Knee pain is a common symptom that every person experiences at least once.It can have a one-time character and appear after injuries, overloads or failed movements.It is less often pathological, caused by inflammatory, degenerative and dystrophic processes in the knee joint, knee ligaments, adjacent bones or surrounding soft tissues.
The intensity and nature of the pain can vary: from mild discomfort to debilitating pain, burning, sharp or cutting pain.Often, pain is accompanied by additional symptoms - swelling of soft tissues, local increase in skin temperature, redness and swelling.If pain in the knee area bothers you periodically or for more than 1-2 days, do not ignore the symptom and seek help from a doctor.An orthopedist or traumatologist will perform a diagnosis, determine the causes of the pain and choose an appropriate course of treatment.
Causes of knee pain
- Bruises after kneeling or blows, in which exudate accumulates outside the joint capsule or in it, and the skin quickly acquires a characteristic reddish-blue hue;
- sprain caused by excessive tension - with damage to muscles, ligaments, synovial bursa, hamstring muscle - accompanied by accumulation of exudate and often instability in the knee joint;
- partial avulsion or complete rupture of ligaments as a result of a strong external force, which is accompanied by a prolonged loss of stability and significant functional limitations in the limb
- A meniscus tear is a consequence of simultaneous flexion and torsion of the knee, when the meniscus is partially or completely torn from the tibia;
- rupture of cruciate ligaments, most often occurring during braking movements;
- primary osteoarthritis - pathological wear of the articular cartilage, which loses elasticity and provokes increased friction in the joint and constant pain in the knee area;
- rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which immune cells attack the synovial membrane, gradually destroying the joint cartilage and connective tissue;
- patellofemoral pain syndrome is pain in the knee joint, in the front, which develops as a result of excessive loads and is not accompanied by any structural changes.
Types of knee pain
Painful sensations in the knees are divided into several groups according to the following criteria:
Due to the occurrence
- Physiological - the body's natural reaction to long periods of standing, sitting or staying in an uncomfortable position;
- traumatic - the result of damage to the knee joint itself and the adjacent tissues;
- pathological - a consequence of inflammation of the knee joint, dystrophic or degenerative processes in it.
By frequency
- One-off - most often have a physiological nature, are not intense and pass on their own within a few minutes or hours;
- periodic - related to regularly repeated loads, for example in professional athletes or recurring diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis;
- chronic - they constantly bother a person, most often appear in joint pathologies and can increase with the progression of the disease.
During occurrence
- Occurs only after physical exertion, for example, when walking or squatting;
- aggravation after attempting to step on the foot;
- constant anxiety, regardless of physical activity and stress on the injured leg.
Diagnostic methods
When the patient complains of pain in the knees, the doctor records the symptoms, specifies when the pain began, what injuries and other factors preceded its development.To limit the list of suspected lesions and diseases of the joints, he conducts an examination with palpation and checks the mobility during the tests.The specialist makes an accurate diagnosis after blood tests and hardware diagnostics, for example radiography or nuclear magnetic resonance:
Which doctor should I contact?
To diagnose the cause of your knee pain, see a rheumatologist or orthopedist.If the pain syndrome is preceded by an injury, make an appointment with a traumatologist.Depending on the accompanying symptoms, a consultation with a surgeon and a neurologist may be necessary.
Treatment of knee pain
The course of treatment for painful knees depends on their causes.Mild bruises and sprains are treated with rest and the use of topical warming and healing ointments.In more serious injuries, it may be necessary to immobilize the limb with the help of an orthosis or cast: in such cases, to get rid of the pain, the patient is prescribed analgesics in tablets or injections.The treatment of joint diseases is carried out complexly, using anti-inflammatory agents, chondroprotectors and physiotherapeutic procedures.
Consequences
After an injury, the prognosis depends on the severity of the injury.As a rule, recovery from bruises and sprains takes up to 1-2 weeks.Rehabilitation after torn ligaments takes longer;the worst prognosis for a meniscus fracture is that the instability of the knee joint can last for a long time.
Joint diseases without timely treatment provoke their gradual destruction, deformation and loss of mobility.Often the changes are irreversible and if treatment is not started in time, the normal functioning of the joint cannot be restored.
Preventing knee pain
- Do a regular warm-up if you stand for a long time or sit in an uncomfortable position;
- avoid overloading and knee injuries;
- avoid hypothermia, wear warm pants in winter;
- eat more foods with vitamin D and phosphorus;
- to regularly undergo planned medical examinations by an orthopedist and not to cause degenerative and inflammatory processes in the knee joint.