Bursitis In The Knees
Knee bursitis, which can affect any knee area, is another common cause of excruciating pain in the knee. Knee bursa are fluid-filled sacs that sit between soft tissues and bone to minimize friction and pressure on the knee structures.
An irritated bursa that is then squished can cause excruciating pain in the knee.
The bursa impacted by the pain is easy to identify by its position. In such a case, the sharp stabbing pain could be coming from:
- Knee Cap: Prepatellar bursitis or housemaid’s knee, as it’s more often known
- Back of the Knee: It most likely is a Baker Cist.
- The inner side of the knee: Pes Anserine bursitis often produces this pain.
- The outer side of the knee: common among runners because of iliotibial bursitis.
Treat Inner Knee Pain With Impact Physical Therapy
Inner knee pain can be a major disruption to your everyday life, but it doesnt have to be. The team at IMPACT Physical Therapy is here to manage your symptoms and get you back to your full range of motion without pain. Request an appointment to set up a treatment plan for the pain inside your knee today.
Causes Of Medial Knee Pain
Various factors cause Medial knee pain that varies from person to person. But sports injuries, falls, and sudden increase in knee activity are common causes of pain. In children, the causes of medial knee pain may be different from those in adults. For example, patellar tendonitis, patellar subluxation, and Osgood-Schlatter disease are the most common causes of this pain in children. Besides, the leading causes of medial inside knee pain are related to anatomical damage to the inside of the knee, some of which are described below.
Also Check: What Is Done In Knee Replacement Surgery
Understanding Medial Knee Pain
Pain in the inner knee, also known as medial knee pain, can prevent you from walking and running normally. The condition is sometimes referred to as runner’s knee, a generalized term for any knee pain that occurs with running.
Inner knee pain can come on suddenly or gradually and may occur without any specific, known injury. It can even occur when you are not running.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
This article outlines the symptoms and causes of runner’s knee as well as how the condition is diagnosed and treated. It also explains when more invasive treatments, including surgery, may be needed.
Diagnosing Pain On The Inside Of Your Knee
When diagnosing your pain, your doctor will try to pinpoint its source and identify what triggers it. In many cases, he or she will consider taking an x-ray. If the source of the pain is arthritis, the degeneration may be visible in an x-ray. However, the x-ray doesnt always correlate accurately with what you feel or how you function. For example, if your arthritis has developed slowly, as part of the natural aging process, the pain can be minimal or non-existent, even when the x-ray shows significant damage.
If the pain has been present for an extended period of time and typical treatment hasnt helped, or if the doctor suspects something unusual, he or she may order an MRI or other tests. MRIs are also performed if surgery is being considered.
Recommended Reading: What Vitamin Is Good For Knee Joints
Treating Inner Knee Pain
Depending on your exact symptoms, there are several different treatment paths for inner knee pain.
- RICE method: RICEor Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevationis a common home remedy for inside knee pain. Staying off your knee as much as possible after an injury can help it heal, but if severe knee pain persists for more than three days, you may need to seek medical attention.
- Steroids and/or medication: Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen work to reduce swelling, while injectable steroids aim to restore mobility.
- Physical therapy: Working with a physical therapist helps you learn stretches and strength-building exercises to get your knee back into shape.
- Surgery: In extreme cases, knee surgery may be the only option to restore full range of motion.
Inside Knee Pain Running
One of these conditions, known as iliotibial band syndrome, occurs when bands in the band are too tight. When the tendon becomes irritated or inflamed as a result of overuse, it becomes inflamed. Runners with IT bands syndrome frequently complain of knee pain. Running knee is usually caused by overuse, which may necessitate resting.
There are numerous possible causes of inner knee pain caused by running. You must modify your training load and gradually increase strength in the relevant muscles as you go. To relieve your pain, you can perform squats, eccentric hamstrings, and leg lifts. Taking time off may help your bursitis calm down. You will be able to minimize your risk of injury with the Recover App, which allows you to heal aches and pains while also preventing them. When knee pain is present, experts recommend performing glute exercises and quad exercises as well as performing as much as possible. These exercises and a few others can be found in the Recover Athletics app.
Read Also: How To Lose Weight In Your Knees
What To Expect At Your Office Visit
Your provider will perform a physical exam, and look at your knees, hips, legs, and other joints.
Your provider may do the following tests:
- MRI of the knee if a ligament or meniscus tear could be the cause
- CT scan of the knee
- Joint fluid culture
Your provider may inject a steroid into your knee to reduce pain and inflammation.
You may need to learn stretching and strengthening exercises. You also may need to see a podiatrist to be fitted for orthotics.
In some cases, you may need surgery.
Dont Miss: How Much Compensation Will I Get For Knee Injury
Most Common Inner Knee Pain Causes
In children the most common causes of inner knee pain are:
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Patellar tendonitis also known as jumpers knee
In adults, there are a range of other common causes of inner knee pain, including:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis, which causes the cartilage and bones in your joints to break down. If osteoarthritis affects your knees, you may find that pain worsens throughout the day because of the pressure applied to your knee when climbing up and down the stairs, walking and sitting.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease where your bodys immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues in your joints. If rheumatoid arthritis affects your knees, you may find that pain gets better through the day as the inflammation and stiffness reduces.
Medial collateral ligament injury
The medial collateral ligament runs along the outside of your inner knee and stabilises it. If this ligament is overstretched, you can develop an MCL sprain, or a partial or full tear. MCL injuries usually occur when playing contact sports where there is a lot of twisting and turning of your knee joints. Symptoms include:
- A popping noise on injury followed by sudden pain
- Feeling unsteady when standing or walking
- Locking of your knees
Medial meniscus injury
- Bucket handle tear
Symptoms of a medial meniscus tear include:
Pes anserine bursitis
Pes anserine bursitis can be caused by:
Medial plica irritation
Don’t Miss: Why Does My Knee Hurt Going Down Stairs
Why Is Medial Knee Pain So Common
Medial knee injuries are really common because muscle weakness and/or tightness, which is very common, can subtly change the way the knee moves.
This causes more force to go through the inner side of the joint, rather than distributing weight evenly through the whole joint, which results in damage to the inner side of the knee and therefore results in medial knee pain. For example, it is much more common to get osteoarthritis on the inner side of the knee than the outer side.
Symptoms Of Inner Knee Pain
Symptoms may include dull aching or stabbing sharp pain may feel in the inner knee. When the knee joint moves a person may feel the sound of popping and cracking. Inner knee pain can also be felt when straightening the leg. Running can also cause inner knee pain depending upon the underlying cause of the pain. This pain can get worse at night.
Additional symptoms of inner knee pain may include burning pain on the inside of the knee, pain inside the knee while running, medial knee pain with flexion, swelling inside the knee, prominent redness on the knee bruising and increased warmth, etc.
Inflammatory inner knee pain indicates if symptoms get better during the day. But if symptoms are getting worse during the day then the reason could be degenerative disorder such as arthritis.
Recommended Reading: Why Do People Get Knee Replacements
If You Feel Inner Knee Pain Locking Of Your Knee Or Hear A Clicking Sound:
You might be feeling symptoms of medial knee plica syndrome. A lot of people with this syndrome say that their knee doesnt feel stable during daily activities. The Patella Stabilizer Knee Brace can help to feel stability within your knee and aid in the healing process. It also may hurt to walk up and down the stairs or when running. The knee may feel achy or worse at night or when you are active. It may hurt to squat, bend, or get up after you sit for a long period of time.
Conditions Associated With Inner Knee Pain
There are several types of knee injury and other conditions that can cause inner knee pain.
is a tear of the ligament that runs down the inner side of your knee. A ligament is a band of tissue that connects one bone to another. Your medial collateral ligament connects your thigh bone to your shin bone, helping to stabilise your knee. A tear can happen if you have a direct blow to your knee, if you twist your knee or if you overuse your knee.
is a tear to one of the ligaments that runs across the inside your knee, connecting your thigh and shin bones. You might completely or partially tear your anterior cruciate ligament. Its a sudden injury caused by twisting or overextending your knee. It can happen if you suddenly slow down, stop or change direction and is nearly always associated with sports.
is a tear to one of the cartilage shock-absorbers in your knee. These are known as the menisci . You could tear a meniscus if you twist your knee. This type of injury is common in sports where you have to change direction suddenly for example, football or basketball. It can also happen if you work in a job that involves heavy lifting and twisting, such as construction or manual labour. Youre also more likely to tear your meniscus without any particular injury as you get older, through wear and tear.
You can access a range of treatments on a pay as you go basis, including physiotherapy.
Read Also: Why My Knees Always Hurt
Pain At The Front Of The Knee
- Excessive stress on the patella tendon at the front of the knee, just below the patella, manifests itself by a burning sensation at the front of the knee .
- A severe stabbing pain and swelling at the front of the knee may be due to a partially dislocated patella. The patella normally slides in a groove at the front of the femur, but can slip out due to a sudden twist or impact.
- Chondromalacia patellae is a condition due to the cartilage on the under surface of the patella softening and deteriorating. The symptoms are a grating feeling at the junction of the patella and femur. Sometimes an unstable flap of surface cartilage may cause this pain, and may be curable with simple keyhole surgery and a chondroplasty.
- Repetitive knee movements can result in an accumulation of fluid in the bursae resulting in pain and a swelling at the front of the knee .
Rheumatoid Arthritis Or Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage in the knee wears down. A classic symptom of this condition is pain when you exert pressure on the joint, especially when walking up and down stairs. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is the result of the bodys immune system attacking healthy joints and tissues. Swelling, stiffness, and loss of motion in the knee are signals that you may have rheumatoid arthritis.
Read Also: Do Knee Braces Work For Running
All You Need To Know About Inner Knee Pain
Inner knee pain is accompanied by various symptoms that distinguish it from other knee pains. You will find all of these and even ways to prevent and treat medial knee pain in this article.
Any pain in different parts of your body disrupts your daily activities. Inner knee pain is a common problem that affects approximately 19% of the population. The knee is one of the most complex and important joints in your body, so being prone to injuries is normal. When it comes to inner knee pain or medial knee pain, it means pain in the inner knee area closest to your opposite knee. Many reasons can trigger this problem at any age, regardless of gender. This pain is accompanied by various symptoms that distinguish it from other knee pains. Do you want to know what these symptoms are and what causes them? You will find all of these and even ways to prevent and treat medial knee pain in this article.
Dont Miss: What Can You Take For Arthritis In Your Knees
About Carex Health Brands
Carex is your one-stop shop for home medical equipment and for products that assist caregivers with providing the best possible support and care for their loved ones. Carex Health Brands has been the branded leader in in-home, self-care medical products for over 35 years. Our goal is to improve the lives of our customers by bring them quality products that bring dignity back to their lives. With our three nationally distributed brands, Carex Health Brands serves national, regional and independent food, drug and mass retailers along with wholesalers, distributors and medical dealers.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Best Exercise For Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Can Knee Injuries Be Prevented
To help prevent knee injuries:
- Make sure your kids wear the recommended protective equipment for sports .
- Make sure your kids wear supportive athletic shoes that are in good condition.
- During workouts, kids should always warm up and cool down.
- Encourage kids to do regular strength training to support muscles, and stretching or yoga to improve flexibility.
- When jumping, kids should bend the knees while landing. This takes pressure off the ACL and prevents injury.
- If kids cut laterally or pivot frequently , encourage them to crouch and bend at the knees and hips to reduce the chances of an ACL injury.
- For kids who play just one sport, conditioning and training year-round even if its at a lower intensity than during the competitive season can help them stay in shape and make an injury less likely.
Recommended Reading: Should I Run With Knee Pain
Adhesion In The Knee Capsule Is One Of Most Common Causes Of Pain On Inside Of Knee
When it comes to pain on the inside of your knee, theyd look for adhesion inside of your knee capsule.
The knee capsule is a paper-like sheath that surrounds the whole knee joint .
Adhesion acts like glue in the knee capsule.
Normally, your heel should touch your butt like it did for Amanda above.
When you have adhesion in your knee joint capsule, youd feel a slow-building tightness or mild pain in your knee joint with the Heel to Butt Test.
Your range would be restricted too. Amandas knee flexion range was 4 finger-breadths away from being full .
Remember, a restricted Heel to Butt Test that is NOT caused by adhesion, but by meniscus damage, would have moderate or significant pain . When the restriction is arthritis, the pain would typically get better with exercise .
Recommended Reading: Is Cycling Good For Knee Pain
Twisted Knee Pain On Inner Side
This is one of the most common causes of swelling and pain on the inside of the knee after twisting it. This type of acute knee injury usually results in a swollen knee joint and acute knee pain for 24 to 48 hours after the injury occurs.
The ligaments and the cartilage are the most common places to be injured by a twisted knee. A twisting knee may cause damage to one or more of the four ligaments, pinching the cartilage/meniscus, or tearing the knee joint. Depending on the severity of the injury, the ligament may have three different grades. On the outside of the knee joint, there are lateral and collateral ligaments. The knee is more likely to be injured in the lateral collateral due to forces pushing it inward. When the snowplough position places tension on the knee joint, it can cause a knee injury known as a malleolus knee joint injury. The knee cartilage, known as the knee meniscus, is prone to getting twisted and torn.
It is most commonly caused by the foot being fixed to the ground, the knee becoming slightly bent, and the knee twisting suddenly. The injury could be caused by more than one ligament being damaged, or it could be caused by a combination of both ligaments and cartilage. If you have twisted your knee and are experiencing pain or swelling, consult with your doctor. Early detection of ligament and cartilage tears can help avoid future problems. Check out our knee pain diagnosis section if youre having knee pain.
Should You Be Concerned About Nerve Pain In Your Knee
Nerve pain symptoms of numbness, tingling, and/or weakness going all the way to the foot are abnormal and should be evaluated by a board-certified physician. Some intermittent clicking or a little bit of grinding around the kneecap walking downstairs or hiking in Colorado is typically mild to moderate arthritis and typically does not denote significant nerve-related problems in the knee.
Don’t Miss: How Long To Recover From Knee Replacement Operation