Knee Pain - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - Pain Relief

Information on knee pain, arthritis, conditions, causes, diagnosis, symptoms, pain relief, prevention, surgery and other treatment options. The knee, a hinge joint, has one of the widest ranges of motion of any joint. A knee damaged by arthritis may be a candidate for joint replacement.

Knee Arthritis - What Is Arthritis In the Knee?

Arthritis in the knee most often refers to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis in the knee, results from wear and tear on its parts. However, inflammation that occurs in certain rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can also damage the knee. What is "arthritis in the knee"?

Risk Factors

The complex anatomy of the knee joint that allows it to bend while supporting heavy loads is extremely sensitive to small problems in alignment, training, and overuse. Pressure may pull the kneecap sideways out of its groove, causing pain behind the kneecap. In teenagers, a number of factors may be involved.
·    Imbalance of thigh muscles that support the knee joint
·    Poor flexibility
·    Problems with alignment
·    Using improper sports training techniques or equipment
·    Overdoing sports activities
Common Causes:
Knee pain usually results from overuse, poor form during physical activity, not warming up or cooling down, or inadequate stretching. Simple causes of knee pain often clear up on their own with self care. Being overweight can put you at greater risk for knee problems.

The most common cause of runner's knee is pronation and lateral (away from the middle) pulling of the patella. This causes misalignment with the connective tissues and muscles involved with knee movement.

Anterior knee pain may also be caused by softening of the cartilage beneath the kneecap (chondromalacia patellae), arthritis or by pinching of the inner lining of the knee with knee motion (synovial impingement).

Symptoms    Return to top
Symptoms include knee pain below the kneecap and on the sides of the kneecap, particularly with deep knee bends or prolonged sitting.
In cases of runner's knee, pain occurs first when running downhill then gets worse and occurs with all running. Finally, pain is present even when you do not run.

What is Patellofemoral Syndrome?
Patellofemoral syndrome is the term used to describe pain on and around the patella or kneecap. A common cause is damage to the surface underneath the kneecap. It can be started by an impact or it gradually comes on from rubbing on the bone underneath. The injury is often referred to as chondramalacia patellae, patella pain syndrome or runner's knee.

Knee Pain Overview Treatment

Self-Care at Home
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, which causes further injury, which leads to further inflammation, and so on. 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 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.