The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in our body. The knee joint is prone to injuries that can cause pain. Especially often the knee is injured when running. Let’s look at the main causes and treatments for knee pain.
Symptoms of knee pain
The symptoms of knee pain depend on the cause and severity. Knee pain is a common problem.
Knee pain can occur suddenly with too much pressure and injury.
Instability or weakness often occurs in the knee - so the feeling of the foot will stop.
Depending on the cause of the pain, other symptoms can be observed: stiffness of movement, clicking in the knee, congestion of the knee joint in one position, inability to straighten the leg.
How does knee pain affect us?
Knee pain occurs more often in the elderly, overweight (due to increased pressure on the joints) and during sports. The knee joint is actively involved in movement, so knee pain greatly affects our lives. With knee pain, we can’t play sports, it’s hard for us to walk and climb stairs.
The knee joint is made up of three bones, tendons that attach muscles to bones, and ligaments that stabilize and connect bones. In the cavity of the knee joint there are two C -shaped cartilage - menisci. Their main role is to calm the joints. The fluid -filled exchange allows the joint to move smoothly.
80% of the people studied had knee pain.
Why knee pain occurs
Knee pain is often caused by injuries (sprains and tendons, dislocations, ligament tears or menisci), as well as osteoarthritis, tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons), and bursitis (accumulation of fluid in the bursae).
Sports injuries
Knee injuries are common among athletes. They often experience a ruptured knee ligament with sudden knee pain. Excessive stress on the knee joint, such as when running, walking, jumping and cycling, can cause what is called "runner’s knee" (iliotibial canal friction syndrome). Often manifests itself as pain in the knee area and is caused by overuse, injury, leg bone disease, or muscle weakness.
Another reason
Knee injuries can develop gradually with osteoarthritis. If, as a result of problems in the hip or ankle joints, a person’s gait is disturbed, then this in turn can lead to asymmetry in the load on the knee joint, which in turn is fraught with injury. Knee injuries, even minor injuries, increase the likelihood of similar injuries in the future.
Determine the cause of the pain
Pain in the knee can be caused by damage to the ligaments and tears in the meniscus (the layer of cartilage that stabilizes the joint). Pain in the front of the knee is usually caused by inflammation of the bursa and cartilage problems. Osteoarthritis can cause pain in the back of the knee.
Treatment
How knee pain is diagnosed and treated depends on the cause of the pain. To determine this, you must see a doctor. The doctor will examine your knee, checking for movement, swelling, bruising, and local fever. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy and knee braces to relieve pain, refer you for additional tests (X-rays, MRI, ultrasound, or CT), show exercises to strengthen the knee joint and prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications to relieve pain andtreat the cause. Also, after consulting a doctor, at home, you can provide protection and solace to the injured knee, use ice, use a compression bandage and keep the knee in an elevated position. Independent pain relievers for internal and external use can help relieve moderate to short -term pain and reduce inflammation.
What is Runner Knee Syndrome?
Knee injuries are common among athletes involved in athletics, especially running.
Runner's knee syndrome includes the following symptoms:
- Pain in the back or around the patella.
- Pain when bending the knee.
- The pain gets worse when walking down a hill or down stairs.
- Swelling in the knee area.
- A clicking or crackling sound may be felt in the knee.
Treatment includes rest and taking anti-inflammatory medication
Exercises to relieve knee pain
Knee pain is common: out of 100 people who complain of pain, 80 reported knee pain. Three simple exercises will help make the muscles that support your knees stronger and more flexible. Doing this exercise regularly will help prevent or relieve knee pain.