Dorothy FarrarKnee pain
Pain in the area of the knee joint in particular is referred to as knee pain. A large number of our population suffers from knee problems. The main causes include accidents (sports injuries) and signs of wear and tear on the knee joint ( arthrosis ). Knee pain should be clarified as a symptom of a serious underlying disease at an early stage.
What is knee pain?
Knee pain includes complaints that affect the entire knee. To be precise, it is usually a question of complaints of the knee joint. Knee joint disorders are very common in our society today. Knee pain affects women more often than men.
Although the knee joint is the largest joint in the entire body skeleton, it also has to withstand enormous loads. During a variety of physical activities (walking, standing, running, etc.), the entire pressure of one’s own body weight is often on the knees. Basically, knee pain is divided into acute and chronic pain.
causes
One of the main causes of knee pain is osteoarthritis, wear and tear of the knee joint. Excessive strain, frequent incorrect strain or being overweight can also lead to pain in the knee.
As a rule, older people who suffer from knee osteoarthritis are particularly affected by knee pain. But even with gout, pain in the knee is not uncommon. People who are active in sports in particular are therefore particularly often affected by knee pain, as the joint is subjected to incorrect loading. Running and jumping are the types of sports that put particularly heavy strain on the knee.
For example, the so-called patella tip syndrome (jumper’s knee, jumper’s knee) is widespread – pain on the outside of the knee, which is caused by incorrect strain when jogging, is particularly characteristic here. People with a misalignment or deformity of the legs ( knock knees ) are also affected by this disease pattern.
A cruciate ligament tear is also a common sports injury to the knee. Of course, the knee also hurts from injuries, for example after a fall. Meniscus damage, a meniscus tear or what is known as bursitis (bursitis) are other triggers for severe pain in the knee.
Diseases
symptoms and course
Knee pain can manifest itself in many different ways. The pain can be pressing, pulling or stabbing. In many cases, the knee is also swollen, red, warm and limited mobility is also observed in most patients.
Knee pain can come on slowly and insidiously or suddenly and completely unexpectedly. Acute pain is usually short-lived. The duration of the discomfort ranges from a few moments to several hours or even days.
Doctors speak of chronic pain when the symptoms last for many weeks, months or even years. The intensity of the symptoms can vary greatly – even after treatment has been completed and there is no pain at all, the symptoms can recur if the condition is chronic.
If the disease is very advanced, affected patients can often hardly walk. But even at rest, knee pain can occur.
When to the doctor?
Knee pain that occurs after one-time strenuous physical movements usually does not require a doctor’s visit. It is often a question of overloading the knee. This occurs after carrying heavy objects or after long movements. It is enough for the person concerned to take it easy in order to achieve relief. The knee pain is often completely gone by the next day. However, if the pain persists, you need to see a doctor. There is a risk that injuries may have been caused by the loads.
If the knee pain increases spontaneously or continuously, a doctor’s visit is necessary. This is a disease that needs to be diagnosed. Countermeasures are necessary to reduce the pain or bring about a cure.
If the pain occurs after a fall or accident, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Bone, joint, or muscle damage is likely and needs further investigation. The sooner treatment is initiated, the better it will affect the healing process.
If the pain in the legs continues to spread, a doctor should be consulted. A doctor’s visit is also advisable if there are restrictions on movement due to knee pain. Poor posture is possible, which triggers additional complaints and overloading of the muscles.
Diagnose
In principle, if knee pain persists for several days, a doctor should be consulted in order to avoid possible long-term consequences. When diagnosing knee pain, it is important to consider all of the ancillary circumstances. The age and physical condition of the patient play a particularly important role here. If an accident or an action during sport has triggered the knee pain, then these are the first important clues for the doctor when diagnosing the cause. The doctor is also interested in:
- How is the pain expressed? Is the pain: stabbing, dull, pulling or pressing?
- Did the pain come on suddenly or gradually?
- Is it permanent pain or recurring pain?
- Under what circumstances does the pain occur – eg when climbing stairs, walking, or at rest?
In addition to the physical examination and various movement tests, X- ray or ultrasound examinations may also be necessary for further investigation of the causes.
A special form of knee examination is arthroscopy , the reflection of the knee joint. In the case of a joint effusion, a joint puncture is also often used.
complications
There are a number of complications associated with knee pain. The complications usually depend on the cause of the pain. If knee pain is not considered and treated, osteoarthritis can develop in the knee. The articular cartilage wears down and cannot regenerate. In addition, wear and tear causes an inflammatory reaction. As a result, the knee swells and further pain is added. The underlying bone can also be affected.
Knee pain is often accompanied by thickening of the bone. As a result, the knee joint becomes misaligned. Affected people have to reckon with restricted mobility and may be dependent on a walking aid as they get older. Complications can also occur after an operation on the knee, for example in the case of a meniscus lesion. These include tissue problems and infections . If a cruciate ligament tear is the cause of the knee pain, postoperative bleeding and infections can occur after an operation. Elevated uric acid levels can trigger gout in the knee. If gout is not treated, joint and bone damage and infections cannot be ruled out.
treatment and therapy
Treatment for knee pain depends on the underlying cause. In many cases, cooling the knee and applying anti-inflammatory ointments already help. It is also advisable to protect the knee, under no circumstances should this be further strained.
Physiotherapy as well as heat, cold or electrotherapy can help with knee pain . In addition to anti-inflammatory tablets and ointments, joint irrigation or injections with cortisone are used for acute pain therapy .
A good alternative to total surgery is arthroscopy – an examination with a small probe, during which various interventions are also possible.
In the case of severely advanced signs of wear and tear of the knee joint, an operation is often unavoidable – during this the patient is fitted with an artificial knee joint (knee prosthesis). This therapy method is only used for severely and irreversibly destroyed articular cartilage.
After the hip joint, the artificial knee joint is the most commonly used prosthesis.
outlook and prognosis
Knee pain can have many different causes, so it is very difficult to give an exact cause or prognosis. In most cases, pain in the knee is caused by external violence or overload. If the inner tendons and ligaments are only strained and overstretched, severe pain can be expected. However, the existing pain disappears after a few days, provided no serious damage has occurred to the joint. Thus, a significant improvement should already occur after two to three days.
However, the situation is different if the knee has been damaged. If tendons, ligaments or the joint are damaged, the prognosis for self-healing is not so good. Immediate improvement cannot be expected without medical intervention or the taking of appropriate medication. Only if it is resorted to can the prospect and prognosis of a full recovery be positively influenced. Otherwise, the prospect and prognosis for a quick and, above all, complete healing does not look so good. In the worst case, permanent damage can even remain, so that the person concerned has to cope with considerable restrictions in everyday life.
prevention
To prevent pain in the knee, you should be careful not to put too much strain on it. Jogging in particular , but also badminton and tennis, put unnecessary strain on the knees.
Joint-gentle sports such as swimming or cycling are far better. But even with the right running technique , the knee joint is protected.
It is also very important for all sports to warm up properly beforehand and you should not miss stretching exercises after training. In addition, knee problems can also be triggered by incorrect footwear.
In order to prevent this, you should buy something deeper into your pocket and buy suitable running shoes – these support the joints as best as possible.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.