Back Pain And Knee Pain

When To See Your Doctor

Dont wait if your knee pain is sudden and intense. Pick up the phone if it wont go away or gets worse.

To make a diagnosis, your doctor might take X-rays or other images of your knee. Blood or knee fluid samples can help confirm or rule out certain conditions. Treatment may include medication, special exercises, braces, or in some cases surgery. Losing weight could help lessen pressure and strain on your knees.

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Your Knee Pain Is Accompanied By Back Pain

Knee pain accompanied by back pain is the easiest symptom to identify which suggests the deeper problem is with the spine. Even if the back pain is mild or simply feels like some tension and tightness, it should not be disregarded because these signs are both related.

Think back if youve experienced mild back and knee discomfort at the same time, especially if you tend to spend your day sitting down. Sitting shortens the height of the discs along your spine and increases the disc bulge by pushing water out. The pressure on these discs is lowered when youre sitting compared to when youre standing. If youre sitting a lot during the day but have knee and back pains, your spine may be the problem.

Your knees and back are connected by the spinal cord through a nerve branch that controls the lower extremities. If your spine has a pinched nerve or a bulging lumbar disc, the lower back where the nerve branch is located can redirect the pain to the knees. For some people, this is the reason why they only notice the discomfort in the knee but not in the back.

If youre experiencing acute or chronic knee pain, make a mental scan of your body for discomfort in other areas — even if it seems completely unrelated. Let your physician know about these other aches so they can make a fully informed diagnosis.

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The Connection Between Bunions Back Pain And Knee Pain

A study published in Arthritis Care and Research revealed that people with bunions are more likely to experience back or knee pain. This is more than a coincidence, as there is actually a connection between the three conditions.

The L and S nerves in your spine also govern the muscles that support your feet. Specifically, the S1 nerve powers muscles along the outside of your foot, while the L5 nerve controls those along the inside of your foot.

When one of these nerves becomes irritated, the affected muscle may weaken or atrophy. This often causes the foot to over-pronate or turn inward more than usual. This additional pressure on your feet can increase your risk of bunions.

Over-pronation may also result in misalignment or instability that would then cause weakness in the knees. If you have bunions, this could also affect your gait, in which case you may place additional stress on your knees by trying to balance yourself.

What Are The Causes Of Knee Pain In Teenagers

Common knee pain problems in your teenager can be generally divided into three types:

• Anterior knee pain, also called patellofemoral pain.
• Injures to ligaments and tendons of the knee or to the kneecap itself.
• Medical conditions that affect the knee.

Anterior knee pain happens when your teens kneecap is pulled out of its groove from increased pressure. Increased pressure on the knee joint is caused by:

• Abnormal hip rotation due to imbalances in muscle strength and flexibility around the hips.
• Improper training methods or equipment.
• Poor flexibility of the thigh muscles, which support the knee joint. Thigh muscle weakness or tightness.
• Overuse of the knee from repetitive bending of the knee during running, jumping, and other activities.
• Problems with alignment, for example, the kneecap not being properly aligned within the knee or having flat feet, which changes the normal gait.

Knee pain resulting from sprains, strains and tears to ligaments and tendons or injuries to other soft tissues. These conditions include:

Medical conditions that can affect your teens knee include:

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Lower Back And Knee Pain Treatment

There are many treatments available for lower back and knee pain. Some people may require surgery, while others may find relief with physical therapy, chiropractic care, or acupuncture. Massage therapy, heat, and ice may also be helpful.

There are several options for treating pain in the back and knee. Your physical therapist can assist you in determining what is causing your pain. When you visit a Chiropractor, they may be able to help you solve the underlying issues that are causing your discomfort. When pain relief methods that do not involve surgery fail, spinal cord stimulation can be used. Redefine Healthcare, an In-Network provider of quality care with highly rated, board-certified physicians, is one of the top Tier One health plans.

What Are Some More Common Causes Of Knee Pain

The most common cause would be degenerative arthritis of the knee joint, Dr. Ammerman says. In addition, gout can cause knee pain andthough less commoninfections of the knee joint.

Its also worth noting that knee pain and discomfort can be caused by things other than an underlying disease or condition. These can include:

• Heavy physical activity that puts additional and/or repeated strain on the knee

• Lack of physical activity

• Strains and sprains of the tendons/ligaments/muscles within the structure of the knee

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Treatment Options For Back And Knee Pain

If you experience knee pain, you may assume that you have a knee problem but thats not always the case. While a knee condition may indeed cause knee pain, it may also be caused by a problem with your back, such as a pinched nerve or a disc protrusion. The lower back contains nerves that transmit sensation to the legs and feet.

On occasion, an injury or simply age can cause the discs in this area to press on these nerves. This compression can cause the nerves to send out pain signals, resulting in pain in the lower back itself or along the nerve pathways in the legs, knees, ankles, and even feet. Your physician can diagnose the cause of your back or knee pain and help determine what treatments will be right for you. Some of the possibilities include:

Questions To Ask The Doctor About Medications:

• What will the medication do?
• How long will it take before I notice results?
• What is the name of the medication? Is there a generic brand?
• Are there side effects I should know about?
• How should I take the medication ?
• How often should I take the medication?
• What should I do if I forget to take a dose at the specified time?
• Let your doctor know if you are taking other medications. Sometimes certain medications cannot be taken together.

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Sponsored Story: Get Going Again With Speedy Recovery From Knee Pain

• FROEDTERT SOUTH

Kenoshas Bob Schmidt, who is pictured with his family and is second from the left, has had both of his knees replaced by Dr. Alan Gegenheimer at Froedtert South. The surgeries have allowed Schmidt to continue the activities that he loves.

• SUBMITTED PHOTO

• SUBMITTED PHOTO

Kenoshas James Zematis has benefited from the Froedtert South Orthopaedic Clinic.

• SUBMITTED PHOTO

How Can A Chiropractor Help

A chiropractor is a musculoskeletal specialist who can help you treat both types of pain. They are experts who can help you with back and knee pain and help you with other conditions too, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or joint inflammation. With tailor-made rehab techniques, a chiropractor can help relieve pain and restore good bodily functions in a short time.

A chiropractor recognizes how painful parts of the body correspond to the spine, and when these muscles are really tense, they pull forward, causing tension in the pelvis. When the meniscus starts to grind away, it takes up the pressure and causes knee pain. When your lower back is really tense, this muscle is pulled forward, creating pressure in your pelvis, which is now being pressed into your knee.

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Knee Pain Comes With Back Pain

When you are experiencing knee pain along with back, or neck pain. Its one of the easiest symptoms to determine. Even though these two are unrelated, do not neglect them. As we mentioned above, even a pinched nerve in the lower spine might lead to knee pain. Whats more important, even very mild pain, or discomfort in the back, which may seem unrelated, can be connected to your knee pain. Dont ignore it! In particular when you sit a lot.Whether you travel a lot for a living, or have a desk job, thus spend most of your day sitting down, you should consider the correlation between knee and back pain. Remember that sitting shortens the disc height and increases the disc bulge by pushing water out of the disc. Thats why its more likely that both knee and back pain are linked and your spine is the cause.

Pain Behind Knee And Calf

Pain below or behind the knee and calf is usually caused by a deep vein thrombosis, tendonitis, muscle spasm, or a Bakers cyst. Despite the fact that these illnesses are frequently associated with discomfort, other illnesses, such as diabetes, can also cause discomfort in certain areas of the legs.

Deep vein thrombosis, tendonitis, muscle spasms, and a Bakers cyst are just a few of the reasons why the pain is below or behind the knee and calf. A pulmonary embolism is the result of a blood clot forming in the lower extremities and traveling to the lungs. Among the symptoms of inflammation or discomfort near the knee or calf are knee sprains, infections, and muscular spasms. It can be due to a variety of factors, including leg pain behind the knee or calf. The calf, for example, may experience muscle spasms due to an inflammation of the tendons. It is possible that vascular disorders will cause severe disability or even death. We provide some information about vascular health as well as some ideas for self-care.

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Diagnosis Of Pain Behind The Knee

Your doctor will examine your knee and ask about your medical history and symptoms, including:

• the type of pain you have, when it started and whether it comes and goes
• how active you are
• any activity, accident or injury that could have caused it

If they suspect a posterior cruciate ligament injury, they may refer you to have an X-ray or a magnetic resonance imaging scan. If you have signs of a popliteal cyst, your doctor may suggest you have an ultrasound scan.

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Treatment Tips You Can Follow To Manage Knee Pain

Depending on your physicians diagnosis, they can create a specific treatment plan which will address the root cause of your problem and help you relieve knee pain. Surgery is often not the first option a specialist will propose for your treatment.

You can expect your doctor to recommend physical therapy, postural correction, and self-care to help you heal. Here are a few treatment tips you can follow to help you care for your body:

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Pain Behind Knee When Walking

There are many potential causes of pain behind the knee when walking. It could be the result of an injury, overuse, or a medical condition. Common causes include IT band syndrome, hamstring tendinitis, and Bakers cyst. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, but may include rest, ice, and physical therapy.

When you walk, there is a lot of pain behind your knee, also known as posterior knee pain. The swelling, visible lumpiness, and locking sensation in this condition are all possibilities. The knee joint is one of the most complex joints in your body, with its own set of bones. There are ten underlying causes that can lead to this pain. Popliteal cysts are fluid-filled pocket under the skin behind the knee called bakers cysts. The knee, also known as the jumpers knee, is commonly associated with patellar tendonitis. A calf strain is caused by tendonitis in the gastrocnemius muscle, which is located at the back of the lower leg.

How The Spine Causes Knee Pain

The nerve roots that transmit the sensation of pain to the legs and feet are located in the lower back. Occasionally with age or injury, the discs between the vertebrae can degenerate or bulge out and press on these nerves.

When this occurs, the nerve becomes irritated and sends out pain signals. The location of the pain depends on which disc is protruding.

The severity of the pain depends on how much of the disc is pressing on the nerve. The nerves that send fibers to the knee are located at the second, third, and fourth lumbar vertebral levels in the lower back area.

If a bulging disc, bone spur, or arthritic joint in the second, third, or fourth lumbar vertebra compresses a nerve, the referred pain will often be felt in the knee.

Referred pain is pain perceived at a location other than where the cause is situated. It is the result of pain signals being sent along the network of interconnecting sensory nerves.

This condition can be diagnosed by your healthcare provider with a thorough history and physical exam. If the nerve that travels to your thigh and knee is irritated or pinched, you may feel a host of symptoms, including:

• Pain in the front of your thigh
• Numbness or tingling in your thigh
• Weakness in your hip or quadriceps muscles

If you have any of these symptoms, see a healthcare provider. In some cases, the hip may be the culprit, so a careful examination is necessary to find the true cause of your knee pain.

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Getting Back Into The Game

James Zematis, of Kenosha, is a high school junior and captain of the varsity soccer team at St. Joseph Catholic Academy. During our second game of the season, I was tackled, James recalled. When I fell, I felt pain in my knee and calf and had to come out of the game. Overnight, my knee swelled and I couldn’t put any weight on it, James said. The next morning, I went to see Dr. Zacharias.

Dr. Anthony Zacharias is also an orthopaedic surgeon with the Froedtert South Orthopaedic Clinic.

Dr. Zacharias said, I specialize in sports medicine because I like working with patients of all ages after an injury to get them back to what they like doing without suffering chronic pain.

Working with student athletes is an important part of his work. I did my fellowship training at University of Wisconsin, where I took care of Badger athletes, Dr. Zacharias said. It was an amazing learning environment.

I was able to see James immediately after his injury, Dr. Zacharias said. Once I knew his knee joint was undamaged, James could start receiving more aggressive physical therapy treatments for his knee sprain right away, so he could return to playing soccer sooner rather than later, Dr. Zacharias said.

We really appreciated that Dr. Zacharias was able to see James the very next morning after his injury, and that James was able to begin physical therapy the same day, said Erin Zematis, James mom.

Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament

You hear a pop and cant move after you suddenly change direction often while playing soccer, football, or basketball. You may have torn your ACL, which connects the femur and the tibia and prevents the tibia from moving too far forward. Your knee will hurt and swell and feel unstable.

You can tear or strain any of the tissues that hold your knee together: Ligaments connect bones to each other tendons connect muscle to bone. Irritated tendons from using them too much? Thats tendinitis.

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What Causes Hip Knee And Back Pain

A worker with back pain.

The quick answer is our bodies are connected by muscles, ligaments, nerves and bones acting as building blocks to our bodies. Ligament stability, muscle strength, joint mobility and the ability of the nerves to operate without irritation or blockage are vital to normal function. Due to the back, knee, and hip connection, back pain can be a result of numerous orthopedic problems.

Spinal Arthritis Causes And Risk Factors

The causes of arthritis in the back or neck vary depending on the type of arthritis you have. Besides normal wear and tear and autoimmune triggers, in many cases the exact cause remains unknown. Genetic components have been identified in connection with some forms of spinal arthritis, meaning that it may be hereditary.

Other spinal arthritis risk factors include:

• Excess weight/obesity

• Presence of certain conditions such as diabetes, gout, psoriasis, tuberculosis, irritable bowel syndrome and Lyme disease

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