Knee Pain In Young Adults

Recognizing The Signs Of Hip Problems In Young Adults

Hip pain might be the most obvious sign of a hip problem, but its not the only one. And since hip deformities dont always cause a lot of pain, its important to look for other symptoms.

Tenderness: If the hip feels tender when touched or pressed, it could be bursitis. Bursitis occurs when tiny sacs inside the joint become inflamed. Sometimes, bursitis occurs alongside a deformity, but strenuous activity can also cause bursitis.

Snapping sensations: Snapping hip most commonly occurs when a tendon gets caught on a bony prominence in the hip joint. As you move your hip, the tendon releases and snaps. Sometimes, you can hear a pop when the tendon snaps free. Snapping hip often occurs on its own, but in some cases, its associated with a more serious underlying problem.

Buttock pain: Sometimes, a strain or muscle tear in the buttock area can cause hip pain, as well as pain along the side of the thigh.

Shooting pain or numbness: A sharp, electricity-like pain is a sign of nerve involvement. If a nerve gets trapped or compressed, you can experience pain and numbness anywhere along the length of the nerve. Compression of nerves in the thigh and the lower back are the most common sources of nerve-related hip pain.

Treatment For Knee Pain

Treatment options may vary depending on the underlying cause of knee pain. The following treatments are usually prescribed for teens .

• Medications: Pain relievers are often prescribed for teens. Conditions such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis are also treated with medications.
• Physical therapy: This may help to strengthen the muscles by specific exercises. This may also improve flexibility and balance.
• Correction of sports techniques: If the knee pain is related to inappropriate sports techniques, your teen may feel better after correcting it.
• Arch supports: Wedges on one side of the heel may reduce pressure on the knee. This can be useful in the case of osteoarthritis.
• Knee braces: This may help support and protect the knee.

Some conditions may require direct injection of medication or other substances to the knee joint. Arthroscopic surgeries are often recommended for knee injuries.

Medial Collateral Ligament Tear

What is an MCL tear?

A medial collateral ligament tear is a sprain or tear of the MCL, the ligament that helps stabilize the inside portion of the knee.

What causes an MCL tear?

An MCL tear typically occurs when a child or teen:

• Suddenly changes direction or twists his knee while running.
• Jumps and lands in a way that twists the knee in an awkward position.
• Receives a direct hit to the outside of his knee while the foot is planted on the ground.

MCL sprains and tears are most common during activities that involve twisting, cutting and pivoting, such as skiing, soccer, football, basketball and tennis.

What are symptoms of an MCL tear?

Oftentimes, a child or teen will say he heard or felt a popping in the knee at the time of an MCL injury, followed by pain on the inside of the knee. Swelling and knee weakness are also possible. After the swelling goes down, your child or teen may be able to walk, but he will usually still feel pain when the inside of the knee is stretched. He may also say that his knee feels unstable and gives way, making him stumble or fall.

How is an MCL tear diagnosed?

To diagnose a torn MCL, a doctor will conduct a physical exam, pressing on your childs knee and legs and moving them in certain ways to test the ligaments. The doctor may also order an X-ray and MRI to see if the MCL tear is partial or complete or if there is other damage.

How is an MCL tear treated?

Treatment may include:

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Losing Weight Can Improve Knee Pain

“Your weight plays a major role in knee pain,” says Bush-Joseph. “If you walked around all day with a backpack that had a 10-pound weight in it, you would feel how achy your back, hips and knees are at the end of the day. That shows you the impact extra weight can have on your joints.”

With each step people take, two to four times their body weight is transmitted through the knee joint, according to Bush-Joseph. Thus, the more you weigh, the harder the impact is on your knee joint.

However, people who are overweight and have arthritic knee pain can lessen the impact and ultimately, relieve knee pain by losing weight. In fact, people with arthritic knees lose about 20 percent of their pain with every 10 pounds of weight loss.

“If you are 20 pounds overweight and you have arthritic knee pain, almost half of your pain will go away by losing 20 pounds,” says Bush-Joseph. Of course, losing 20 pounds isn’t easy. But, if people are able to lose even 10 pounds and add in some stretching and flexibility training, they’ll experience significantly less pain, according to Bush-Joseph.

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.

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Whether You’re Active Or Not Stretching Is Good For The Knees

Stretches that focus on the calf, hamstring and quadriceps muscles take pressure off of the knees and kneecaps. “Many people often say there is no aerobic value in stretching, so they see it as a waste of time,” says Bush-Joseph. “But a well-conditioned, flexible body is less likely to develop overuse problems in the knees.”

Some good stretches to protect the knees include step-ups, hamstring curls and straight-leg lifts. Additionally, stretches that focus on building flexibility in the hips, including a butterfly stretch and a standing hip flexor with a resistance band, can help alleviate knee pain.

People who do not like to stretch before a workout can still protect their knees by slowly ramping up to top speed rather than jumping full speed into their workout.

Knee Pain Causes And Treatment In Young Adults

Knee joint pain is one of the most common orthopedic conditions for which people seek medical help. Though athletes and arthritis patients are the ones to suffer knee pain most, it can happen to anyone. Ultimately, it affects mobility and impacts the quality of life. As guided by Dr. Tushar Ubale, this blog discusses various knee pain causes in young adults and various surgeries that can treat this condition.

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Causes Of Anterior Knee Pain In Children And Teens

Anterior knee pain can be caused by:

• Abnormal alignment of the lower extremities
• Abnormal position of the kneecap
• Muscle tightness or weakness in the front and back of the thigh
• Overuse of the leg from repetitive impact activity such as jumping, running, twisting, or participating in competitive sports
• Contact injuries that may have caused breaks in the bone or cartilage
• Dislocations or ligament injuries
• Synovial impingement pinching of the inner lining of the knee when moving
• Arthritis

Prevalence Of Knee Pain In Young Adults

When students and staff of a university were surveyed, researchers found that as many as 37.2% of them reported having knee problems. In those who did, nearly 70% said they experienced knee pain. Among teens and pre-teens, 22.7% reported having knee pain within the last week. These knee pains can come on their own or as part of a larger diagnosis.

Osteoarthritis remains the most common diagnosis for visits about knee pain in general practice. Those who suffer from obesity, joint injury, and unfortunate genetics are more susceptible to this disease. And make no mistake, this can be present in active, and athletic young adults. The wear and tear of joints isnt reserved for old age.

Aside from osteoarthritis, a different entity known as patellofemoral syndrome is also common in the younger population. Also known as runners knee, most who have this complain of pain when the bodys force is exerted on a bent knee. Think of running, squatting, or even just trying to get to the second floor. The primary reasons for PFS include muscular imbalance, overloading the joint, or injury.

But these entities may not be so different from each other with some studies showing a potential link between the two diseases. Still, not all knee pain would fall neatly into these two categories. Some of them happen on their own and for, perhaps, surprising reasons.

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What Causes Chronic Knee Pain

Temporary knee pain is different from chronic knee pain. Many people experience temporary knee pain as a result of an injury or accident. Chronic knee pain rarely goes away without treatment, and it isnt always attributable to one incident. Its most often the result of several causes or conditions.

Physical conditions or diseases can cause knee pain. These include:

• osteoarthritis: pain, inflammation, and joint destruction caused by degeneration and deterioration of the joint
• tendinitis: pain in the front of the knee that is made worse when climbing, taking stairs, or walking up an incline
• bursitis: inflammation caused by repeated overuse or injury of the knee
• gout: arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid
• Bakers cyst: a buildup of synovial fluid behind the knee
• rheumatoid arthritis : a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that causes painful swelling and can eventually cause joint deformity and bone erosion
• dislocation: dislocation of the kneecap most often the result of trauma
• meniscus tear: a rupture in one or more of the cartilage in the knee
• torn ligament: tear in one of the four ligaments in the knee the most commonly injured ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament
• bone tumors: osteosarcoma , most commonly occurs in the knee

Factors that may make chronic knee pain worse:

• injuries to the structure of the knee can cause bleeding and swelling and can create a chronic problem over time if not treated properly

• injections

Risk Factors For Knee Pain

The following factors may increase the risk for knee pain in teens .

• Overweight and obesity may increase strain on knee joints
• Lack of muscle strength and flexibility may make the knee joint unstable during motion
• Certain sports involving repeated jumps, such as alpine skiing and basketball, may increase chances of knee pain
• History of knee injury can increase the risk of knee pain and further knee injuries

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What Are The Symptoms Of Knee Pain In Teens

Symptoms depend on whats causing your teens knee pain.

Anterior knee pain:

• Pain begins gradually worsens with activity.
• Dull, aching pain behind the kneecap, below the knee or on sides of the kneecap.
• Pain flares and grinding sensation with repeat knee bending .
• Thigh muscle weakness .
• Knee buckles .

Trauma to knee:

• Popping, clicking, crackling in the knee when bending .
• Knee that locks or buckles.

Osgood-Schlatter disease:

• Pain on the bony prominence.
• Pain that varies and gets worse during or just after the activity.
• Reduced range of movement.

• Pain, tenderness and swelling at the bottom of the kneecap.
• Balance problems.

• Trouble putting weight on the affected leg limps first thing in the morning.
• Redness, swelling, warmth, stiffness and soreness in joints, including the knee.
• Symptoms come and go.

• Dull ache, stiffness and swelling at the knee.
• Joint clicking.

Early Treatment Is Critical

A lot of people worry that hip pain means theyre going to need joint replacement surgery. But the good news is, most types of hip pain can be treated much more conservatively. Physical therapy, over-the-counter pain medicines, rest, and other nonsurgical treatments are often adequate in relieving hip pain. In other cases, a minimally-invasive procedure called arthroscopy might be used to fix an underlying problem.

No matter what causes hip pain in young adults, scheduling an evaluation with Dr. Van Thiel is critical. Left untreated, hip pain can lead to arthritis in later life. On the other hand, early treatment may prevent disability and avoid the need for joint replacement. If you or your child are experiencing hip pain, contact the office and schedule your evaluation today.

Dr. Van Thiel treats patients from all over Wisconsin and Illinois including Rockford, Elgin, Huntley, Dekalb, Crystal Lake, Barrington, McHenry, and Beloit.

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Symptoms And Signs Of Teenage Knee Pain

The location of the pain may vary depending on the underlying cause. Some children may have anterior knee pain, while others may have posterior knee pain. The following signs and symptoms can be associated with knee pain in most teens .

• Pain intensity increases over time
• Redness
• Pain felt during knee flexion
• Popping sounds heard from the knee during movements
• Problems in weight-bearing on leg
• Inability to keep knees fully flexed or extended

Severe knee pain and other symptoms require pediatric consultation. Doctors may help to identify the cause of pain and treat it.

How Is Chondromalacia Patella Manifested

• Pain in the front of the knee.

• Pain on climbing up and down the steps or ramps.

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• Sudden ‘catch’ over the kneecap while getting up from the ground.

• Dull aching pain after sitting for a long time.

• Discomfort during squatting and sitting cross-legged.

• Occasional clicks and sounds over the kneecap.

• Swelling .

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Lateral Collateral Ligament Sprain

Injury of the lateral collateral ligament is much less common than injury of the medial collateral ligament. Lateral collateral ligament sprain usually results from varus stress to the knee, as occurs when a runner plants one foot and then turns toward the ipsilateral knee.2 The patient reports acute onset of lateral knee pain that requires prompt cessation of activity.

On physical examination, point tenderness is present at the lateral joint line. Instability or pain occurs with varus stress testing of the knee flexed to 30 degrees . Radiographs are not usually indicated.

Should Young Adults With Knee Pain Avoid Specific Activities And Sports

The type of activities to avoid depend very much on what the underlying cause is. I would advise young patients with pain to see an orthopaedic specialist who will be able to assess their knee, make the diagnosis and advise them accordingly.

During the acute phase, I usually recommend avoiding impact activities like running, jogging, jumping and pivoting, which means most sports. I also advise my patients not to kneel or squat when the knee is acutely painful.

The advice regarding avoiding any specific activity or sports will then depend on whether the underlying condition has been appropriately treated. I would strongly advise young adults to consult a knee specialist if the pain or associated symptoms persist.

If you have persistent knee pain and would like to see a specialist, head to Mr Ayaz Lakdawalas Top Doctors profile and make an appointment with him.

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What Causes Pfp Syndrome

Patellofemoral pain syndrome is an overuse disorder. These happen when someone does the same movements that stress the knee over and over again.

In PFP syndrome, repeated bending and straightening the knee stresses the kneecap. It’s most common in athletes.

Some people with PFP syndrome have a kneecap that is out of line with the thighbone . The kneecap can get out of line, or wiggle as it moves along the thighbone, because of muscle weakness, trauma, or another problem. If this happens, the kneecap doesn’t glide smoothly over the thighbone when the knee bends and straightens. The kneecap gets injured and this causes the pain of PFP syndrome.

How Is Knee Pain In Teens Diagnosed

Your healthcare provider will ask about your teens knee pain:

• Is there a known cause for the knee pain does it happen with certain movements or is there no specific known event?
• How long has the pain been present?
• Where on or around your knee do you feel pain?
• Does the pain wake you up at night?

Your provider will perform a physical exam, checking:

• Kneecap and knee stability.
• Alignment of lower leg, kneecap and thigh.
• Range of motion of hips and knees.
• Thigh muscle strength, flexibility, firmness.

Your provider may order imaging tests including X-rays or a CT scan or MRI .

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What Is The Prognosis Of Chondromalacia Patella

Prognosis in these cases is usually good. The severity of symptoms may vary from time to time, and the patient may have good and bad days. There are no severe side effects of any nutritional supplements, and one can use them without hesitation. Maintaining ideal body weight with exercises to strengthen the knee muscles plays a crucial role in recovery.

What Causes Pain In Front Of The Knee

Adolescents, especially females have a tendency to have pain in the front of the knee. The pain worsens when climbing up or down the stairs or while sitting on the floor or standing up from this position. This problem commonly occurs due to softening of the cartilage under the knee cap and is usually temporary. The treatment usually consists of anti-inflammatory medicines and a specific group of exercises. This condition almost always improves with exercises.

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