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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How Does Walking Help The Knees
The knee is a very intricately designed joint comprised of a series of tendons, ligaments, and meniscus . Unlike muscles, cartilage doesnt get its nourishment from blood, but instead relies on synovial fluid within the joint. Movement causes the release of synovial fluid into the joint, walking can lubricate the knee, reduce stiffness and provide nutrients to the cartilage.
Walking When You Have Knee Pain
The best rule of thumb is to monitor what your normal pain levels are during a day. Then ask yourself if your pain is more than 2 to 3 points higher than normal affects your movement patterns considerably. Should you be experiencing these problems then start off with a short, light walk to see if the pain increases or decreases. Sometimes going for a walk can reduce your pain and mobilize your joint fluid and lubricate the joint.
The day following your walk, monitor your pain levels on a scale of 1 10. When you are looking at 0/10 that would mean you have no pain at all, 5/10 would be that it is affecting your daily movement and 10/10 would be severe pain which requires an immediate hospital visit. ;As long as your pain doesnt increase by more than 1 to 2 points, then you are fine. However, it would be appropriate to take a day off between workouts to allow the knee to settle down to its regular level of pain.
Osteoarthritis quite often leaves you feeling torn. You have intense knee pain, so you dont want to move, and then the pain gets worse from inactivity because the joint isnt getting greased up with synovial fluid. You just need to know if you get up and move then eventually given time and increased stability, your knee will feel better. Exercise also gets you prepped for rehab, so you will heal better if you require a joint replacement!
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Recommened For Knee Pain
Meniscus Tear – The menisci of the knee are the pieces of cartilage that cushions the knee joint. When the posterior portion of the meniscus is torn, it may cause pain behind the knee .
Other causes – Direct trauma to the knee may also cause behind knee pain. Your doctor will diagnose whether it is a knee sprain or a ligament tear.
When You Have Knee Pain Lasting More Than Forty
48 Hours Of Knee Pain?
Time to see a doctor!
If you have consistent pain for more than 48 hours, itâs likely that you are experiencing an issue with the joint, not the muscle. Muscle problems will usually subside sooner, but if you feel pain in the knee for two days straight, go in and pay your doc a visit.
The key here is determining whether the pain is centered on the joint or the muscle. ;If you feel pain within the joint for more than 48 hours, get yourself to a doctor and get it checkedâ itâs probably not a muscle problem in this case.
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What Causes Pain On The Inside Of The Knee
MCL Injury – The most common cause of inside knee pain is an injury to the medial collateral ligament . The MCL is the ligament runs up the inside of the knee joint and it helps stabilize the inside of the knee. MCL injuries typically occur when impact happens on the outside of the knee, which overstretches or tears the inside ligament.
Meniscus Injury – The meniscus is the piece of cartilage that cushions the knee joint as we walk. Depending on where on the meniscus an injury has occurred, a patient may experience inner knee pain.
Other Causes of Inside Knee Pain – Weakness of the muscles around the knee or arthritis may also cause pain on the inside of the knee. There may also be other causes for inside knee pain, but the ones listed here are the most common.
Why Is This Happening To Meor Why Am I Still Suffering With Knee Pain That Keeps Getting Worse After Putting Up With It For 6 Months
Most people think that when they get knee pain, itll eventually ease off and go away on its own. That theyll wake up one morning and like magic, knee pain will be a thing of the past. Then 6 months later youre still living with the discomfort of knee pain often even worse than it was when it came on.
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How To Prevent Throbbing Knee Pain At Night
If chronic knee pain is keeping you awake at night, there are many steps you can take to help prevent the painful symptoms. With a few preventative measures, you can help avoid waking up with sharp pains in your knee.
According to Dr. April Chang-Miller, who is a specialist in rheumatology, this is what you can do to prevent knee pain at night:20
- Make sure that your bed, pillows, and blanket are comfortable and dont add to your discomfort.
- Make sure that your bed allows you to have a comfortable sleeping position.
- Take a warm bath or shower before going to bed to help relax your joints and muscles.
- Avoid drinking stimulants like alcohol or coffee before going to bed to help you sleep better.
- Prop your legs up with a pillow to help reduce knee pain while sleeping.
- Dont exercise within 3 hours before going to bed. However, remember that exercise helps to reduce knee pain over time.
Who To See For Knee Pain
Trauma-related knee pain will be evaluated at first by an emergency room provider, who may then call on an for diagnosis and treatment. If you have chronic knee pain that needs attention, you can start by visiting your primary care provider. Your doctor might refer you to an orthopedic or for further testing, diagnosis and treatment. You also can schedule an appointment directly with an orthopedist, but remember that some insurance companies require you to obtain a referral before seeing a specialist.
Depending on the cause of your knee pain, you may also work with physical therapists, hydrotherapists, or other health professionals to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.
can be a nuisance that causes you to miss work or cut back on fitness activities. By seeking prompt medical attention for knee pain that persists longer than a week or two, you may be able to treat the condition with conservative measures that relieve the pain and get you back in action quickly.
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Check Your Strength And Range Of Motion
You may feel relatively strong in your legs and hips, but there are a lot of small muscles that could be weaker than you realize. The physical therapist will take you through some different exercises to find any weaknesses that could be contributing to your pain. You will also go through range of motion exercises to see how far you can comfortably move your joints.
Why Does My Knee Hurt
If you are experiencing knee pain when walking, knee pain when bending, knee pain when resting, or are hearing popping/clicking in your knee, etc., it may be a minor concern or indicator of a serious issue.;
Knee pain is usually caused by traumatic injuries, repetitive motion injuries, long-term wear & tear, or tissue disorders. Below are injuries that are common causes for knee pain, but it is best to enter your symptoms into our Knee Pain Diagnosis Symptom Checker to gain a better understanding of your injury.;
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The Best Conservative Knee Pain Treatments
As weve already highlighted, knee replacement surgery and other invasive treatments arent always the best option for health. Long-term use of pain medication and unnecessary surgery carries risks, such as bleeding, wound infections and long recovery periods.
At the VIP Medical Group, our team of Board Certified pain doctors believe in the importance of a holistic approach to healthcare. Thats why they offer the latest treatments that maximize health through minimally invasive procedures and treatment options. Lets take a look at the latest treatments in pain medicine:
- Genicular Nerve Block the doctor injects the knee with local anesthetic. This blocks nerves from transmitting pain and provides pain relief.
- Genicular Nerve Radio Frequency Ablation this is an option for longer-term pain relief. It stops the nerve supply by placing heated needles to prevent the patient from feeling pain. A small amount of local anesthetic can also be used during this procedure.
- Iovera this is when an iovera machine applies low or sub-zero temperatures to freeze the peripheral nerves. This produces instant pain relief without the need for pain medication.
- Steroid or cortisone injection the doctor applies anesthetic spray to numb the area before injecting anti-inflammatory pain medicine into the knee joint.
- Viscosupplement knee injection the doctor anesthetizes the area before injecting viscosupplement medicine. This is when lubricating fluid is injected into the knee joint.
A Message From Dr Ben Bagge Owner & Founder Of Pro+kinetix Physical Therapy & Performance
If youre living with bad knees, theyre painful or they ache its very easy to think that its just something that comes with age, its a bit of wear and tear, or that its nothing and itll go away on its own.
You cant quite put your finger on why youre feeling pain in your knees but it doesnt seem to be getting any better!
If thats happening to you, youre not alone we hear this type of thing all the time. In fact, knee pain is one of THE most common problems that we see in our physical therapy clinic.
And when it comes to living with knee pain, everybody we see wants to know the answers to these questions:
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What To Expect On Your First Visit
Your initial appointment will last approximately 30 minutes.Please bring with you 2-3 pairs of your usual footwear choices, as well as a prescription for custom orthotic footwear if required for reimbursement from your extended health care provider.We will provide a Postural & Foot Examination, a Diagnosis & may Prescribe Custom Orthotics to fit into your favourite shoes.Provincial Insurance does not cover the cost of custom orthotics. Its your responsibility to cover the cost and contact your extended health care provider regarding any extended coverage you may have.If you require custom orthotics, payment in full is required prior to manufacture. We accept cash, debit, VISA, MasterCard and America Express.Once we receive your custom orthotics, we will call you to book a dispensing appointment to fit your footwear. The dispensing appointment is usually within 2-3 weeks of your initial assessment, only takes 10-15 minutes & at no additional cost.
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
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How Are Vancouver Orthotics Made
The first step in making a custom made orthotic is taking a 3D image of the foot. At our office we take a non-weight bearing 3D volumetric scan/cast of a neutral foot. This data is scanned by our lab technicians. A copolymer plastic is formed over the positive to create a custom orthotic for the patients specific correction and symptomatic needs.
What Is The Recovery Time For A Knee Replacement
The most extensive form of knee treatment is knee replacement surgery or knee arthroplasty. This treatment is usually recommended for those patients whose knees have been deformed due to chronic conditions such as osteoporosis or arthritis.
Knee replacement surgery comes in different forms; depending on the extent of the deformity, you may require either partial knee replacement or total knee replacement. During the procedure itself, you will be administered anesthesia, ensuring that you are pain-free. Recovery from a knee replacement surgery can last for roughly six weeks and typically requires physical therapy. Pain medications can also be administered as needed.
If you deal with knee pain or limited motion, itâs important to visit with a surgeon as soon as possible. Learn more about the possibilities of evidence-based knee treatments by contacting a knee doctor today.
For more information on different knee replacement procedures our knee doctors perform, click the buttons below.
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Dont Let Knee Pain Linger
If you have knee pain, then you should immediately do something about it.
- Start with some research. You may find a solution or see that you just have fatigued limbs and need some rest.
- See your doctor if thats not enough. Your doctor will diagnose your condition and treat it or send you to a specialist.
Yes, you can go straight to a specialist, but its best to take knee pain and injury in stages. No matter what though, do not let that pain or injury go unchecked.
When Will My Knee Feel Better
People heal at different rates. Your recovery time depends on your body and your injury.
While you get better, you need to take it easy on your knee. That doesnât mean you have to give up exercise. Just try something new that won’t hurt your joint. If you’re a jogger, swim laps in a pool instead.
Whatever you do, don’t rush things. If you try to get back to your workouts before youâre healed, you could damage the joint for good. Don’t return to your old level of physical activity until:
- You can fully bend and straighten your knee without pain.
- You feel no pain in your knee when you walk, jog, sprint, or jump.
- Your knee is as strong as your uninjured knee.
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Knees And Hips: A Troubleshooting Guide To Knee And Hip Pain
Do your knees or hips hurt? Most people will at some point have knee or hip pain because these large joints have a demanding task: they must bear the full weight of your body while at the same time allowing for a wide range of motion. Wear and tear, injury, and simple genetic predisposition can all contribute to knee or hip pain. This Special Health Report,;Knees and Hips: A troubleshooting guide to knee and hip pain, covers a wide range of knee and hip conditions and describes in detail treatments, preventive strategies, and surgeries.
Gradual Increase In Pain
Arthritis pain usually starts slowly, although it can appear suddenly in some cases.
At first, you may notice pain in the morning or after youve been inactive for a while. Your knees may hurt when you climb stairs, stand up from a sitting position, or kneel. It may hurt just to go for a walk.
You may also feel pain when youre simply sitting down. Knee pain that wakes you up from sleep can be a symptom of OA.
For people with RA, the symptoms often start in the smaller joints. They are also more likely to be symmetrical, affecting both sides of the body. The joint may be warm and red.
With OA, symptoms may progress rapidly or they may develop over several years, depending on the individual. They can worsen and then remain stable for a long time, and they can vary by days. Factors that may cause them to worsen include cold weather, stress, and excessive activity.
With RA, symptoms usually appear over several weeks, but they can develop or worsen in a few days. A flare can happen when disease activity increases. Triggers vary, but they include changes in medication.
With OA, this can be:
- hard swelling, due to the formation of bone spurs
- soft swelling, as inflammation causes extra fluid to collect around the joint
Swelling may be more noticeable after a long period of inactivity, like when you first wake up in the morning.
This is because RA is a systemic disease, which means it affects the whole body. OA, meanwhile, only has a direct impact on the affected joint.
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