Apart from the effects of arthritis, the health of cartilage can affect by some other measures as well. For example, it can tear due to sprains. In some cases, there can be a need to implement surgery that involves repairing the torn cartilage.

3. Tendinitis

Tendinitis is regarded as one of the renowned causes of knee pain. This condition is said when inflammation is found in the tendons. It can be due to overuse of a tendon at the time of physical activities like jumping, running, or cycling.

4. Ligament Injuries

There are four ligaments present in the knees. Out of them, ACL or anterior cruciate ligament is vulnerable to face injury. It can be due to sudden changes or stops in directions that are mainly found in sports activities. If a meniscus is torn, it can contribute to delivering knee pain.

5. Dislocations

When a knee joint is dislocated, it becomes one of the causes of knee pain. If it happens to someone, they must not wait to seek medical attention. The reason behind the dislocation of the knee is a fall or accident in which the knees are hit by an object.

Knee Pain Treatment

If someone finds himself in such a condition where knee pain doesn't settle in some days or multiple weeks, they should visit a doctor. In these scenarios, it will be better to see an orthopedic surgeon or an orthopedist. He will diagnose the condition and guide for further procedures. Regarding knee pain treatment, he can suggest some medicines and injections for knee pain. Sometimes, there can be a recommendation of a physical therapy session that can positively help in alleviating pain and restoring movement. Some other therapies like acupuncture may also assist in such cases. In case of minor knee pain, a person can go for a home remedy that is RICE-rest, ice, compress, and elevation.

While many people get relief from such measures, some people may require advanced help. That knee pain treatment can be in the form of performing a surgery that ranges from arthroscopy to knee replacement. These methods can assist a person in finding relief from pain and improving mobility.