July 27, 2024
What Causes Knee Pain?

What Causes Knee Pain?

Many people struggle with knee pain. The pain in the knee can affect a person of any age, but it is more common in elderly people. Pain in the knee is commonly associated with other symptoms like swelling and stiffness of the knee joint, weakness of the joint, redness, and inability to use the knee. It is important to seek medical attention if you have a fever, severe knee pain, and swelling, and if you have an obvious deformity or you got trauma to the knee.

Sometimes the pain in the knee may go away without any treatment. Other methods that help to reduce knee pain include resting the knee. Elite Physical Medicine can help you with pain you are experiencing through non-invasive treatment methods. However, if your knee pain is due to an infection, you may require medications and sometimes the doctor may recommend surgery to remove the cause of the pain. Below are some of the factors that cause knee pain.

1.Injury

You can get knee pain after injury of any of the tissues that are in the knee joint like muscles, ligaments, and tendons. One of the commonest causes of knee pain in sportsmen is an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that connects the bone of the leg with that of the thighs. You can also develop knee pain after tearing a meniscus which is the cartilage that protects your knee joint.

2.Fractures

Fractures of the bones in the knee joint, like the patellar, can also cause knee pain. You can get knee fractures after a fall or if you are involved in a traffic accident. Some people suffer from a condition called osteoporosis that weakens bones and makes them brittle; this can cause them to fracture their knee bones even after making very minor movements.

3.Arthritis

Arthritis refers to inflammation of the joints. Different types of arthritis can affect the knee joint, causing knee pain. They include osteoarthritis that occurs due to wear and tear of the knee joint, especially in old age. You can also get knee pain due to rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disorder where your body attacks the tissues in your knee joint.

Pseudogout is a type of arthritis that affects the knee due to the deposition of calcium crystals. If you have an infection on top of arthritis, what is referred to as septic arthritis, it will present with severe knee pain, fever, and inability to use this joint.

4.Lifestyle

Being overweight or obese is one of the factors that can increase the risk of getting knee pain. Obesity causes knee pain by putting a lot of pressure on your knee joint. Excess weight also causes your cartilage to depreciate faster and puts you at risk of osteoarthritis. Being in occupations that require you to constantly bend your knees, like construction and sports, can also make you develop knee pain. Trauma to the knee joint also causes pain.

In summary, knee pain is a common problem that can affect any person. The pain can be accompanied by fever if you have an infection, and you may also be unable to use the knee. Some of the causes of knee pain include trauma to the knee, arthritis, fractures, and being overweight. There are different methods of treating knee pain.