My Knee Hurts When Bending: What To Do
1. Manage the Pain
Knee pain is usually the result of inflammation a natural response from your immune system to damaged joint tissue. Pain and inflammation are completely normal and necessary for proper joint healing. Despite being natural joint inflammation can negatively influence your quality of life. Your knee may hurt so much that it makes day to day tasks difficult. In such cases, reducing inflammation with NSAIDs, the R.I.C.E. method and exercise are often used to manage pain in the short-term.
2. Get a Professional Knee Exam
Getting your knee assessed by a healthcare professional is crucial. This is even more important if you have suffered a traumatic knee injury. A definitive diagnosis will give you peace of mind and help expedite the healing process.
3. Try Different Treatments
If you are lucky, your knee pain may get better on its own with rest. However, more than likely you will need to engage in rehab exercises to overcome the injury. Physiotherapists specialize in providing specific exercises and treatment regimes that increase the strength, stability, and mobility of your joint.
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 .
Using A Foam Roller To Treat Knee Pain When Bending
To help treat your knee pain try using a foam roller on your knee first thing upon waking up in the morning, daily during your workouts, and also right before bedtime for about ten minutes total each time.
This treatment is good for your muscles and brings a lot of relief to those with knee pain when bending. Roll each leg until you feel the pain subsiding, never doing any rolling that causes more pain!
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How Did You Hurt Your Knee
Traumatic injuriesare noticeable right away and worsen dramatically the next day as pain and inflammation set in. traumatic injuries typically occur playing sports, during slips, falls, and other work-related accidents. The trauma is caused by the injury exceeding the tolerance of knee structures leading to breaks, ruptures or tears.
Knee ligaments, bones, and menisci are the most commonly damaged structures in the knee joint. Injuries to bone and connective tissue result in long term pain and will impede normal knee function for some time after the initial injury. Less serious traumatic injuries may result in only painful, superficial contusions which heal relatively quickly. If you believe you have incurred serious knee trauma you should visit a doctor as soon as possible. If bone or connective tissue within your joint is damaged a surgical assessment could be required.
A torn ligament in the knee, such as the lateral collateral ligament can be behind a sudden onset of knee pain.
Overuse injuriestypically cause knee pain that comes and goes and varies in intensity. Sometimes our favorite activities subject our knees to stressful movement patterns repetitively. Think jumping, squatting, kneeling, running, lunging type movements. Moving in this way over and over again can irritate knee structures such as bursae, tendons, and articular cartilage.
Why Does My Knee Hurt When Bending
Knees take a beating all the time, but even more so when they bend. In fact, knees take a force of up to 4 times your body weight every time you move.
The knee is the largest and most complex joint in the human body. With many components such as bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, bursae, and other soft tissues, it is very vulnerable to a variety of injuries. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, there were about 10.4 million doctor visits in 2010 alone for common knee injuries , so its no surprise that Americans are experiencing knee pain – especially when bending.
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Can Knee Pain In Teens Be Prevented
Most knee pain that is caused by injury or overuse can be prevented with some attention and work by your teen, including:
- Make sure your teen wears proper shoes for the activity/sport and wears knee pads and leg guards . Replace worn out footwear and gear.
- Engage in muscle strength training exercises. Check with a trainer to make sure proper form and body alignment are being followed. Always do warm up and cool down exercises before and after workouts.
- Keep your muscles flexible by proper stretching exercises or yoga.
- Dont engage in activities that cause or worsen knee pain.
Chronic Degenerative Meniscal Tear
If a healthcare professional suspects a meniscus tear they may listen for clicking or popping of the knee upon movement. A McMurray test, which involves bending and rotating your knee and listening for a pop or click, may be performed. The test is positive if a pop or click is heard.
If your medical history and clinical examination put you at high risk of having a meniscus tear, then you will be asked to get an MRI to look for loose cartilage in the knee. If the MRI is inconclusive, an arthroscopy can be performed to help detect the tear. Still, an MRI is the go-to imaging technique used to help diagnose meniscus tears.
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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.
It Is Painful When I Bend My Knee What Does This Mean
If you are experiencing knee pain, especially when you bend it to walk, kneel, sit, squat, and more, it is likely that you have a condition or injury that needs treatment. There are many causes of knee pain, and it is incredibly difficult to self-diagnose yourself correctly. This is why it is critical to see an orthopedic specialist with a wealth of experience diagnosing and treating knee conditions and injuries.
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Have A Home Care Routine For Your Knee
People with chronic inflammation can benefit from a home care routine. These are conservative measures you can do at home when you feel pain in your knee.
Most home care routines for knee health include at least one of the following:
- Light stretches at the start and/or end of the day.
- Icing your knee before going to bed to fight inflammation
- Elevating the joint after an unusually active day.
- Wearing a knee sleeve to keep the joint warm.
Also, try to add knee strengthening exercises into your routine. This is one of the best strategies for pain relief.
Shoes To Help With Knee Pain
Proper footwear is also very important as those who wear flat shoes may be more prone to knee pain when bending as opposed to those who wear shoes with some sort of arch support or lift in them.
The best shoes to wear when youre experiencing knee pain are shoes that are lightweight, have good arch support, and have a slight heel to them.
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Common Running Knee Injuries And How To Treat Themthursday 13 April 2017
Running is on the rise. According to Sport Englands Active People Survey results over 2 million people a week participate in running and, its the second most popular activity for people doing 30 minutes exercise at a moderate intensity at least once a week.
So why are we a nation that loves to run? There are many reasons. Running is inclusive, cheap and accessible without the need to arrange a court or organise a team. Some people run to lose weight, to get fit, to keep healthy, to beat their personal best time or to have time out to think and once weve been for a run we experience runners high with the release of feel good chemicals.
But no matter whether you are a beginner whose muscles are not used to running or a highly experienced runner training for the upcoming London Marathon on 23rd April when youll join up to 50,000 other runners as they pound the streets to finish the 26.2 mile run, anyone can be affected by a running injury.
Common knee injuries due to running
The knee is the most commonly injured joint among runners. Damage to the structures inside and outside your knee joint can result in fractures, dislocations, sprains, and tears. Knee components susceptible to running injuries include:
– Articular cartilage – covers the ends of your shin bone, thigh bone and the back of your kneecap .
– Ligaments there are four ligaments including your anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament in your knee that connect your bones together.
Chondromalacia: What Makes Knee Pain Worse
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MDMedical Editor:Barbara K. Hecht, PhD
Chondromalacia, technically termed chondromalacia patellae, is the most common cause of chronic knee pain. The condition develops due to softening of the cartilage beneath the knee cap , resulting in small areas of breakdown and pain around the knee. Instead of gliding smoothly over the knee, the knee cap rubs against the thigh bone when the knee moves. The changes can range from mild to complete erosion of the cartilage. This process is sometimes referred to as the patellofemoral syndrome.
Chondromalacia commonly occurs in females. Girls in their teens are at elevated risk because the cartilage of the knee is subjected to excessive and uneven pressure due to the structural changes that accompany rapid growth. Chondromalacia may also occur in adults over age 40 as part of the wear-and-tear process that eventually leads to osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Other factors that may precipitate chondromalacia include trauma, overuse, or abnormal forces on the knee joint. It can develop in skiers, runners, cyclists, and soccer players, especially if someone is knock-kneed or flat-footed.
The pain of chondromalacia occurs in the front or inside of the knee. The pain is generally worse with activities such as running, jumping, using stairs, or kneeling. The pain is also typically worse after prolonged sitting with the knees bent. This pain is called the “theater sign” of chondromalacia.
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Types Of Knee Pain When Bending
Pain in the Knee, with Locking in the Joint
Inside the knee joint, there are two C shaped pieces of cartilage called menisci, which keep the surfaces of the upper leg bone and lower leg bones from grinding against each other. Injuries to this cartilage usually result from a trauma, like landing a jump or twisting your knee. You may also notice problems with range of motion, walking, or even a locking sensation in the joint. Resting the knee and managing inflammation will help heal minor tears, while physical therapy can help strengthen and stabilize it.
Pain Behind the Kneecap
Patella-Femoral Syndrome is a term that describes joint pain between the kneecap and upper leg bone. Under the kneecap is a smooth cartilage lining that creates a gliding surface between the bones, and if it softens or wears away it can result in pain and inflammation. According to Neuromuscular Specialist and co-founder of the Performance Institute in New York City, major contributing factors to this knee pain are poor alignment when landing, as well as imbalanced quadricep muscles, which can pull the kneecap side to side. Strengthening the quads and stretches to lengthen hamstrings and calfs will help reduce the risk of injury.
Pain and Tenderness on the outside of the Knee
Pain with a Pop
Jolting Pain Behind The Knee
Pain in the back of the knee can stop you in your tracks making bending and straightening very difficult at times. The pain can be sharp and jolting or a dull ache. Possible causes of pain in the back of the knee include Bakers cyst, hamstring tendon irritation or inflammation, ligament instability, and posterior horn meniscus injury
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When To Go To A Doctor
Pay a visit to your doctor if the pain doesnt get better after a few days. Also, if the pain doesnt let you sleep or you cant walk because of it.
The doctor may request a magnetic resonance imaging test first. Depending on your symptoms, they may need blood tests as well.
These results combined with a thorough physical exam will provide a diagnosis.
Then, the physician will suggest some treatment options.
For mild or moderate injuries, they may prescribe anti-inflammatories. Theyll probably make a referral to physical therapy as well.
Depending on the root cause of pain, your doctor may suggest wearing some type of supportive shoes. This can be the case if you also have a foot injury.
If your symptoms dont improve, they may consider cortisone injections for pain relief.
Severe injuries or persistent symptoms may need surgical intervention. The type of knee surgery will depend on your diagnosis.
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.
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How Does The Knee Bend
The knee is a hinge joint, which means its main movement is bending andstraightening . As the knee moves, a numberof things are happening:
Muscles: They work in pairs with one relaxing and the othercontracting to allow the movement e.g. to bend your kneeyou hamstrings contract and you quads relax
Bones: The femur and tibia have to roll, glide and spin to move smoothly. The patella shifts, tilts and rotates as it glides up and down through a groove on the thigh bone the position and movement of the patella is controlled by the surrounding muscle.
Cartilage: The special shock-absorbing cartilage that lines the knee moves and changes shape slightly to prevent it from getting trapped
Ligaments: These help control the movement and maintain stability by preventing excessive movement of the bones. There are two pairs of ligaments, the cruciate ligaments in the middle of the joint, and the collateral ligaments on either side
These structures all need to work together properly to allow for smooth, pain-free knee bending and straightening. Problems in any of these areas can lead to knee pain when bending. For example, if there is muscle weakness or ligament instability, the bones may move slightly out of position causing them to catch or grind on other structures in the knee.
Page Last Updated: 10/06/21
Painful Knee: Where Does It Hurt
The exact location of your knee pain is an indicator of the cause. Your doctor will ask you to describe in detail the exact location and type of pain you experience in the knee. This can help the doctor determine the type of condition or injury responsible for your symptoms. Below are some possible causes of knee pain.
Patellar Tendonitis Usually, pain in the front of the knee is caused by a problem with the patellar tendon. Patellar tendonitis is a type of overuse injury. Running, jumping, a sudden increase in the intensity of an activity, muscular tightness, and imbalance can contribute to this injury. With this condition, it can hurt to bend the knee, kneel, and squat.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome Pain on the outside or lateral side of the knee usually indicates a problem with the iliotibial band or the lateral meniscus . Iliotibial band syndrome is common in long-distance runners, as well as cyclists and rock climbers. The repetitive bending of the knee can lead to this condition. Meniscus tears, on the other hand, are caused by sudden twisting movements of the knee, which is common in basketball, football, soccer, and tennis players.
Other Causes Pain in the back of the knee could mean different things: a cartilage injury, a ligament injury, a hamstring injury, Bakerâs cyst , and arthritis. There are many possible causes of pain in the back of the knee, which is why it should be evaluated by an experienced medical professional.
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Knee Pain Treatment In Boynton Beach Fl
If you are experiencing knee pain, the orthopedic specialists at Personalized Orthopedics of the Palm Beaches can examine your knee and quickly diagnose the condition or injury responsible for it. Part of the customized treatment plans we offer our patients is top-notch physical therapy to restore knee strength, flexibility, range of motion, and function.
To diagnose and treat your knee pain, make an appointment with one of our orthopedic doctors today. Call 733-5888 or use our online request form. We look forward to serving you in our state-of-the-art facility.