The knee joint is one of the largest joints in the human body. It is subject to a great deal of stress, as it bears almost all of the weight of our body. The knee joint is often injured.
The presence of knee pain can be a sign of a serious pathology. Pain in the knee joint not only limits movement and causes discomfort, it can lead to disability.
How is knee pain?
Knee pain is a common complaint and can affect people of all ages. Pain in the knee joint itself can not only be the result of an injury, but also a sign of a serious disease (osteoarthritis, gout).
There are two types of pain: acute and chronic. Acute knee pain usually occurs as a result of an injury or is a sign of an acute inflammatory process.
Chronic knee pain is characterized by a gradual increase in pain. The main cause of chronic pain is the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the tissues of the joint or a chronic inflammatory process. For a chronic process, the most characteristic is the presence of aching pain in the knee joint.
By nature, pain in the knee joint can be arching, aching, and also accompanied by a number of other manifestations:
- swelling and redness in the joint area;
- joint deformity;
- restricted movement in the joint;
- The presence of a crunch in the joint during movement.
Causes of knee pain
Knee pain can be the result of aging and wear and tear of the components of the knee joint. The most common cause of severe knee pain is trauma and damage to the joint. The most common knee injuries are:
- Fractures and bruises, which most often occur with falls and are accompanied by acute pain;
- torn ligament or tendon;
- meniscus tear;
- Dislocations of both the knee joint itself and the kneecap.
Against the background of injuries in the knee joint and damage, diseases such as bursitis and tendinitis can develop.
Other causes of pain in the knee joint are the presence of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the tissues of the joint, as well as inflammatory processes:
- bursitis. Bursitis is an inflammation of the joint bag, which is accompanied not only by pain, but also by swelling.
- tendinitis. Tendonitis is inflammation of one or more tendons. This inflammation can occur when the tendons of the patella are damaged. They occur very often in people who are professionally involved in running, jumping, skiing and cycling.
- Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. Osteoarthritis is the most common. Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that affects all parts of the joint, primarily cartilage, ligaments, capsules and muscles. Joint inflammation can also be infectious (septic arthritis) and autoimmune (rheumatoid arthritis).
One of the rarest causes of knee pain is the presence of cysts and tumors that compress nearby tissue, causing pain in the knee joint.
A number of factors can increase the risk of knee pain:
- overweight. Being overweight or obese puts more strain on the knee joints, which increases the risk of osteoarthritis.
- The presence of injuries to the knee joint in the past.
- certain sports. Some sports put a lot of strain on the knee joint, which increases the risk of chronic injuries.
- The presence of diseases such as osteomyelitis and osteoporosis, which lead to brittle bones, thereby increases the risk of fractures.
knee pain when walking
Pain in the knee joint, which increases with movement, is usually a sign of degenerative-dystrophic diseases (arthrosis). Pain arises from contact during movement of the joint surfaces, some of which are without cartilage tissue.
Knee pain in extension and flexion
Pain in the knee when stretching and bending indicates an inflammatory process in the tendons and ligaments of the knee joint and also occurs with inflammation of the joint bag (bursitis). Inflammation in the tendon-ligament apparatus of the knee joint can occur if the tendon of the kneecap is damaged. Most often this pathology occurs in athletes.
The second cause of pain in the knee joint during flexion and extension is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cartilage tissue of the joint (arthrosis).
knee pain at rest
Pain in the knee at rest, especially at night, is usually a sign of osteoarthritis. Other causes are sprains, damage to the meniscus, cartilage, inflammation of the tendons (tenditis), inflammation of the joint bag (bursitis).
Knee pain at night increases with age and is common in overweight people.
What not to do with pain syndrome
First of all, you should not self-medicate, but it is better to immediately seek help from a specialist. In no case should you try to straighten the joint yourself if there is a dislocation.
Avoid sudden movements, do not put too much stress on the joint - this can only increase the pain.
diagnosis
If you have pain in the knee joint, you should consult an orthopedist. First, the specialist interviews the patient, collects complaints and conducts a thorough examination. To exclude concomitant diseases, the doctor may prescribe a consultation with other specialists, for example, a neurologist.
Instrumental diagnostic procedures include X-ray examination, magnetic resonance or computed tomography (MRI/CT) and ultrasound of the knee joints.
Laboratory research methods are general and biochemical blood tests.
Treatment of knee pain
Depending on the type of lesion, the specialist doctor will prescribe a specific treatment plan. The treatment of knee pain is often complex and involves drug and non-drug therapies.
Drug therapy includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics. These drugs reduce inflammation and pain in the joint. A group of slow-acting drugs or chondroprotectors are also prescribed in courses of 3-6 months, which help reduce inflammation and joint pain, and also help slow down the destruction of cartilage. Such drugs include, for example, combined drugs, the substances containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.
Non-drug therapy is based on physiotherapeutic methods: UHF, massage, physiotherapy exercises, mud therapy, magnetotherapy and others. It is also recommended to wear special orthopedic insoles or shoes individually selected by the doctor.
If conservative methods are ineffective, then the treatment of knee pain requires a more serious approach: the doctor can recommend various surgical methods of treatment.