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
Damage To The Cartilage At The Back Of The Kneecap
Knee pain that feels worse when you go up or down stairs could be a sign of a damaged kneecap, called chondromalacia patellae.
This should not cause any redness or heat around the knee.
The cause is not understood, but it can be linked to overuse of the knee.
You can treat this problem yourself with anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen, an icepack and rest.
Will Surgery Treat And Cure Knee Pain
Surgery
Knee operations range from arthroscopic knee surgery to total knee replacement. Arthroscopic knee surgery is a very common surgical procedure that allows the physician look inside your knee through a few small holes and a fiberoptic camera. The surgeon can repair many of the injuries and remove small pieces of loose bones or cartilage. This is a common outpatient procedure.
Partial knee replacement: The surgeon replaces the damaged portions of the knee with plastic and metal parts. Because only part of the knee joint is replaced, this procedure has a shorter recovery then a total knee replacement.
Total knee replacement: In this procedure, the knee is replaced with an artificial joint.
Other therapies
Acupuncture has shown some relieve of knee pain, especially in patients with osteoarthritis. Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements have shown mixed results in research studies.
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Can Growing Pains Occur In Just One Leg
Usually growing pains occur bilaterally or in both legs. These pains usually occur deep in the thigh or calf in school-aged children. They generally occur at night with resolution by morning. If your child is experiencing pains in just one leg, consider bringing them for medical evaluation. One-sided leg pain can be indicative of infection, musculoskeletal injury or deformity, or other serious conditions such as a tumor.
Arthritis Of The Knee
Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation and pain in joints in the body, but it most often occurs in the knee. Arthritis is a chronic condition that can get worse over time and eventually require surgery.
The three most common types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis.
Symptoms of arthritis in the knee include:
- stiffness and swelling in the knee
- difficulty bending the knee fully
- knee pain
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What Are Some Common Knee Problems
Many knee problems are a result of the aging process and continual wear and stress on the knee joint . Other knee problems are a result of an injury or a sudden movement that strains the knee. Common knee problems include the following:
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Can Dehydration Cause Pain In The Back Of The Knee
In general, dehydration does not cause pain in the back of the knee. However, if you are dehydrated, you may experience cramping of your muscles. This is due to electrolyte imbalances leading to muscle irritation. This can lead to pain in the back of your leg if those muscles cramp. Most commonly, dehydration leads to exhaustion, thirst, muscle cramps, and dizziness.
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Find Chronic Knee Pain Treatment Near You
Theres no need to suffer through chronic knee pain, especially when the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvanias physicians are here to help. While surgery may end up being the best option, it is never the first one we suggest. We opt instead to work with each patient to find non-invasive ways to treat chronic pain.
With numerous locations across Pennsylvania, were dedicated to helping you live a pain-free life. To request an appointment at one of our locations, simply fill out the form online or call 717-761-5530.
When To See Your Doctor
Any incidence of severe knee pain should be checked out by your doctor particularly if:
1) Your knee looks deformed2) You cant put any weight through the leg3) Your knee movements are limited cant fully bend or straighten the knee4) You have severe knee pain, especially at night or when resting5) Your knee keeps giving way6) You feel unwell or have a fever7) There is redness or the knee feels hot8) There is major swelling around the knee9) Your symptoms persist or get worse10) You have pain, swelling, redness, tingling or numbness in the calf
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How Can I Manage Knee Pain
Treatment for knee pain depends on whats causing it and how uncomfortable it makes you.
- Mild knee injuries often improve with rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medications. Wearing a brace can stabilize your knee while it recovers.
- If arthritis is causing knee pain, your treatment may include medication and physical therapy.
- Doctors can usually repair tendon and ligament tears with minimally invasive surgery, if necessary.
- More serious knee pain may require knee replacement surgery.
No matter what caused your knee pain, physical therapy exercises can strengthen the muscles supporting your knee to help relieve discomfort.
Symptoms Of Knee Pain Without Injury
Some of the most common symptoms are a sharp pain when going down a set of stairs, a clicking sound when you bend your knee, and a feeling of the joint being stuck.
Arthritis may cause knee pain without injury too. This is usually most pronounced with activity, such as going up or down the stairs, getting up from a chair, or climbing. If the pain is continuous then you should consult your doctor.
Its also important to note that the most common knee injuries are to the tendons. Your knee is used every single day for standing, walking, running, and so on. This makes them prone to wear and tear, particularly if you play sport or do a lot of heavy lifting at work.
One example of this is tendonitis in the patellar tendon , which often causes swelling around the area. Other symptoms include pain that runs along the side of your patella .
Tendonitis can be caused by overuse however, it can also be caused by an underlying condition such as gout making itself known through the pain. If you are affected, it is important to get medical treatment as soon as possible to prevent the tendon from rupturing.
Another common knee injury that can happen without being caused by an external issue is bursitis. The fluid-filled sacs called bursae protect the bones and tendons around your joints from friction and wear on each other.
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Can Knee Pain Come From Your Spine
Most people assume if they have knee pain, it is due to a problem with the knee joint. This is not always the case. While the discomfort can be due to a knee condition, it can also be the result of a disc protrusion or a pinched nerve in your lower back. Working with your doctor and a physical therapist can help determine if that is the case.
Why Does My Knee Hurt When I Straighten It
Your knee is made up of bones, cartilage, muscles and tendons. When you extend your knee, your quadriceps muscles tighten, and your hamstrings relax. Pain on knee straightening is usually indicative of damage or overuse of the quadriceps muscles, leading to tiny tears in its tendon. Pain may also occur due to any damage to the joint itself. You may get pain specifically in the back of the knee due to cyst formation following injury of the joint.
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How Do You Stop Knee Pain At A Young Age
Very often, knee pain in younger patients can be treated with conservative options, like:
- Resting the knee
- Physical therapy and stretching exercises to rebalance the knee
Depending on your symptoms and your activity level, you might also benefit from:
- Making sure you wear footwear thats designed for your specific sport or activity
- Making sure you warm up thoroughly before any activity
- Sticking to a regular leg exercise routine to keep your knee muscles strong and flexible
- Avoiding activities that cause pain in your knees
- Paying attention to early signs of pain to avoid overdoing it
Although knee pain in adolescents and young adults typically can be treated conservatively, you still need a medical evaluation. Delaying medical treatment can increase your risk of developing arthritis and other serious problems in the future. Dr. Van Thiel is skilled in diagnosing and treating knee problems in patients of all ages, including kids, teens, and patients in their 20s. If youre having knee pain, get the care you need to feel better and to prevent permanent joint damage. Contact the office and schedule a knee evaluation today.
Dr. Van Thiel treats patients from all over Wisconsin and Illinois including Rockford, Elgin, Huntley, Dekalb, Crystal Lake, Barrington, McHenry, Beloit and Algonquin.
Knee Pain Without Injury
Knee pain is a very common problem that can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. However, knee pain without injury may seem like an oxymoron because it seems like all knee pain would be caused by some sort of injury.
In fact, there are many causes for non-traumatic knee pain that include arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, or even labral tears in the hip joint. If you have been experiencing chronic knee discomfort with no clear diagnosis then check out this blog post to learn more about how these types of injuries occur!
While an injury is usually the first thing we think of when we experience knee pain, some people suffer from chronic knee pain without any known cause. This type of knee pain is called Primary Knee Pain and its thought to make up as much as 15% of all cases of chronic knee pain. So why does this happen? And what can you do about it? Read on for more information!
Contents
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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
The Terrible Triad: Part Iii
It follows that if you tear the root of the meniscus the stress in the knee increases. You already have arthritis, so the cartilage cushion was thin and less protective. All of this causes an increase in the pressure within the bones in the knee. In many of you that will lead to a stress fracture or an insufficiency fracture. Those insufficiency fractures of the knee cause a ton of inflammation which shows up on an MRI as bone marrow edema. It takes at least 1-3 days or more for the stress fracture to occur following a root tear. Thats why the pain worsens over the next few days after you felt the pop.
The bone marrow edema caused by the insufficiency fracture causes severe pain. The meniscus is not the most likely cause of pain in this situation. Bone is a confined space, and it can not expand. If you have inflammation and swelling in the bone, then the pressure in the bone will increase. Thats why an infected tooth hurts so much, that infection is in a tight space, so the pressure rises, and it is the pressure that hurts so much.
The terrible triad hurts a lot. That usually leads to a visit to your doctor or an Orthopedic Surgeon. An MRI reveals the findings I mentioned earlier.
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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.
How Do You Know If You Have A Blood Clot Behind Your Knee
A blood clot in the veins of your lower leg is called a deep vein thrombosis or DVT. You may have a blood clot behind your knee if you have one-sided leg swelling, pain, warmth, and redness below the knee. Sometimes these clots can occur on both sides at once, but this is uncommon. Some blood clots in the legs, however, do not present with any symptoms. A DVT requires immediate treatment to reduce the risk of embolizing to the lungs.
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Home Care For Knee Pain
Inflammation is the bodyâs physiologic response to an injury. In treating many types of knee pain, a common goal is to break the inflammatory cycle. The inflammatory cycle starts with an injury. After an injury, substances that cause inflammation invade the knee to assist in healing. However, if the injury and subsequent inflammation is not resolved, inflammation can become a chronic issue, leading to further inflammation and additional injury. This cycle of inflammation leads to continued or progressive knee pain. The cycle can be broken by controlling the substances that cause inflammation, and by limiting further injury to tissue.
Some common home care techniques for knee pain that control inflammation and help to break the inflammatory cycle are protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This regimen is summarized by the memory device PRICE.
PROTECT the knee from further trauma.
- This can be done with knee padding or splinting.
- A pad over the kneecap, for example, helps to control the symptoms of some knee injuries by preventing further repetitive injury to the prepatellar bursae.
REST the knee.
- Rest reduces the repetitive strain placed on the knee by activity.
- Rest both gives the knee time to heal and helps to prevent further injury.
ICE the knee.
COMPRESS the knee with a knee brace or wrap.
- Compression reduces swelling.
- In some knee injuries, compression can be used to keep the patella aligned and to keep joint mechanics intact.
ELEVATE the knee.
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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What Causes Knee Pain In Young Adults
Knee pain in your 20s is often associated with overuse injuries. When the muscles, ligaments or tendons are overworked, pain, stiffness and other symptoms can develop pretty quickly. Tendonitis and bursitis are a couple of overuse injuries that are most commonly associated with strenuous activity. But they can also occur in relatively inactive people who ramp up their activity too quickly. Still, while these types of injuries are fairly common in young adults, theyre not the only causes of knee pain.
How Orthotics Help With Knee Pain
When your orthotics are a good fit for you, they can help with chronic knee pain. They will cushion and support your feet while making it easier to maintain good posture. Because no two people have an identical musculoskeletal system, customization is key to obtaining high-quality results from your orthotics.
The break-in period can take time. You may have to wear your custom orthotics, identify small problems, and have them reshaped or adjusted gradually. In the end, you should be able to obtain orthotics that are perfectly suited to your body and your lifestyle which relieve knee pain and help prevent injury.
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