Knee Pain
Ligamentous Sprain: Knee Ligaments Have Stretched More Than Normal Or Torn, But Are Not Permanently Damaged
- Symptoms: pain around the knee, swelling, bruising, unable to put weight on the knee, tenderness
- Causes: sudden increase in activity level, abrupt change in direction or speed, landing awkwardly, collisions with an object or other person
Torn Meniscus: Damage To The Rubbery Pads Between The Upper And Lower Leg Bones, Often Occur Along With Damage To Knee Ligaments (See Ligamentous Sprains)
- Symptoms: deep pain in the knee, swelling, knee locks up unexpectedly, a popping sensation during the injury, difficulty bending and straightening the leg
- Causes: changing direction suddenly, repeated squatting or stepping, general aging
Osteoarthritis: Joint Cartilage And The Underlying Bone Begin To Degrade
- Symptoms: pain and stiffness in the knees, tenderness, grating or cracking feeling, limited motion
- Causes: aging, family history
Popliteal Cyst (Baker’s Cyst): A Fluid-Filled Swelling Forms On The Back Of The Knee
- Symptoms: lump or fluid on the back of the knee, pain in the knee and calf, occasional locking or clicking in the knee
- Causes: any knee injury, including a blow to the knee, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout
Patellar Tendinitis: The Tendon That Connect The Kneecap To The Joint Become Inflamed
- Symptoms: pain and tenderness in the front of the knee, swelling, redness
- Causes: overuse of the knee, such as repeated jumping or kneeling, can develop into tendinopathy
Bursitis: Inflammation Of The Bursa, A Fluid-Filled Sac That Lies Between Bones To Act As A Cushion
- Symptoms: pain around the knee that increases with movement or pressure, tenderness, swelling, loss of movement
- Causes: repetitive movements like long distance running, hard blow to the knee, overuse of the knee
Patellofemoral Pain (Runner Or Jumper’s Knee): Pain In The Front Part Of The Knee, Specifically Around The Knee Cap
- Symptoms: dull, aching pain in the front of the knee that begins gradually and is worse when bending the knee or after long periods of sitting, popping or crackling sounds
- Causes: changes in activity intensity or duration, patellar malalignment
Patellar Maltracking: The Patella (Knee Cap) Is Pulled In A Certain Direction And Rubs Against The Femu
- Symptoms: visible shifting of the patella to one side, knee locks and cannot be unlocked, pain around the patella
- Causes: strength imbalance in the quadriceps muscles, flat patella, patella that sits high on the femur
Osgood-Schlatter Disease: The Bone, Cartilage, Or Tendon At The Top Of The Shinbone Becomes Inflame
- Symptoms: tingling or burning feeling in the skin when the forearm is stretched, tight-feeling muscles, cramping during exercise, difficulty moving the arm, muscle bulging
- Causes: sudden blow to the arm, repetitive motion
Hypermobility (Double-Jointed): Knee Joint Has An Unusually Large Range Of Motion
- Symptoms: stiffness in the knee, clicking noise when moving, dislocation of the knee, recurrent injuries such as sprains
- Causes: family history, overstretching of the joint such as in gymnastics or ballet
Gout: Uric Acid Buildup In The Blood Results In Crystals Forming In And Around Joints
- Symptoms: sudden severe pain in the knee, swelling, redness, pain lasting 3 to 10 days after onset
- Causes: diuretics, alcohol, family history, hypothyroidism, obesity, kidney problems
