Knee Pain: Symptoms and Causes
Among the many signs of knee discomfort include difficulty in walking, limping, and knee locking. These days, this exceedingly terrible health disease is rapidly disseminated all throughout the world. And, to be honest, there are a lot of different things that might hurt your knees.
Wish to learn more? Continue reading to learn more about knee discomfort from A to Z in this post. Namely, we will examine its primary symptoms, causes, and possibilities on how to get rid of it (including physical therapy, drugs, orthopedic injections, and procedures) (including physical therapies, medications, orthopedic injections, and surgeries). So let’s get started now!
An Introduction to Knee Pain
It would be helpful to first take a deeper look at the characteristics of the human knee before getting into the specifics of knee discomfort. Thus, let us make a brief detour to its features and anatomy.
What what is the human knee then? The joint that connects the femur to the tibia is one of the most intricate in the human anatomy (or, in other words, the thigh bone to the shin bone). The kneecap is a crucial bone in the anatomy of the knee (together with the cartilage under it). The thigh bone, the shin bone, and the kneecap are kept together by strong ligaments and tendons.
Amazing knee fact #1: Just like fingerprints, each and every individual has a different kneecap.
Due mostly to the architecture of the knee, its range of motion is rather constrained. It can bend and rotate in an average range of roughly 120 degrees.
One of the most strained joints in the human body is the knee since it participates actively in the act of walking. A knee joint serves as a shock absorber to help a person move as smoothly as possible when they run, jump, or just climb stairs.
Amazing knee fact #2: Ten muscles are required for the knee to operate.
Knee pain’s primary symptoms
An uncomfortable medical ailment known as the sore knee may manifest in a wide range of symptoms. The list of the most popular ones is provided below:
- The inability to fully straighten one’s leg;
- The knee joint’s rigidity;
- The knee making a crushing sound when you move;
- The knee’s general brittleness or instability;
- Swelling, redness, and other symptoms around the knee.
Please be aware that the symptoms of a painful knee listed above are only generic ones. Nevertheless, they might differ significantly based on the primary factor causing knee issues.
The type of knee discomfort might also differ greatly. One may have either brief or persistent knee discomfort. Additionally, the density may range from mild to severe.
Additionally, there are a number of other symptoms that go along with knee discomfort. A person with this illness may occasionally also have the following conditions:
- Knee deformity
- Warmth to the touch in the knee region,
- Fever, etc.
A person with knee discomfort may find it challenging or impossible to bear weight on their knee. Or the uncomfortable sensation might spread to the whole of the leg.
Third astounding knee-related fact: The ability to walk on two feet is a result of the architecture of human knees.
Leading causes of knee pain
Whether you believe us or not, there are a variety of variables that might lead to mild, moderate, or severe knee pain that could be either short-term or persistent. The “wear and tear” process, physical trauma, knee osteoarthritis, and many other factors can all contribute to the health issue. So, let’s examine the primary causes of knee discomfort in more detail.
Wear & Tear
An injury to the knee can occasionally result from normal “wear and tear.” The knee has a “expiration date,” much like every other bodily part. As a result, the knee joint may eventually get worn out.
The process is as follows:
- As a person ages, their knee cartilage, which serves as the so-called padding between joints, wears down;
- As a consequence, the knee cartilage’s shock-absorbing function is less efficient;
- As a result, the knee joint’s bones rub closer to one another and become painful.
The following individuals are among those who have knee discomfort brought on by the “wear & tear” process:
- People who are over 60 years old (since their cartilage worn out as a result of the aging process);
- Sportsmen (since they used to use the capacity of their knees too extensively).
Additionally, risk factors that quicken the “wear & tear” process might include things like being overweight or overusing the knee joint during repetitive activities.
Physical Traumas
Physical traumas are another class of probable knee pain reasons. In particular, mechanical knee injuries can cause uncomfortable sensations at the injured region.
A person will undoubtedly feel discomfort in the knee region if their knee is shattered or damaged. In light of this, the following physical injuries might cause knee pain:
- The thigh bone, shin bone, or kneecap damages;
- Ligament injuries;
- Meniscus impairments;
- Any other medical emergency.
The aforementioned traumas frequently come from a “bad fall,” sprain, or other comparable injury. Therefore, knee discomfort from both serious and mild physical traumas might affect anyone (of any age or career).
Disease-Related Reasons (Including Knee Osteoarthritis)
Knee pain can occasionally be brought on by a specific illness. The following is a list of medical problems that might contribute to knee pain:
- The Baker’s cyst (namely, a fluid-filled cyst that occurs around the knee area);
- Infection (it usually appears due to bacteria that infects the fluid that lubricates the knee joint);
- Arthritis (different types of the disease, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (the two most widely spread types of arthritis), tend to cause knee joint pain);
- Etc.
As a result, those who must contend with the aforementioned health issues are more likely to encounter slight, mild, or severe knee discomfort.
Other Knee Pain Causes
There are many more causes of knee pain than those that are already included in the list above. For instance, it might be the outcome of:
- The kneecap dislocation;
- The lack of muscle strength;
- Genetic predisposition to knee injuries;
- Etc.
Please keep in mind that ONLY a complete and accurate examination of a patient’s health, including a physical examination, X-ray, MRI, or CT scan of the knee, can determine the cause of that patient’s knee pain.
How Do You Treat Knee Pain?
The therapy of knee pain completely depends on its source, which is the first and most important point that has to be made here. However, these are the strategies that are most frequently used to ease and avoid knee pain:
- Method #1: Sports. Regular physical activity will not only help a person lose weight (if needed) but also keep their muscles in a healthy tone. While normal weight and good muscle tone, in their turn, have a good impact on knee health;
- Method #2. Physical therapy. Special exercises that are usually done under the supervision of a specially trained physical therapist might substantially relieve pain in the knee;
- Method #3. Medicine. In some cases, it might be helpful to take special pain-relief medicine in order to treat the knee pain;
- Method #4. Injection. If the above-mentioned methods of treating knee problems do not help, a patient might need to have a special medication administered into the knee joint in order to relieve unpleasant feelings (especially arthritis pain);
- Method #5. Surgery. In the most difficult medical conditions, knee surgery might be needed to take care of the pain;
- Etc.
A patient may also do the following in addition to using sports, medication, or surgery to treat their knee pain:
- Apply cold or hot compresses to the knee;
- Try out acupuncture;
- Elevate the affected leg;
- Avoid putting weight on the knee;
- Etc.
In general, some people may be able to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling by decreasing weight, whilst others may require surgery. Therefore, defining how to treat knee pain based on a comprehensive medical and physical assessment of a patient’s medical circumstances is the responsibility of a trained health care professional.
A Final Conclusion
Overall, knee discomfort is a medical issue that may manifest as a wide range of symptoms, ranging from the inability to fully straighten the leg to fever. Additionally, there are many different ways to care for it. While some people will be able to eliminate their knee issues by decreasing excess weight, others may require specific medicine to be injected directly into their knee. To determine the primary symptoms, underlying reasons, and available treatments, each individual with knee discomfort must speak with their doctor. Always take good care of your health because it is your most valuable possession.
