Is My Knee Pain Serious

What Can Cause Knee Pain Without Injury

Most people assume that their knee pain isnt severe or in need of medical attention because they havent suffered a significant injury. While that may be true sometimes, damage to your knee joint can also occur slowly over time, and affect you just as much as a significant accident or injury can.

First, lets stop with assumptions. Any pain you are experiencing is a sign that something is not right. So, why not have a specialist take a look? With extensive imaging, a trained orthopedic specialist can get to the bottom of your nagging knee pain and try to help relieve some of that distress. If you havent suffered an injury, however, your doctor will want to diagnose the pain and possible causes. There are some more common causes for non-trauma related knee pain:

Arthritis

Either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis can cause leave you with severe knee pain, even without a fall or injury. Osteoarthritis can be characterized by the pain and swelling you continue to feel as you age. Your joints are not indestructible, and the structure inevitably wears down over time. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is a chronic disorder that also causes joints to swell. If you suspect RA is behind your knee pain, you might have pain in other joints, as well.

A tear

Bursitis

Tendonitis

What Procedures And Tests Diagnose Knee Pain

A health care professional will begin by asking questions related to the person’s general health and then specifically to the nature of the knee pain .

Next, an examination of the knee will be performed. This will include bending the knee through the full range of motion, checking for stability of the ligaments, and evaluating for any tenderness and swelling. It is often helpful to compare the results of the examination of the painful knee with the other knee. Frequently, this is all that is required to make a diagnosis and start treatment. In several research studies, it has been found that an experienced examiner is as reliable as X-ray examination.

Sometimes the doctor might want to do further studies such as the following tests.

Radiologic tests

Plain X-ray can establish fractures and degenerative changes of the knee.

MRI is used to evaluate the soft tissues of the knee for ligament tears or cartilage and muscle injuries.

Blood tests

If gout, arthritis, or other medical conditions are suspected, a health care professional might order blood tests.

Removal of joint fluid

Should You Seek Medical Attention For Your Knee Pain

Whether youre experiencing chronic or sudden knee pain, its important to see a doctor as soon as possible so you can start treatment and start feeling better. The only time it might be OK to take a wait-and-see approach is if youre having very minor, mild pain with no other symptoms following a period of strenuous activity.

For instance, if you just finished a marathon or youve been lifting a lot of heavy objects over a short period of time. In those instances, your mild pain might be caused by temporary muscle strain, and it might be OK to apply ice, elevate your leg and rest it as much as possible. If the painful symptoms persist or get worse, you should absolutely call the office and make an appointment.

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A Woman’s Aching Knees

The knee is formed by the femur , the tibia and the patella . It is essentially a hinge joint that is held in place by the medial collateral , lateral collateral , anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments .

Most of us have heard that women athletes are more prone to suffering from a traumatic knee injury. But what most people don’t know is that you don’t have to be a weekend warrior to end up with a serious knee problem. Each year, roughly 10 million women see their doctors for knee pain, often caused by activities that are not related to sports, such as lifting boxes, going up a flight of stairs or squatting too much while gardening.

Why are women winding up with more knee injuries? Researchers suspect one of the most likely causes is the way women are built. Women tend to have wider hips and are slightly knock-kneed and this alignment can create added stress on the joints. Another cause could be traced to a woman’s muscles. More often, women tend to use their leg muscles differently than men.

Here are some common knee problems women encounter and tips from UCSF orthopedic surgeons and knee specialists on how to prevent them:

If My Knee Pain Is Serious What Next Ethos Health Group Can Help

Knee injuries and knee pain are very common ailments.

Fortunately, most knee injuries are mild, and your pain will go away relatively soon.

Knowing when your pain is serious and acting quickly is key when it comes to getting you back to normal and minimizing your risk of further damage.

If youre suffering from severe knee pain and arent you arent sure if its serious or not, you should visit the Ethos Health Group.

Ethos Health Group can give you the pain relief youve been looking for.

They have treatment options for severe knee pain that will help you get your life back together.

The conditions we talked about above can lead to pain, stiffness, swelling, and instability in your joints.

If youd like to avoid endless cortisone shots, dangerous medications, and invasive surgeries, contact Ethos Health Group.

At Ethos Health Group, the number one priority is to help patients get back to doing what they love the most without worrying about knee pain.

Ethos Health Group has developed a proprietary HyalRegen-CT method as a comprehensive solution for those suffering from knee arthritis and pain.

Lubricating injections are performed under precision imaging guidance, so we know were targeting precisely the right area.

This advanced medical process serves to add cushioning fluid back around the joint of the knee, like oil for a squeaky hinge.

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Can You Prevent Knee Pain

There can be many reasons for knee pain. Therefore, there are different strategies to prevent the pain depending on the underlying cause. Running on soft surfaces or decreasing the amount of running can help if the pain is due to overuse. Avoiding any direct injuries to the knee including wearing a seatbelt can prevent traumatic injuries. Weight loss can be helpful for many different forms of knee pain.

Can Knee Pain Come Back After Treatment

Frequently, knee pain will occur for a short period of time and then resolve. Sometimes it can return a few weeks or months later. For chronic knee pain, it is important to get it evaluated to avoid further damage to cartilage, bones, or ligaments. Prognosis depends on the underlying causes of the pain.

With modern surgical techniques, it’s possible to relieve many of the knee pain syndromes and return to an active lifestyle.

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How To Know If Your Knee Pain Is Serious

The knee is the largest hinge joint in the body. Its also one of the most important joints for mobility and weight-bearing activities.

The role of the knee is obvious in activities like walking, running, standing up, sitting down, and climbing stairs. Knees are also used for many other activities when the role isnt so obvious. For instance, its your knees that help you lift and carry heavy loads. They also help you stay balanced and stable while youre just standing still.

Like your other joints, you probably dont give a lot of thought to your knees until they start causing problems. Knee pain and related symptoms, like stiffness and reduced range of motion, are among the most common joint-related complaints. And while some minor pain issues, like overuse of your knees, might be treated with a little rest, in most cases, serious knee pain needs prompt medical attention.

How Can I Prevent Knee Pain

Although you canât prevent all injuries, you can take these steps to make them less likely.

• Stop exercising if you feel pain in your knee.
• If you want to make your workout more intense, always do it gradually.
• Stretch your legs before and after physical activity.
• Use kneepads to prevent bursitis, especially if you have to kneel a lot.
• Wear shoes that fit well and offer enough support.
• Keep your thigh muscles strong with regular stretching and strengthening.
• If youâre overweight, work to drop some pounds so thereâs less stress on all of your joints, including your knees.

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When I Move My Knee I Can Hear A Popping Sound Is This Serious Should I See My Doctor

Noises within the knee joint are common. Crackling, clicking, or popping can occur, and it is important to differentiate the cause of its occurrence as they might mean different things. It may be from simple soft tissue catching or more serious damage to the bearing surface of the joint, the articular cartilage. Usually if it does not cause pain or swelling then it might not be as concerning.

One common cause for painless popping in the knee is something called a plica. Plicas are soft tissue connections within the knee that go over a bony lump and pop when they snap back into place. When the popping sounds are accompanied by swelling and pain, or they produce a catching sensation or the knee gives way, then those are times when you should contact a doctor sooner rather than later. Popping in these situations could be due to meniscus injuries, small pieces of broken cartilage or loose bodies within the knee. Painful popping could also be because of osteoarthritis, where the smooth cartilage has worn down and the bones cause friction when they rub against one another. This painful popping would be more persistent. If you felt a pop and your knee swelled while playing a sport it is unquestionably a cause for concern. This might represent torn ligaments anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament or medial collateral ligament or the meniscus or articular cartilage.

What Natural Home Remedies Relieve Knee Pain

Over-the-counter pain medications can frequently alleviate the pain. If someone is taking these medications on a regular basis, he or she should see a health care professional to evaluate the knee pain for proper diagnosis and to avoid the potential side effects of chronic medication use.

The RICE mnemonic is often helpful, especially for minor injuries:

Rest: Rest the joint, and take a break from your usually activities involving the knee joint.

Ice: Applying ice can help with pain and inflammation.

Compress: A compression bandage can help prevent swelling and help knee alignment. It should not be tight and should be removed at night.

Elevate: Elevation can help with swelling and resting of the knee.

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When Will My Knee Feel Better

The recovery time depends on your injury. Also, some people naturally heal faster than others.

While you get better, ask your doctor if you can do an activity that won’t aggravate your knee pain. For instance, runners could try swimming or other types of lower-impact cardio.

Whatever you do, don’t rush things. Donât try to return to your regular level of physical activity until you notice these signs:

• You feel no pain in your knee when you bend or straighten it.
• You feel no pain in your knee when you walk, jog, sprint, or jump.
• Your injured knee feels as strong as the other knee.

Limited Mobility Or Range Of Motion

For men and women who develop arthritis in their knees, activities that were once simple, easy, or routine may become difficult or even impossible to do without limitations and discomfort. Walking, running, or getting in and out of a car can, oftentimes, prove disproportionately challenging for patients with arthritis of the knee. The damage and loss of cartilage associated with arthritis are usually to blame for this phenomenon.

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How Do I Treat My Dislocated Kneecap

The initial treatment of a patella dislocation is to have the patella reduced. This should be done on the field by the Athletic Trainer or sideline physician. Once the patella is in the proper position you will require an Xray to be sure there are no fractures present. You will need crutches and you will likely need an MRI to be sure that you did not injure the cartilage when the patella slid out of place.

How we proceed after the initial treatment will depend on whether or not this was your first patella dislocation or whether or not you have now had more than one patella dislocation. Most people with more than one kneecap dislocation will require surgery. Very few people will need surgery to treat their first patella dislocation.

The treatment for a dislocated kneecap will depend on what parts of the knee were injured when the patella came out of place. When you dislocate the kneecap you usually tear a ligament which holds the patella in place . After a traumatic patella dislocation, we have to obtain an MRI. The MRI will not only show if the MPFL has torn, but it will show if you also injured the cartilage on the patella. Many athletes will also injure the cartilage on the patella. Many cartilage injuries are small, and do not require treatment. Some cartilage injuries are larger and may require a repair to decrease the risk of developing osteoarthritis.

Facts You Should Know About Knee Pain

• Knee pain is a common problem with many causes, from acute injuries to complications of medical conditions.
• Knee pain can be localized to a specific area of the knee or be diffuse throughout the knee.
• Knee pain is often accompanied by physical restriction.
• A thorough physical examination will usually establish the diagnosis of knee pain.
• The treatment of knee pain depends on the underlying cause.
• The prognosis of knee pain, even severe knee pain, is usually good although it might require surgery or other interventions.

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What’s The Outlook For Teenagers With Pain In Their Knees

Most knee pain in teenagers can be managed with simple treatments. However, many soft-tissue tears and bone breaks require surgery. Most teenagers recover without long-term problems if they follow the recover plan provided by their healthcare providers. Because there are many causes of knee pain, be sure to ask your healthcare provider for specific information on long-term prognosis for your teen’s knee condition.

What Are The Complications Of Knee Pain

Frequently, knee pain will disappear without ever finding a specific cause. Depending on the underlying cause of the pain, the condition can progress and lead to more serious injuries or complications. Usually, these complications are long term and result in worsening pain or an increasing difficulty to walk.

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What You Need To Know

• The most common causes of knee pain are related to aging, injury or repeated stress on the knee.
• Common knee problems include sprained or strained ligaments, cartilage tears, tendonitis and arthritis.
• Diagnosing a knee injury or problem includes a medical examination and usually the use of a diagnostic procedure such as an x-ray, MRI, CT scan or arthroscopy.
• Both non-operative and surgical treatment options are available to treat knee pain and problems depending on the type and severity of the condition.

Brief Anatomy Of The Knee

The knee is a vulnerable joint that bears a great deal of stress from everyday activities, such as lifting and kneeling, and from high-impact activities, such as jogging and aerobics.

The knee is formed by the following parts:

• Tibia. This is the shin bone or larger bone of the lower leg.

• Femur. This is the thighbone or upper leg bone.

• Patella. This is the kneecap.

Each bone end is covered with a layer of cartilage that absorbs shock and protects the knee. Basically, the knee is 2 long leg bones held together by muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

There are 2 groups of muscles involved in the knee, including the quadriceps muscles , which straighten the legs, and the hamstring muscles , which bend the leg at the knee.

Tendons are tough cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones. Ligaments are elastic bands of tissue that connect bone to bone. Some ligaments on the knee provide stability and protection of the joints, while other ligaments limit forward and backward movement of the tibia .

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Why Would A Teenager Have Knee Pain

Knee pain isnt a condition that only happens to older people. Despite being young, your teenager can develop knee pain too.

Knee pain in teens is a common result of overuse, but also results from specific knee injuries and medical conditions that affect the knee. Knee pain can also be temporary and not related to an injury, but rather a change in your teens level of activity or sport.

Because of the many different reasons for knee pain, if your teen complains of pain, its wise to get it checked. Never think that knee pain in your teen is simply growing pains. This is not a typical cause of knee pain in a teenager.

Knee Pain And Problems

Knee pain is a common complaint among adults and most often associated with general wear and tear from daily activities like walking, bending, standing and lifting. Athletes who run or play sports that involve jumping or quick pivoting are also more likely to experience knee pain and problems. But whether an individuals knee pain is caused by aging or injury, it can be a nuisance and even debilitating in some circumstances.

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