Your knee consists of many structures, including bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. If any of these structures are irritated or injured, you will experience knee pain. Anyone can experience knee pain. Your knee supports walking, running, crouching, jumping, and turning. Injuries, overuse, medical conditions, and poor posture are the common causes of knee pain. Fair Lawn knee pain is mainly accompanied by swelling, stiffness, weakness, instability, redness, and warmth to the touch. You are most likely to have knee pain if you engage in sports that involve repetitive use of your knee, like jumping. There are many causes of knee pain, and the common ones include:
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis that causes knee pain. It is a degenerative disease that causes tearing and wearing of the cartilage in the knee joint. Osteoarthritis mostly affects older people. Excess stress on your knee joint, like being obese, can lead to osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause knee pain. It destroys your knee cartilage and causes knee joint inflammation.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is the irritation and inflammation of a tendon. A tendon is a thick, fibrous tissue that attaches muscles to bones. Knee tendinitis mostly attacks the patellar tendon, which runs from the kneecap to the shin bone and enables you to kick, run and jump. You are most likely to have knee tendinitis if you are a runner, skier, and cyclist or engage in jumping sports or activities.
Fractures
Fractures are broken bones. Knee fractures can result from falls or accidents. Fractures can affect any bone in your knee, but the patella is mostly affected. Your bones can also weaken due to osteoporosis and lead to a fracture if you step wrong. Most knee fractures heal through physical therapy, but severe ones require surgery.
Bursitis
Bursitis is irritation and inflammation of the bursa. A bursa is a small sac that holds fluid in your joints to help prevent friction when you move. Overuse or repeated bending and kneeling can irritate your bursa on top of your kneecap, leading to knee pain. Bursitis causes swelling, pain, and stiffness in your knee. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and therapy can help resolve knee bursitis.
Dislocations
Although rare, knee dislocations cause extreme pain. They result from hard blows. Knee dislocation is mostly accompanied by injuries to surrounding blood vessels and nerves. It can be life-threatening in some instances. In most cases, doctors recommend surgery to repair the damaged structures in the knee dislocation. It may take you several weeks to heal from knee dislocation.
Infections
Cellulitis is one of the severe bacterial infections that can affect your knee, leading to pain. If you do not treat your cellulitis, an infection can occur if you scrape your knee. Knee infection is characterized by redness in the affected area, and your skin feels hot and tender to the touch. Cellulitis can be life-threatening if it is not treated early. The infection can spread to other parts of your body, including the lymph nodes.
Knee pain results from irritation or damage of knee structures like ligaments, tendons, muscles, or bones. The common causes of knee pain include arthritis, fractures, dislocations, infections, tendinitis, and bursitis. Schedule an appointment at Alliance Spine Associates for knee pain treatment to resume your daily activities.