Why Does Knee Pain Get Worse At Night
Theres nothing more frustrating than climbing into bed at the end of a busy day, feeling exhausted and then suddenly boom, your knee pain kicks off with a vengeance. Youve soldiered on through the day, done all the things you needed to do, finally have the chance to give your knees a break, and thats when they really start to hurt. But why?
There are a number of theories out there as to why knee pain gets worse at night time:
- Lack of Distractions:;During the day, theres lots going on, our minds are distracted by other things and; we often dont have time to notice or think about pain. But when we climb into bed, with less stimulation and diversions to distract us, the pain that has been grumbling away in the background suddenly gets very loud as there is nothing masking it. Theres less to take our minds off our pain and the more we think about it, the more conscious we are and the more pain we feel.;
- Sleep Deprivation:;Night time knee pain can quickly become a vicious cycle. Sleep deprivation has been found to increase sensitivity to pain, decrease pain thresholds, impair healing, reduce tolerance levels and increase fatigue.As these feed into each other, pain levels increase and the cycle continues and knee pain at night gets progressively worse and worse.
The Joint Pain Relief Workout: Healing Exercises For Your Shoulders Hips Knees And Ankles
Is joint pain holding you back? Perhaps an achy ankle or sore knee is making it difficult to enjoy a run through your favorite park or even taking a short walk. Or maybe a throbbing hip or shoulder prevents you from whacking a golf ball or performing simple tasks like carrying a bag of groceries. The exercises in this report,;The Joint Pain Relief Workout: Healing exercises for your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles, can help relieve ankle, knee, hip, or shoulder pain, and help you become more active again, which can help you stay independent long into your later years.
Bones Joints And Muscles
Muscle cramp. It can strike in your sleep or in the middle of the day. This sudden, tight, intense lower leg pain is sometimes called a “charley horse.” When it takes a grip, it can get worse quickly. It happens when your muscles are tired or dehydrated. Drink more water if you’re prone to leg cramps.
It might help to gently stretch or massage the area where your muscle has tensed up. Stretch your legs properly before you exercise, too.
Shin splints. You can feel this pain right up the front of your calf. The muscles and flesh along the edge of the shin bone become inflamed, so it hurts to walk, run, or jump. Doing activity over and over on hard surfaces can bring this on. You may also be more likely to get shin splints if you have flat feet or your feet turn outward.
Rest your legs to feel better. Ice helps. So can anti-inflammatory meds such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, if your doctor says these are safe for you. You can buy them over the counter.
You might want to see your doctor if the pain stays. Try not to do anything that makes your leg hurt more. Once it feels a little better, do some stretches. The next time out, wear comfortable, supportive shoes. And don’t run on hard surfaces if possible.
Apply ice to get some relief. Or take anti-inflammatories if your doctor says they’re okay for you. Avoid doing anything that causes pain. When it hurts less, stretch and strengthen your leg.
You May Like: Can I Regrow Cartilage In My Knee
How To Treat Knee Pain
The first step to discovering why your knees hurt while sleeping is to figure out the primary source of your knee pain. And to do that, you should go for X-ray, Magnetic resonance imaging , Computed tomography scan, and Arthroscopy. Once you’ve talked to your doctors and are well aware of the underlying cause of your knee pain, you can then decide what kind of treatment you want to seek.If the problem is not that severe, you can opt for drug-free therapies such as physical therapy to experience holistic healing. The physical therapist in question will examine your condition and create a recovery plan accordingly. And based on your mobility, they will incorporate therapeutic moves that will increase flexibility and strengthen the knee joint.They will spend considerable time guiding you on how to perform those therapeutic moves so that you don’t hurt your knee further. You will experience extraordinary benefits from physical therapy, which will go beyond restoring your knee health. Suppose you have chronic knee pain occurring due to a condition like arthritis. In that case, they might include other pain-relieving techniques in your plan. If your condition is too critical, you can incorporate physical therapy with other kinds of treatments, including surgical treatment. Adding physical therapy to your treatment plan will ensure quick and effective recovery.
Joi Offers Conservative Physical Therapy Approaches For Treating Pain From The Hip To The Knee
It is not uncommon for people of various age groups to have knee and hip pain. There are several different ways to treat pain in the knee or the hip in physical therapy. Range-of-motion and strength training are also typically used as ways to treat those who are having painful knee symptoms. ;Our therapists work closely with our physicians and primary care physicians to determine the cause of your hip and knee pain. ;Our goal is make sure that we manage your pain and get you back to the activities that you love.;
The Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute will continue to monitor the latest developments of coronavirus disease , we are committed to protecting the health and safety of our patients, families, and caregivers. To read more about our safety measures go to JOI4U. ;If you would like to request registration paperwork electronically click HERE.
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment at JOI Rehab for physical therapy, call
If you want to learn more about knee pain, go to
If you need to see a Knee or Hip Orthopaedic Specialist, please call 904- or follow the link below. ;JOI is now offering Telehealth and ASAP Injury Appointments!
Recommended Reading: Bathing After Knee Surgery
Why Am I Getting Pain At The Back Of My Knee
Published on: 4th February 2020
When it comes to knee pain, we often tend to think first of the front and sides. But pain that comes from the back of the knee is probably every bit as common.
It would be helpful if there was a single likely reason for this! But in fact the causes of back-of-knee pain can be very diverse. You could experience it as a sudden pain or a gradual ache. There may be swelling and inflammation or none at all. You might find it difficult to fully extend your leg.
In other words we need to do some narrowing down to find out whats going on. One useful starting point is to think in terms of problems inside or outside the knee joint: in medical-speak, intra- or extra-articular causes. Lets have a look at the most common ones.
Ways Of Treating Night Time Knee Pain
Take Steam/Hot Water Bath
If knee pain causes a lot of discomfort to you and makes it difficult to enjoy a good night’s sleep, then take a steam bath or hot water bath for a minimum of 15-20 minutes. It will relax your muscles, soothe joints, and relieve your pain. The relaxation experienced while taking a bath will help you fall asleep fast.
Use an Ice Pack or Heating Pad
There is no denying that people worldwide have been using hot and cold therapy to relieve pain and reduce discomfort stemming from it. You can also do the same if your pain aggravates suddenly in the night. You can either massage your knee with an ice pack or place a heating pad on it for half an hour. After finishing this exercise, you will experience a world of difference in the magnitude of your pain. You can also order a joint wrap to manage your pain; they are highly effective.
Do Stretches for Knee Pain Relief
Perform a few stretching moves before going to bed. But make sure you don’t overdo anything; otherwise, it will have the opposite impact on your knee. You can check out a few knee-strengthening moves on YouTube and then perform them precisely the same way.
Sleep with an Elevated Leg for Knee Pain
Also Check: Why Does My Knee Crack When I Squat
Youre Trying To Relax
When your body is at rest, you may notice the mild to moderate pains that you could more easily ignore when your mind was preoccupied with busy thoughts during your waking hours.Additionally, when you sleep, your body produces less cortisol. While high cortisol levels can lead to heart disease, healthier levels can help your body reduce inflammation.
Since most joint pains are caused by or worsened by inflammation, moderate amounts of cortisol can help your body manage this inflammation. But when your body is relaxed, such as when youre trying to go to sleep, your body has less cortisol to mitigate the swelling and irritation in your knees.
Home Remedies For Knee Pain At Night
Here are some further prevention tips and home remedies to help you better manage your knee pain at night.
- Avoid carrying heavy objects
- Wear knee guards when engaging in sports and other activities
- Stretch prior to any physical activity
- Use correct techniques when lifting, exercising, or performing any physical activity
- Use appropriate equipment for your size, strength, and ability
- Avoid overuse of the knees and make modifications to prevent it
- Ensure you exercise your legs and perform stretches whenever possible
- Avoid activities that put excess stress on the knees
- Wear proper footwear avoid heels
- Replace shoes every 300 to 500 miles this is roughly three months
- Rest your knee
- Apply ice or a heat pack
- Use compression wraps
- Keep the knee elevated
- Use an assistive device like a cane or crutches to avoid added stress on the knee until it begins to feel better
- Get a massage
Also Check: How To Pop Your Knee
Look At Your Sleeping Position And Mattress
We’re all going to toss and turn during the night, but starting off in a good sleeping position is at least a good habit to keep.
The key thing to remember here is that any painful joints need a little bit of extra support. If you tend to sleep on your side and your knees cause issues, pop a pillow between your legs for extra support. If you tend to lie on your back, putting a pillow under your knees will help to reduce the pressure on both the knees and back.
Sleeping on your front is best avoided since the neck has to twist at an unnatural angle in order to breathe, and the inside organs can get a little squished. This is more likely to contribute to digestive issues, which you certainly don’t want on top of joint pain!
Your Knee Pain Questions Answered
What Causes Burning Knee Pain At Night?;The most likely cause is gout knee. Other possible causes of knee burning at night include knee bursitis, nerve pain, ligament tear and knee cartilage injury;
Why Do I Get Throbbing Knee Pain At Night?;A throbbing pain in the knee is usually caused by a problem in the blood vessels such as venous hypertension, popliteal aneurysm or a DVT. If you get a throbbing pain in your leg, seek medical attention.
What Causes Stabbing Knee Pain At Night?;A stabbing pain in the knee at night is general caused by something getting stuck or squashed in the knee joint, such as a cartilage tear or arthritis, or tendonitis.;
Why Do I Get Knee Pain Only At Night? Knee pain that only comes on at night, not during the day, should always be taken seriously, particularly if it is coupled with weight-loss and generally feeling unwell as it could indicate a serious underlying medical condition such as cancer.
Recommended Reading: How To Pop Your Knee While Lying Down
Pain In Hips And Knees Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore
Image of the hip joint
When it comes to your hips and knees, there are;5;symptoms you shouldnt ignore. If you delay seeing a physician, you could make your pain worse. You should make an appointment if you have any of the following:
1. Not being able to maintain your normal active lifestyle.;If you find yourself not able;to do the activities you normally enjoy, such as tennis, golf, cycling, or walking, you should see a physician.
2. Pain that gets worse at night and interferes with sleep.;Inflammation, which is your bodys reaction to pain, tends to intensify at night. This inflammation can trigger higher levels of pain.
3. Catching, popping, or locking. This is a sign that the cartilage in the joint has torn or that bits of cartilage has broken off in the joint space. The cartilage may wear away completely if it is left untreated.
4. Difficulty doing simple tasks.;Some patients will experience difficulty putting on shoes and;socks or doing other simple activities, such as bending down.
5. Swelling. This could also be a sign that the cartilage in the joint is breaking down. The cartilage may wear out completely if it is left untreated.
Pain in the Knees
Nighttime Knee Pain In Adolescents
Many teenagers and adolescents suffer from a condition thats called anterior knee pain. This causes pain in the front or center of the knee and can often be worse at night.
Doctors from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons describe this type of knee pain as dull and achy. The pain may come on gradually, and physical activity can make the knee pain worse. The other symptoms of adolescent anterior knee pain include:15
- Popping noises in the knee when climbing stairs
- Nighttime knee pain
- Pain when bending the knee
- knee pain during intense physical activity
You May Like: Is Cycling Good For Arthritic Knees
Leg Pain At Night While Sleeping
Falling asleep when your legs hurt can be difficult. Both dull and sharp pains can keep your eyes open until the wee hours of the morning or wake your from even the deepest slumber! Try different positions in bed,;taking some melatonin, using a body pillow to avoid pain or even try a recliner!
Some people have reported that a pillow between the legs is a great cure for nighttime knee pain!
The source of most nighttime leg pain is cramping. If your legs are cramping at night try improving your diet, stretching, drinking more water or taking potassium supplements.
If pain in your legs at night is too extreme for you to walk it might be time to visit the emergency room. If you start to lose feeling in your lower body visit the emergency room right away.
Youre Dealing With Bursitis
Bursitis is the swelling of the bursa, a small, fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion between a bone and other moving body parts, like your muscles, tendons, or skin, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases .
Bursitis can cause swelling and pain around your muscles, bones, and joints. Bursa are found in many parts of your body, but bursitis happens the most often in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles, In the bursa, there are a high concentration of nerves that create pain when there is swelling and inflammation due to a traumatic or overuse injury, Dr. Gasbarro says.
You can also develop bursitis from an unrelated injury, like limping after you have low back painthat can lead to bursitis in your knee or hip, Dr. Gerhardt says.
Don’t Miss: My Knee Pops When I Squat
Face Up Tummy Presses For Shoulders
For nighttime shoulder pain, lay on your back with one pillow under your head and another between your knees.
Place your hands on your tummy and gently press into your tummy for 3 seconds then relax for 3 seconds. You should feel some tensing in the front of your shoulders the internal rotators.
Repeat 3 times.
Why You May Be Experiencing Hip Pain At Night
Posted on by The Orthopaedic Center in Hip Pain
You toss, you turn, and you get zero sleep.;
If that sounds like a regular night for you because of hip pain, youre probably going to want some relief as soon as possible. The first course of action is to figure out the root of that pain, so here are a few things you may be experiencing, along with some tips on how to help ease the pain.;
Recommended Reading: Total Knee Replacement Cost Without Insurance
The Pros And Cons Of Cortisone Shots
If you’re experiencing pain that makes it difficult for you to start physical therapy to address your knee problem, your doctor might recommend that you get an injection of cortisone to lessen the pain.
The shot injects a corticosteroid drug and a local anesthetic into the joint to temporarily relieve pain and swelling. But it isn’t a long-term fix. “Often people think that injections, especially cortisone injections, will fix a knee problem. What they do is provide a window of pain relief so you can make progress with rehabilitation,” says Dr. Rebecca Breslow, an instructor in orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. “But when cortisone injections are overused, there is some evidence that they can actually accelerate osteoarthritis.”
In short, while cortisone shots put you on the path to healing, they should be used judiciously and aren’t a permanent solution to the underlying problem that’s causing your knee pain.